Puebla, Mexico

Puebla is one of the largest and most beautiful Spanish-colonial environments you’ll find in Mexico. It offers a low cost of living and inexpensive properties.

Around 3 million people live in Puebla,

Located 50 miles southeast of Mexico City, Puebla has an international airport and manages to feel like a small community in many ways.

Most importantly, the zócalo (town square) is one of the best in Mexico. It’s an entire large city block, lined with sidewalk cafés and shops hidden behind the classic portales (arches) common to the squares of many colonial cities.

The cathedral is magnificent. Plus, you’ll find more than 70 other beautiful churches in the historic center alone.

Puebla is noted for its famous Talavera pottery, as well as for its mole poblano… a thick, dark, sauce made from toasted ground chili peppers, spices, chocolate, and about 25 other ingredients.

The sheer size of Puebla’s historic center, as well as its state of preservation, make it unusual in Latin America and led to Puebla’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

The downtown area includes more than 1,000 colonial buildings.

Puebla is not only beautiful, but relaxed, friendly, and unpretentious.

Moreover, the city is experiencing a cultural rebirth, celebrating its unique role in Mexico’s history, cuisine, and the arts.

Puebla, Mexico, is not well-known on the “retire overseas” circuit. However, a handful of expats do live there.

This lack of a large expat community can be a positive… it does create the feeling that you’re in traditional, old Mexico.

Mexico has three different time zones: Central Standard Time, Mountain Time, and Pacific Time.

South, Central, and Eastern Mexico follow Central Standard Time, which is GMT -6. However, from the first Sunday in April to the Saturday before the last Sunday in October, it changes to GMT -5.

The cost of living and of real estate is surprisingly low in Puebla.

The pricing of homes in Puebla is in pesos rather than U.S. dollars. This gives dollar-holders a tremendous advantage at today’s exchange rates.

Meanwhile, you could buy a large home for less than US$100,000.

As the southern neighbor to the U.S., Mexico is one of the easiest countries to travel to for Americans.

When you move to Mexico, friends or family are able to visit, as it is a quick and easy trip by car or air.

Mexico has airports that connect major cities and receive flights from around the world.

There is an abundance of low-cost flights in and out of Mexico. Plus, the real kicker is that you can also drive to Mexico.

You pack up your car, SUV, or camper and set out to your new home without worrying about airfare or shipping.

When dining at a restaurant, it is customary to tip between 10% to 15%.

Taxi drivers generally don’t expect a tip, but rounding up the fare and telling them to keep the change can make your life easier and keep them happy.

Do I Pay Income Tax In Puebla, Mexico?

When you move to Puebla and generate income, you will likely owe an income tax. This income could come from:

• Bank accounts (interest-earning)
• Pensions
• Owning a business
• Rental property
• Working (as an employee of another business)

Income tax is paid to SAT (Servicio de Administración Tributariaor Hacienda), Mexico’s Federal Tax Collection department.

Most situations will require you to file a Mexican tax return.

If you rent out your property in Mexico while living abroad, you will be taxed 21% on the rental income.

Otherwise, residents are taxed at the normal income tax rate.

Let’s take a closer look at the cost of living in Puebla, Mexico.

Apartment Or House Rental Budget (For A Couple)

Puebla is a culturally rich UNESCO World Heritage Site found only two hours southeast of Mexico City.

It doesn’t attract foreign tourists or expats like San Miguel de Allende, Oaxaca, and other Mexican colonial cities.

But, don’t let that stop you!

With its colorful centro histórico, abundance of baroque churches, and fabulous cuisine, Puebla is an unusual and quirky find.

Puebla’sTeleférico(Cable Car)

The teleférico is a ride above the city that lasts 10 minutes. It offers views of the city and the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes.

What’s The Food Like In Puebla?

Puebla was a major stop on the trade route between Mexico City and the Atlantic port of Veracruz. So, it became one of the most important gastronomic regions of Mexico.

Puebla’s food has influences from France and the Middle East.

Don’t miss the national dish that originated in Puebla—mole poblano—a thick sauce which, according to legend, nuns created by accident in the late 1600s.

Most importantly, mole poblano is made up of over 20 ingredients—mainly chilies, chocolate, cinnamon, and cloves—and is served over rice or chicken.

Also try the Lebanese-influenced taco árabe, made with marinated pork prepared on a spit and sliced onto pita bread.

Head to Av. 6 Oriente, dubbed Calle de los Dulces (Sweet Street), for an interesting experience. With three blocks of shops, all selling baked goods and sugary treats in shapes like guitars and sombreros. Also, have camote, Puebla’s signature candy made from sweet potato.

Explore Colorful Streets And Historic Buildings

The streets inel centro are lined with pastel-colored buildings, colonnades, and wrought-iron balconies dating to the late 19th century.

With a mix of Baroque and Renaissance styles, the Puebla Cathedral is on the zócalo (main square). Also, it’s the second highest in Mexico and has 14 chapels and an octagonal altar.

