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    Super Cheap

    • Chitré, Panama
    • Santa Marta, Colombia
    • Phuket, Thailand
    • Dumaguete, The Philippines

    Cheap

    • Medellin, Colombia
    • Boquete, Panama
    • Kyrenia, Cyprus
    • Hua Hin, Thailand
    • The Algarve, Portugal

    Affordable

    • Valencia, Spain
    • Cascais, Portugal
    • Las Terrenas, The DR
    • Pisa, Italy
    • La Rochelle, France
    • Mazatlán, Mexico

    Luxury

    • Ambergris Caye, Belize
    • Kotor, Montenegro
    • The Panama City Beaches
    • Paris, France
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    • Home
    • Countries

      Top Destinations:

      Whether you’re looking for fun and sun, a peaceful retirement, or the chance to earn some extra income, you’ve got a real world of opportunity open to you… In short, we’ve done our best to narrow down your best options, but only you can decide the right country for you.

      • Spain
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • Colombia
      • Cyprus
      • Mexico
      • France
      • Montenegro
      • Browse All Countries

      Best For:

      • The Best Places To Retire
      • Health Care Abroad
      • Cost Of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Establishing Residency
      • Gun Laws In The World
      • English-Speaking Countries
      • Safest Places For Retirement
      • Best Places In Latin America
    • Budgets

      How Much Will It Cost You To Live Overseas?

      The only honest answer is, we have no idea. And neither does anyone else. The only one who can answer that question is you. Here’s the most important thing to understand about budgeting your new life overseas…

      Super Cheap

      • Chitré, Panama
      • Santa Marta, Colombia
      • Phuket, Thailand
      • Dumaguete, The Philippines

      Cheap

      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Kyrenia, Cyprus
      • Hua Hin, Thailand
      • The Algarve, Portugal

      Affordable

      • Valencia, Spain
      • Cascais, Portugal
      • Las Terrenas, The DR
      • Pisa, Italy
      • La Rochelle, France
      • Mazatlán, Mexico

      Luxury

      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Kotor, Montenegro
      • The Panama City Beaches
      • Paris, France
    • Resources

      Global Living

      • Living & Retiring Overseas
      • Raising A Family Abroad
      • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
      • Offshore & Diversification

      Making Money

      • International Real Estate
      • Banking
      • Employment
      • Investing

      Follow Us:

      • Meet Our Experts
    • Real Estate

      Join our Weekly Newsletter
      Overseas Property Alert

      Sign up for our weekly newsletter to receive expert insights on the best international real estate investment opportunities.






        We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.

        Buying Real Estate For Cashflow

        • Discover tips and strategies used by global property investing veterans

        Explore Our Latest Posts

        • Learn how to invest and purchase property abroad…

        Go To The Overseas Property Alert Site

        • How To Become Independently Wealthy And Fund The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams
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        Live and Invest In Spain Conference

        Offshore Wealth Summit

        Greece Workshop

        VALENCIA, SPAIN

        Sep. 17-19, 2025

        PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

        Oct. 15-17, 2025

        VIRTUAL

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        Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
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        Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com

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        • Explore Our Store
        Your passport to a life well-lived abroad

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        overseas living letter offers affordable retirement guidance
        The Simon Letter Wealth Protection Insights
        Global Property Advisor Global Investment Opportunities

        Our Customer Service team is here to assist with any questions or concerns CustomerService@LiveandInvestOverseas.com

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      Home Countries Mexico

      Mexico Expat Heaven Or Hell?

      by Russ Reynolds
      Jun 20, 2025
      in Mexico
      0 0
      Playa del Carmen white sand beach and luxury hotels seen from above – Mexico expat lifestyle

      Playa del Carmen Beach Aerial View – Mexico Expat Life AdobeStock/ @SAndor

      Part of my reason for leaving Canada, the country of my birth, was to explore something different, something unique. To have an experience in life that most people only dream of… an adventure.

      That was the theory.

      However, speaking from experience, when you follow through, reality sets in.

      If you’ve been to Cuba for instance, then you know that hot water for showering and reliable Internet are luxuries. When on vacation, you can handle stuff like that, but it gets old quickly when it’s your day-to-day experience.

      Spending afternoons learning to speak a foreign language is dreamy and wonderful in theory. But driving around in circles trying to find your destination is more a nightmare than a dream when you don’t speak enough Spanish even to ask for directions let alone understand them.

      Foreign food is fun to explore, but after a while what you’ll really crave is a hamburger, a steak, or a bowl of Haagen-Dazs.

