Since my first visit to Xalapa back in 1998, it’s been one of my favorite spots in Mexico.
The city—capital of the Mexican state of Veracruz—is an extremely rare blend in Mexico of modern conveniences: a rich, traditional, and educated Mexican culture and the energy and spark of a university town, without the cultural influence of American expats. And you can own a property here in Xalapa starting at less than $50,000.
Xalapa (pronounced hah-LAH-pah) is a fairly big city, with about a half-million residents in the town proper and more than 800,000 in its metro area. Also spelled Jalapa, it’s a town of rolling hills, with an elevation that runs between 4,300 and 4,800 feet (about 1,300 to 1,450 meters), depending on where you are in town.
The hills around town provide for some great views from the properties here. And the elevation provides for pleasant temperatures that average about 15 degrees cooler than the nearby Gulf Coast, some 35 miles away as the crow flies.
The average daytime high varies between 72 and 82 F, with January being the “coldest” month and May the warmest. Most rainfall occurs between May and October. June and September are the wettest months, while December through March are the driest. There is sufficient rainfall to keep the town and surrounding area green and lush. Morning fog is common in the winter.
Xalapa is home to about two dozen universities, the most prominent of which is the Universidad de Veracruz. As anywhere, the large presence of intelligent young people gives the city a youthful, vibrant energy. You may well decide to buy a full- or part-time retirement home here, but don’t expect the feel of a retirement community.
The expat community in Xalapa is small but well integrated. There are an estimated 400 to 600 English-speaking expats in Xalapa and the surrounding areas who seem to be well integrated into the community.
I only ran into three expats in a week. So if you’re looking for a welcome committee, expat hangouts, or English-speaking discussion groups, Xalapa won’t be the place to find them. But you will see a few familiar U.S. icons here, such as Walmart, Sam’s Club, Costco, and Home Depot. You can actually find anything you’ll need in the shops downtown, but the U.S. stores will bring that familiar level of convenience that’s hard to find outside the United States.
Xalapa has a number of lush parks and squares (normally called a zócalo in Mexico), each of which has a distinct personality.
I stayed just down the street from Parque Juárez, which pretty much exemplifies what I like about zócalos. It was a busy social hub on Saturday night, with an almost carnival-like atmosphere, while Sunday brings a pleasant crowd of people strolling and relaxing in the traditional Mexican Sunday-style, people-watching and buying snacks from the street vendors’ carts. This hillside zócalo has a unique lookout, affording a breathtaking view of the surrounding hills and city.
Traffic is heavy downtown and moves at a crawl. If I had a home in Xalapa, I’d either walk or use the inexpensive taxis and public transit, at least in the downtown areas.
The property market in Xalapa starts at less than $50,000—deep into bargain territory. Monthly rentals start at around $500.
Here are a couple of examples of what’s on the market today…
In the gated residential development of Las Colinas, a two-bedroom, two-bathroom home is for sale for $120,935. It features a fully-equipped kitchen, covered service patio with washing machine, grill, and granite bar, parking for three cars, and is fully-furnished.
In the upscale Las Ánimas neighborhood, a newly-built two-bedroom, two-bathroom home is for sale. The two-story home has parking for two cars. It’s on the market for $178,446.
To get to Xalapa, you can fly into Veracruz airport (VER). From there, Xalapa is about a 90-minute drive.
In general, the Xalapa area is a great place to live and be a part of a thriving, energetic community with all the cultural and artistic amenities you could want. You’ll find a great symphony, theater, and plenty of excellent restaurants… along with good and convenient shopping.
For a super lifestyle at an amazing price in Mexico, Xalapa is hard to beat.
Sincerely,
Lee Harrison
Contributor, Overseas Living Letter