Callejón de los Sapos is a colorful street where you can buy antiques, books, and odds and ends. It is named for the toads that surfaced after a flood in colonial times.

On the weekends, the shops and markets in Puebla extend down multiple walking streets.

Marvel At The Baroque Architecture

You’ll see baroque architecture in many parts ofel centro, but the most famous examples are the ornate Capilla del Rosario, with intricate carvings covered in gold leaf, and the lacy white Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús. The city even has an International Museum of the Baroque (oddly, with a spare, modernist exterior).

Pick Up Talavera Pottery

Puebla’s iconic export is Talavera pottery.

The tiles are clay slabs baked, glazed, and hand-painted.

You can see them on building facades, including Casa de los Muñecos, a gastronomic cultural site, and Casa del Alfeñique, a 19th-century family house with a chapel.

Talavera tiles and pottery are available all over town. But visit the ceramic Uriarte workshop and the Parian Market for the widest selection.

The Oldest Library In The Americas

The vaulted Biblioteca Palafoxiana is recognized by UNESCO for being the oldest library and reading room in the Americas.

The library is named for the former Bishop of Puebla, Juan de Palafox y Mendoza. In 1646, he donated 5,000 books to start the collection.

Now. it’s home to 45,000 books, ranging from the 15th to the 20th century.

Soak Up The History At The Loreto And Guadalupe Forts

Many people think Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day, which falls on Sept. 16.

But May 5 is a holiday in Puebla, because, on that day, the Mexican troops defeated the French army on a hill above the city.

You can visit the museum of the Loreto and Guadalupe forts, located in a spacious, well-maintained park with great views of the city.

See The Secret Tunnels

In 2015, archeologists discovered an underground tunnel system dating back to 1531. One tunnel, tall enough that a person could ride through on horseback, connects Puebla’scentrowith the Loreto and Guadalupe forts.

The tunnels were used by Mexican troops in the Battle of Puebla against the French, according to historians.

Marbles, kitchen goods, toys, guns, bullets, and gunpowder from the mid-19th century were found trapped in mud. You can take a tour led by the archaeologists who worked on the project.

Puebla is a safe place to live—in fact, it’s one of the safest cities in Mexico.

Living in Mexico is an easy option for expats. It lets you get close to a truly foreign culture, have some familiar comforts, reliable services, and to be able to get by in English…

It’s estimated that more than 1 million Americans and 500,000 Canadianslive in Mexico, part- or full-time… and with good reason.

The highly Americanized culture is only one of the attractions for a move to Mexico.

As with anywhere, there is still a risk of pickpockets hanging around, so taking precautions when out and about is always recommended.

Overall, Mexico offers universal health care to its citizens as of January 1st, 2020.

In short, Mexico provides high-quality healthcare in both the public and private sectors. This is due to high levels of tourism, including medical tourism.

Many Mexican doctors are trained in the United States, Europe, or Canada. In short, they speak English fluently and most medical workers at all levels speak basic-to-good English.

As one of the top 10 most visited countries in the world for health care, Mexico offers top-notch healthcare at a very affordable price.

On average, prices for treatment in Mexico ranges between 50% to 70% less than you would pay in the United States.

In Mexico, owing to the power of the dollar versus the peso, everything from surgery to prescription drugs is cheaper.

Expats in Puebla report a high standard of care in the private hospitals in the city.

Generally, retirees only use the public hospitals for minor ailments—as the public hospitals tend to be crowded and may not have the latest medical technology.

To move to Mexico, you must apply for a visa.

Firstly, visit for an extended stay. Secondly, you can travel in Mexico for up to six months or 180 days by filling out the visitor’s visa information form online or when you cross the border to Mexico.

The application process is straightforward…

Above all, you apply for a residente temporal (temporary resident) or a residente permanente (permanent resident) visa.

Next, start your visa application online and schedule a visit to a Mexican consulate for an in-person meeting.

The temporary residence visa allows you to live in Mexico for up to four years and is renewable.

You can apply for different types of temporary visas, depending on your work status and financial situation. You will need to prove you have sufficient funds to live in Mexico.

For a permanent resident visa application, retirees need to:

• Prove close family connections in the country.
• Sufficient funds to live or retire in Mexico.
• Have four consecutive years of temporary residency.

Permanent Resident Visa

Above all, you must go to a Mexican consulate in your home country, outside of Mexico.

Some documents you’ll need for your visa interview include:

• Your original passport and a photocopy of the page with your photograph and personal data.
• An original and one photocopy of another valid ID (driver’s license, ID card).
• Completed and signed visa application form (available online).
• One recent passport-sized color photo.
• Confirmation page of your consular appointment, which you schedule online.

The weather is fantastic, thanks to Puebla’s altitude of about 7,000 feet. The average high temperature is 77°F.

For instance, overnight lows average 49°F. This qualifies as “springlike”. And for many, the weather in Puebla is perfect.