      Once in Central America, we went on a quest to satisfy my wife’s craving for aged cheddar. Turns out aged cheese is not a concept understood in every corner of the world. Using the word viejo—Spanish for old—was not only unhelpful, but I’m sure it got us labeled loco in more than one grocery store.

      The truth is, when moving overseas, most of us eventually want a unique experience and the comforts of home. If that’s your goal, too, I can think of no better place to consider for your new life abroad than Mexico.

      I’ve had the pleasure of both vacationing and living in different parts of Mexico. I’ve enjoyed them all, but today I want to talk to you about Playa del Carmen.

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      Life in Playa del Carmen

      Playa del Carmen is a vibrant beach town, just an hour south of Vegas on the beach (Cancún). There’s typically plenty of hot water, and reliable Internet is just as ubiquitous as it is here at home in Canada.

      In many ways, Playa del Carmen is like Canada…
      In many ways, it’s completely different.

      For instance, everyone speaks Spanish. But just about everyone speaks English, too. So you can indulge your desire to learn the local lingo without having to rely on it when speed of communication is paramount.

      Common local command of the English language is evident when walking down Playa del Carmen’s 5th Avenue. Restaurant maître d’s implore you to “come check out the menu, amigo.”

      One particular shop owner said to us, “Amigo, we’ve got a lot of crap in here. But it’s different crap than everybody else’s. You should take a look.” His English was impeccable, and we appreciated his sense of humor.

      Off 5th Avenue, English is still prevalent. Real estate agents and land sharks (the time-share sales people) are very often expats, and they’re always willing to help. Although, a tip: Choose the former rather than the latter if you don’t feel like attending a sales presentation.

      Yes, you can get by in Playa del Carmen without ever learning or using a word of Spanish. Of course, we don’t recommend it. Part of the adventure of living somewhere new is embracing the language and the culture.

      You also have to think about the realities of living in a place famous for its slowness. There’s a reason they call it Mexican time. Mexican time sounds relaxing and leisurely… until your toilet’s backed up. When you have no indoor plumbing you get tired of hearing mañana, señor.

      Whether you buy a casita in Playa del Carmen or you rent, eventually you’ll need to do some work around the place.

      You could try to find an honest plumber who won’t charge you gringo prices and who’ll show up when he says he’ll show up… on your time, not Mexican time.

      When you give up on that dream, you’ll be relieved to remember that there’s a Home Depot on Calle 60, about 10 minutes from the town center.

      Want to get some groceries but not ready to brave the local markets, the Mega, or the Chedraui? The first time my daughter Olivia saw a frozen cow head at the Mega, she never wanted to go back. Apparently, it’s a common choice for the locals.

      While Olivia got over her horror, and we took many more trips to local grocery stores, she always preferred Playa’s Walmart and Costco. And you may, too, when you find yourself longing for home.

      You can shop at Costco when you want the comforts of home and the brands you’re used to, knowing that the cow’s head will be waiting when you’re ready for it.

      This is the way in Playa del Carmen, a Mexican beach town where you can truly have the best of both worlds. You can explore food, culture, and language that’s completely different than what you left back home… while living very similarly to how you’re living right now in Canada if you want.

      I recommend a bit of both. Enjoy the comforts of home while dipping your toes ever further in the authentic Mexican experience.

      Sincerely,
      Russ Reynolds
      Contributor, Overseas Living Letter

      Tags: 'retire in mexico'americans in mexicoPlaya del CarmenWhere to Live Overseas
      Share85Tweet52
      Russ Reynolds

      Russ Reynolds

      Russ Reynolds is a writer, financial book ghostwriter, and direct response marketing strategist currently living in Ontario Canada.

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      HOME

      Top Countries

      • Spain
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • Colombia
      • Cyprus
      • Mexico
      • France
      • Montenegro

      Best For:

      • Health Care Abroad
      • Retirement Living
      • Cost Of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Establishing Residency
      • Gun Ownership
      • English Speakers
      • Safety
      BROWSE ALL COUNTRIES

      Budgets

      How Much Will It Cost
      To Live Overseas?

      Super Cheap

      • Chitré, Panama
      • Santa Marta, Colombia
      • Phuket, Thailand
      • Dumaguete, The Philippines

      Cheap

      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Kyrenia, Cyprus
      • Hua Hin, Thailand
      • The Algarve, Portugal

      Affordable

      • Valencia, Spain
      • Cascais, Portugal
      • Las Terrenas, The DR
      • Pisa, Italy
      • La Rochelle, France
      • Mazatlán, Mexico

      Luxury

      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Kotor, Montenegro
      • The Panama City Beaches
      • Paris, France

      Resources

      Global Living

      • Living & Retiring Overseas
      • Raising A Family Abroad
      • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
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