Experience with Mexico?
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yeah, you must be right - the whole country of the size of half of Europe is a war zone - that's why tens of thousands of Americans cross the border daily, to enjoy the "heat"
I've been living on and off in Mexico for the last 6 years and am a permanent resident now. I'm very well integrated here and even have a Mexican wife and child born here.
I used to be one of those people who used to recommend Mexico to friends and said that the media is always exaggerating with the issues. However, after hearing about three separate kidnapping incidents of people I know, I started to change my mind. All of a sudden all the news of the murders, kidnappings, shootings, robberies felt more real to me and wasn't just background noise anymore.
I roll my︀ eyes anytime I see articles writing that Mexico is the "paradise for expats". A billion︁ positive articles from expat bloggers will never change the fact that it's a broken third︂ world country with so many issues that it's mind boggling. You may be able to︃ shelter yourself in the gated expat communities and fortified resorts, however, you're still in a︄ giant zoo, and in this zoo, the animals roam free.
Who I would recommend Mexico︅ to:
- Mexicans
- Refugees
- Tourists
- Western retirees on a budget who don't︆ mind the many issues and low quality of life
- Digital nomads on a budget︇ who don't mind the many issues and low quality of life
Who I would not︈ recommend Mexico to:
- Anyone with kids
- Anyone conscious about their health, security, and︉ future
- Anyone looking to start a new life that has the opportunity to live︊ in a more developed country
- Anyone who likes the rule of law
- Everyone︋ else not mentioned above
As for me, I'm going to bite the tax bullet and︌ move to Europe.
I used to be one of those people who used to recommend Mexico to friends and said that the media is always exaggerating with the issues. However, after hearing about three separate kidnapping incidents of people I know, I started to change my mind. All of a sudden all the news of the murders, kidnappings, shootings, robberies felt more real to me and wasn't just background noise anymore.
I roll my︀ eyes anytime I see articles writing that Mexico is the "paradise for expats". A billion︁ positive articles from expat bloggers will never change the fact that it's a broken third︂ world country with so many issues that it's mind boggling. You may be able to︃ shelter yourself in the gated expat communities and fortified resorts, however, you're still in a︄ giant zoo, and in this zoo, the animals roam free.
Who I would recommend Mexico︅ to:
- Mexicans
- Refugees
- Tourists
- Western retirees on a budget who don't︆ mind the many issues and low quality of life
- Digital nomads on a budget︇ who don't mind the many issues and low quality of life
Who I would not︈ recommend Mexico to:
- Anyone with kids
- Anyone conscious about their health, security, and︉ future
- Anyone looking to start a new life that has the opportunity to live︊ in a more developed country
- Anyone who likes the rule of law
- Everyone︋ else not mentioned above
As for me, I'm going to bite the tax bullet and︌ move to Europe.
So far the only people i know that successfully moved to mexico had one of the following reasons:
1. They had legal issues/were part of the mob and wanted to lay low away from all the heat in their home countries. But even there their troubles back home eventually caught up to them in mexico as i've seen cases of expats getting shot at in Acapulco, Cancun, etc by the people they were trying to run away from. It's a temporary solution if you're trying to escape a bad situation, the ones still doing it change cities every few months or relocated somewhere in asia.︀
2. They enjoy corruption and found ways to benefit from it, since literally every part︁ of the government there is for sale for the right price. Some found solid ways︂ to do business in mexico and make profits without angering local criminals/affluent people.
3. They︃ were in the tourism sector and their main business was in Cancun/Isla mujeres/etc.
Mexico is︄ a good option for those who know exactly what they want. But if you move︅ there as a tourist and expect paradise you'll be disappointed very quickly. It's not a︆ place to "settle down and live a quiet life", at least not anymore.
If i︇ was considering a move to a country like this, i'd probably pick the Philippines, Thailand,︈ etc. At least the criminal scene in those countries can be avoided to some extent︉ if you got the money whereas the cartels are everywhere you go in Mexico.
1. They had legal issues/were part of the mob and wanted to lay low away from all the heat in their home countries. But even there their troubles back home eventually caught up to them in mexico as i've seen cases of expats getting shot at in Acapulco, Cancun, etc by the people they were trying to run away from. It's a temporary solution if you're trying to escape a bad situation, the ones still doing it change cities every few months or relocated somewhere in asia.︀
2. They enjoy corruption and found ways to benefit from it, since literally every part︁ of the government there is for sale for the right price. Some found solid ways︂ to do business in mexico and make profits without angering local criminals/affluent people.
3. They︃ were in the tourism sector and their main business was in Cancun/Isla mujeres/etc.
Mexico is︄ a good option for those who know exactly what they want. But if you move︅ there as a tourist and expect paradise you'll be disappointed very quickly. It's not a︆ place to "settle down and live a quiet life", at least not anymore.
If i︇ was considering a move to a country like this, i'd probably pick the Philippines, Thailand,︈ etc. At least the criminal scene in those countries can be avoided to some extent︉ if you got the money whereas the cartels are everywhere you go in Mexico.
25 years in Latin America, not a single acquaintance, local or︋ expat, had problems with local criminality besides being stolen a cell phone. You talked about︌ Acapulco that’s one of the most dangerous place in Mexico exactly for being the main︍ destination of “gringos” looking for drug and prostitution, is like saying that I went to︎ Detroit or Portland to carry a quiet and peaceful life (or open a shop in️ San Francisco expecting great sales for the next “Black Friday”! smi(&%).
Some people who have never been in a car accident before use the same anecdotal logic to not︀ wear seat belts.
On a related note, here in Mexico, the number one cause of︁ deaths of children is car accidents. Very few people bother to wear seat belts︂ here, likely because they are also thinking anecdotally. My wife explained that in her town,︃ wearing a seatbelt makes you look silly, like wearing kneepads and elbow pads while rollerblading.︄ The government and police don't seem to care either. Life has little value here.
On a related note, here in Mexico, the number one cause of︁ deaths of children is car accidents. Very few people bother to wear seat belts︂ here, likely because they are also thinking anecdotally. My wife explained that in her town,︃ wearing a seatbelt makes you look silly, like wearing kneepads and elbow pads while rollerblading.︄ The government and police don't seem to care either. Life has little value here.
no
there are for example tens (maybe hundreds already) of thousands of Americans living in Mexico permanently and paying only U.S. taxes on their income outside Mexico
there are for example tens (maybe hundreds already) of thousands of Americans living in Mexico permanently and paying only U.S. taxes on their income outside Mexico
The point is that you need to consult a tax professional, not get advice from a chat site. Especially if you actually perform your work in Mexico.
https://www.escapeartist.com/blog/taxation-of-expats-living-in-mexico/
https://www.escapeartist.com/blog/taxation-of-expats-living-in-mexico/
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