• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
FREE REPORT
BEST PLACES TO RETIRE
*No spam: We will NEVER give your email address to anyone else.
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Panama
      • Portugal
      • Colombia
      • Northern Cyprus
      • Belize
      • Spain
      • Mexico
      • France
      • Indonesia
      • Vietnam
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
Live and Invest Overseas
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Panama
      • Portugal
      • Colombia
      • Northern Cyprus
      • Belize
      • Spain
      • Mexico
      • France
      • Indonesia
      • Vietnam
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
No Result
View All Result
Home Lifestyle

Living Part-Time In Mérida, Mexico: Renovation To Reinvention

One Expat’s Real Life Success Story—Mérida One Year On

Matt Holt by Matt Holt
Jul 24, 2017
in Lifestyle, Mexico
0 0
0
A church in Merida lit up at Dusk
244
SHARES
3.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

It’s coming up on the one-year anniversary since I bought my house (or escape pod, as I think of it) in the Santiago neighborhood of Mérida, Mexico.

I’ve travelled to Mérida three or four times since the purchase, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends. The friends come and go, staying with me and then taking off to explore other parts of Mexico.

My main takeaways from this past year getting to know my new second home town?

It’s hot.

Not unbearable but a change for someone like me coming from a place with seasons. This works for me, as I don’t intend to live full time in Mérida. For me, this is the ideal choice for part-year living.

Mérida is gaining recognition and popularity. Some are saying it’s going to be an “It” city. I don’t know about that, but I do know that over the last year I’ve been convinced that I made the right choice for me by choosing Mérida.

I’ve found pretty much any convenience that I need and the things that I haven’t found, I haven’t missed much. Big chains like Walmart and Costco are here, and now Best Buy is moving in. Malls have high-end stores, movie theaters show first-run movies in English. You can sit in air-conditioned comfort watching the latest releases while being waited on and served food and drinks.

We have Uber, though there’s been resistance from the local taxi community, just as there was in NYC in 2011 (has it been that long?). For me, Uber and now local start up Cabify have been a godsend. Crime rates are very low inMérida, but I find it comforting to be able to track the car coming to pick me up on my smart phone and not have to worry about flagging a passing taxi.

When I’m not in Mérida, I’m living in New York. For me, everything in Mérida is a great deal. The 20- to 30-minute ride from my place in El Centro to the airport costs US$3.50. Compare that with the cost of getting from the airport to NYC.

A plate with assroted soft tacos
Wayan’e’s perfect tacos…

I’ve fallen in love with the culinary scene in my new second home town. There are so many options, from fine dining and amazing tacos (Wayan’e) to a food truck scene and a fun food court/stall place called Mercado 60.

My plan has been to rent out my part-time Mérida home when I’m not using it. The past year hasn’t gone quite according to plan. I’ve had some unexpected repairs (covered by the builder), and I haven’t been as aggressive as I probably should have been advertising for renters. I give myself some slack on this because I’m still in the honeymoon phase. I like the idea of the place being mine alone. I’m sure that will change, but, if it doesn’t, no problem. Even if I don’t rent out my house at all, it’s still a very affordable second home.

I’m now working with a great local builder, Jorge Sosa of Handyman, Inc., on some fun projects; including pasta tile work on some interior walls, ventilation upgrades, and shower glass partitions. I’m even adding solar panels on the roof through Habitec. It’s going to be great to see my electricity bills shrink while I’m able to feel good about doing my part to reduce carbon emissions.

contractor prepping walls and roof painted ready for solar panel installation
Prepping the walls for tile installation and readying the roof for solar power

What else have I been doing with myself this past year in Merida? Making friends and getting to know my neighbors.

One of my new friends is a local artist.

Artist stands next to colorful abstract painting
Here’s Gerardo standing alongside his painting hanging in my home…

I’ve found my favorite cantina, owned by new neighbor friends, called La Negrita.

One year in I’m more excited about my decision to make this big change in my life than ever. I’ve only begun to get to know Mérida… and, after Mérida, there’s all Mexico to explore.

My advice if you’re thinking about buying a place of your own and reinventing your life overseas?

Do it!

It’s a big world out there. Go explore it.

Matt Holt

Tags: buying property meridaexpats Méridaexpats mexicolive and invest in mexico conferenceliving meridaliving mexicoliving part time in mexicomatt holtproperty Méridaretire meridaretire mexicoweather merida
Share98Tweet61
Matt Holt

Matt Holt

Matt Holt is a senior vice president and executive publisher at John Wiley & Sons. Growing up in San Diego, Matt has long traveled and explored Mexico. In 2016 he bought his first property in Mérida, Mexico, after being a long-time reader of Live and Invest Overseas. If he can do it, anyone can.

Related Posts

iStock/espiegle
Lifestyle

Live On An Island Like Royalty For A Bargain

by Bart Walters
March 21, 2023
0

About 20 years ago, I made a trip to Vancouver, Canada, in February. It was cold, rainy, dark, and miserable....

Read more
View of the seaside town of Dunmore East, County Waterford, Ireland.

How We Made Friends While Living Abroad

March 12, 2023
Sunrise in Holbox. Mexico

Isla Holbox, Mexico | Everything You Need To Know 2023

February 22, 2023
Tavira in Portugal

The 5 Best Places To Live Overseas In 2023

February 2, 2023
Cyprus: Better Than Your Neighbor’s Retirement To Florida

Life On Cyprus: The Secret Brits Don’t Want Americans To Know

January 26, 2023
A beach in Los Islotes, Panama

Los Islotes In Panama’s Pacific Coast—A Unique Community In One Of The Safest Havens

January 23, 2023
Ferragudo, Portugal

How One Couple Discovered A Great New Life In Algarve

January 20, 2023

Start Your New Life Today, Overseas ...

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.

LIOS Resources


  • New To LIOS
  • Ask An Expert
  • Media Center
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs

Quick Links


  • Best Places To Live
  • Best Places To Retire
  • Finding A Job Overseas
  • Real Estate

Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and get your FREE report: The 10 Best Places To Retire Overseas In 2023

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe

© 2008-2023 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Countries
  • Budgets
  • Archives
  • News
  • Events
  • Bookstore
  • Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Members Area
  • Contact Us

© 2008-2023 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Download your FREE report on

The Best Places To Retire In 2023

New Year, New You, New Life Overseas

Get Your Free ​Mexico Report Today!
 

​​​Learn more about ​​​MEXICO ​​​and other countries in our free, daily Overseas Opportunity Letter​​​​​​​​​. Simply enter your email address below and we’ll send you our FREE REPORT – ​​​Mexico: Home To The World's Largest Population Of North American Retirees