Unlock The World
Overseas Havens Reports
Conference Kits
Lahardan Books
Services
Our Customer Service team is here to assist with any questions or concerns CustomerService@LiveandInvestOverseas.com
Unlock The World
Overseas Havens Reports
Conference Kits
Lahardan Books
Services
Our Customer Service team is here to assist with any questions or concerns CustomerService@LiveandInvestOverseas.com
Guanajuato is unique in Mexico, perhaps in the world. Here, you can find such an eclectic mix of colonial architecture, museums, and plazas.
Guanajuato is certainly unique. The city boasts an eclectic mix of museums, churches, old silver mines and an energetic student population.
Most importantly, there’s a thriving cultural scene with lots of arts festivals and exhibitions throughout the year.
With its 400-year history, Spanish-colonial architecture, a tunnel road system, silver mines, and even a large collection of mummies, the most surprising thing about Guanajuato is that it isn’t more discovered than it is. Many who visit compare Guanajuato favorably with the small, medieval towns of Tuscany and Provence.
Most importantly, Guanajuato is a special place to live, but it isn’t a suitable choice for everyone. The historic town center that runs along the valley of several canyons is relatively flat, but most of the houses are on steep pedestrian-only alleyways.
Few houses in the center have parking, and street parking is scarce. Guanajuato is a walking city. If you can’t imagine living without a car, you have a walking impediment, or your vision of retirement is living as a couch-potato, you’ll have a hard time adapting to life in Guanajuato.
Reviewed By Lief Simon
Lief Simon is the managing editor of Global Property Advisor, Simon Letter, and Offshore Living Letter. He has purchased more than 45 properties, investing in 23 different countries around the world.
Start Your New Overseas Life Today
A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we’ll send you a FREE report on the 10 Best Places To Retire In Style Overseas Today 2025
We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
Guanajuato’s expat community is small, estimated to be about 250 to 350 people—retired, semiretired, and second-home expats. Most expats choose to own their houses. You can find good rental deals as well.
The expats are split fairly evenly between two of the main locations. Around half live in the town center and half on the town periphery, or in the Marfil and Valenciana suburbs.
Some expats have side businesses, but most live from their back-home investments and pensions. This group of expats tends to be segregated by two location types: the center-city group that doesn’t use automobiles and the suburb group in Marfil.
Is Mexico safe for expats? We can tell you all the reasons why a destination fits the bill as an expat haven. But only you can decide if you want the mountains or a beach… to buy or to rent… year-round sunshine or four seasons… a walkable city or a remote bolt-hole that only the sturdiest of off-roaders will get you to…
Guanajuato is the crown jewel of Mexico’s colonial highland cities, an ideal and affordable retirement choice.
Overall, groceries, restaurants, and entertainment expenses run 20% to 30% cheaper than in the United States.
In short, a retired couple could live here very comfortably on a budget of about 17,240 Mexican pesos per month.
Long-term rental houses are scarce in Guanajuato’s historic center, as the student population consumes most of the housing.
Housing is cheaper as you move away from the center toward the Presa, Pastita, and San Javier barrios. You should be able to negotiate a discount if you lease for one year or longer.
| Expense | Monthly Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | MXN 6,000 | |
| Gas | MXN 670 | Used for hot water and cooking. |
| Electricity | MXN 600 | |
| Water | N/A | Included with electricity. |
| Telephone | MXN 700 | Includes DSL Internet, and cost varies according to Internet speed and long-distance calling plans. |
| Internet | N/A | Included with telephone. |
| Cable TV | MXN 270 | |
| Groceries | MXN 6,000 | |
| Entertainment | MXN 3,000 | |
| Total | MXN 17,240 |
Guanajuato is easily accessible on a modern road system and from a nearby airport. Though it is well-connected to major highways to the west, south, and east, Guanajuato is fortunate to be located away from the major highways, substantially reducing the amount of traffic, with its associated noise and pollution.
The international airport is just 40 minutes away on the road between Silao and León. There are frequent daily flights to Houston and Dallas (2 hours, 15 minutes flying time), Los Angeles (3 hours, 30 minutes), and Mexico City (1 hour).
Guanajuato has good intercity first-class bus services to nearby cities: Mexico City (5 hours, 30 minutes), Guadalajara (4 hours), and the U.S. border (14 hours, overnight.) Most of these first-class buses are superior in comfort to first-class airline seating.
The historic town center that runs along the valley of several canyons is relatively flat, but most of the houses are on steep pedestrian-only alleyways.
Few houses in the center have parking, and street parking is scarce. Guanajuato is a walking city. If you can’t imagine living without a car, you have a walking impediment, or your vision of retirement is living as a couch-potato, you’ll have a hard time adapting to life in Guanajuato.
Guanajuato enjoys moderate weather throughout the year.
In other words, the combination of a southern latitude with a high altitude (2,008 meters, or 6,583 feet, above sea level) gives Guanajuato moderate weather throughout the year.
Guanajuato has two pronounced seasons. Mid-May through mid-October is the rainy season, with average monthly rainfall of 9.5 centimeters (3.75 inches).
The rains cool the temperatures throughout the summer, making June through September very pleasant. Mid-October through mid-May is the dry season, and May is the hottest month (about 87° F, on average).
Reviewed By Lief Simon
Lief Simon is the managing editor of Global Property Advisor, Simon Letter, and Offshore Living Letter. He has purchased more than 45 properties, investing in 23 different countries around the world.
Start Your New Overseas Life Today
A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we’ll send you a FREE report on the 10 Best Places To Retire In Style Overseas Today 2025
We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
Guanajuato is a safe place. But similar to any tourist area or large city, don’t walk alone at night, don’t visit bars or clubs alone, and don’t go down alleys or dark streets alone.
Guanajuato, Mexico, is known for colorful buildings, cobblestone alleyways and for being surrounded by mountains. Also, it has a thriving cultural scene with lots of arts festivals and exhibitions.
Watching the sun dip into the ocean, hearing the crashing of the waves (and perhaps a wandering band, fireworks, or...
Since my first visit to Xalapa back in 1998, it’s been one of my favorite spots in Mexico. The city—capital...
Mexico has 5,800 miles of coastline. Which spot might be best for you? Let’s take a quick look at the...
Nestled in a high valley in Mexico’s pine-studded Western Sierra Madre range, they city of Durango’s surroundings look like what...
We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
As seen in
Top Countries
Budgets
Affordable
Resources
Real Estate
Overseas Property Alert
How To Become Independently Wealthy And Fund The Lifestyle Of Your Dreams
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…
Conferences
Live and Invest In Panama Conference
Live And Invest In Greece Workshop
Live And Invest In Portugal Conference
Contact Our Events Team:
Toll-Free U.S. and Canada:
1 (888) 627 8834
From Outside North America:
1 (443) 599 1221
Working Hours
Monday – Friday 08:00 am – 17:00 pm EST.
Reach us with your questions by email at: events@liveandinvestoverseas.com
Store
Overseas Havens Reports
Conference Kits
Lahardan Books
Services
Free Report
FREE Report
The 12 Best Places to Retire in 2026
Simply sign up for our FREE daily Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we’ll immediately email you our editors’ latest research report… absolutely FREE
We Value Your Privacy! We will not share your email address with anyone else, period.
Follow Us:
© 2008 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.
RETIRE OVERSEAS AND
LIVE LIKE ROYALTY
Sign up for FREE and learn how to live the good life on a modest budget, find bargain property, and more. Plus, check out our FREE report on the 12 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE.
