Yucatan

WEATHER

The weather in Yucatan is Tropical. Welcome to life in the tropics. It gets hot and it is humid. Hurricanes are common on the Caribbean side of the peninsula but much less so on the Gulf Coast. Tropical weather can be severe. However, it never gets below freezing and it NEVER snows. If you like to garden, you will love the year round growing season!

AFFORDABILITY

You can get a lot of home here very reasonably! Our real estate prices start as low as $40,000.00-usd for a fixer upper on the beach or in Merida. Construction prices are very reasonable, currently running below $80.00-usd per sq. ft. to build new or remodel. Labor wages are low and you can hire domestic help for around $20.00-usd a day. Stretching your dollar is easy!

HEALTHCARE

Healthcare in Yucatan is on par with the USA, Canada and Europe. There are numerous good and clean hospitals and clinics. Many facilities are “state of the art.” Office visits are inexpensive. Anyone living in Mexico may enroll in the national health program (IMSS). There are numerous well-trained physicians, dentists and clinicians throughout Yucatan. Procedures, medications and treatments are usually much more reasonable in cost here than in other parts of the world.

TRANSPORTATION

It is easy to maneuver throughout the Yucatan. Well-maintained roads intersect most of the peninsula. The “Green Angels” patrol the main highways and provide assistance to travelers. The police also have units designed to help travelers with mechanical problems. You can go anywhere by bus or mini van. Public transportation is inexpensive. Bus routes are well serviced with good frequency. Taxis are also readily available. Taxi fares have recently gotten less expensive in Merida due to new competition. While it is easy to have a car here, it is not essential. Traveling around the Yucatan is easy and affordable!

CRIME

It is safe here! Yucatan has one of the lowest crime rates per capita in Mexico. Violent crime is a rarity. In Merida (Yucatan’s bustling capital city) women walk the city streets at all hours without being intimidated or molested. Guns are prohibited. A strong police presence and a low toleration for crime provides for safe streets. A sense of tranquility and safety pervades the community.

LOCAL ECONOMY

The local economy in the Yucatan is stable and growing. Agriculture, fishing, import/export, construction, construction materials, education, health care, tourism, real estate, legal services, government, retail services and entrepreneurialism provide a constant revenue exchange.

ACCEPTANCE OF FOREIGNERS

There is a large ex-pat community across the Yucatan. People from all corners of the globe find the Yucatan a warm and welcoming place to call home. The “Yucatecan” people kindly embrace most foreigners into their relaxed and friendly way of life. That said, Mexico is not for everyone. Type-A personalities, impatient types, demanders, whiners, complainers and those who expect Mexico to be like “where they came from”, are going to have a difficult time adjusting here.

If you are reasonably relaxed, not in a hurry, willing to learn a new way of living, socializing and experiencing life, living in Mexico and especially Yucatan can be richly rewarding. Everyday can be an adventure. From tending your tropical garden to exploring Mayan Ruins – from a solitary stroll on a lonely beach to a bustling and exotic market – there is something here for everyone with an open mind, a willingness to learn and a youthful sense of adventure!