Retiring early in Mexico Couple..

[artistwithaflare]

West Kelowna News

Sandra and Michael Wright retired early in the town of Bucerras in Mexico.

With over a million cases in Mexico and the lack of personal safety...did they do the right thing?
https://www.castanet.net/news/World/316 ... 000-deaths

I lived in Mexico for many years. It is no longer cheap to live there! Food, water, ice, medical, rentals, homes are all based on American prices now and no longer ruled by the cheap paso. With cheap labor in Mexico, there are no good paying jobs for foreigners calling it come(?). Even though you think living in paradise is a dream...just wait for it...cause, that's not the case!

Stay safe Sandra & Michael...keep enough money for a return ticket(if they allow you back in that is ?)

[Even Steven]

Lots of people retire in cheaper countries until the health problems drive them back home for free healthcare.

It's nice to vacation there, I'd probably spend 3-4 months there if I could, but calling it home? I dunno. Not my thing.

[Mark1111]

West Kelowna News

Sandra and Michael Wright retired early in the town of Bucerras in Mexico.

With over a million cases in Mexico and the lack of personal safety...did they do the right thing?
https://www.castanet.net/news/World/316 ... 000-deaths

I lived in Mexico for many years. It is no longer cheap to live there! Food, water, ice, medical, rentals, homes are all based on American prices now and no longer ruled by the cheap paso. With cheap labor in Mexico, there are no good paying jobs for foreigners calling it come(?). Even though you think living in paradise is a dream...just wait for it...cause, that's not the case!

Stay safe Sandra & Michael...keep enough money for a return ticket(if they allow you back in that is ?)

Well I guess what one considers cheap is a matter of opinion and the size of your bank account. I know quite a few people whose work allows them to live anywhere they want. But I would agree the safety concern is valid.

[mexi cali]

West Kelowna News

Sandra and Michael Wright retired early in the town of Bucerras in Mexico.

With over a million cases in Mexico and the lack of personal safety...did they do the right thing?
https://www.castanet.net/news/World/316 ... 000-deaths

I lived in Mexico for many years. It is no longer cheap to live there! Food, water, ice, medical, rentals, homes are all based on American prices now and no longer ruled by the cheap paso. With cheap labor in Mexico, there are no good paying jobs for foreigners calling it come(?). Even though you think living in paradise is a dream...just wait for it...cause, that's not the case!

Stay safe Sandra & Michael...keep enough money for a return ticket(if they allow you back in that is ?)

That is definitely your experience. I (pre covid) spend a lot of time in Mexico and I agree with this couple. The area they are living in is quite reasonable and they say they are doing just fine on around 2k per month. There are areas in Mexico that have wisely upped the cost of their goods but the tourists still buy them.

Medical coverage is very available to expats and is really cheap. If you go to Mexico as a tourist and do touristy stuff, you will find the more expensive places to spend money. However, if you assimilate with the country, you will find that it costs a fraction of what it costs here.

On one trip, my daughter fell very ill and the resort brought in a doctor, a nurse and the medication she needed. Cost 75.00.

My brother in law paid less than $100.00 for an MRI and he waited not one day.

Another family member gets all of his dental done in PV. What he has paid over a grand for here, he pays less than $250.00.

There are many who will tell you that their health system is far and away better than here and based on what I have seen, I would tend to agree.

Mexico is a beautiful country populated by wonderful people. It has crime and poverty like anywhere else but the trade off is worth it. That is my goal, to be there full time.

Viva la Mexico!!!!

And it's Peso, not paso. Would have thought that would be ingrained in someone who had spent so much time there.

[artistwithaflare]

West Kelowna News

Sandra and Michael Wright retired early in the town of Bucerras in Mexico.

With over a million cases in Mexico and the lack of personal safety...did they do the right thing?
https://www.castanet.net/news/World/316 ... 000-deaths

I lived in Mexico for many years. It is no longer cheap to live there! Food, water, ice, medical, rentals, homes are all based on American prices now and no longer ruled by the cheap paso. With cheap labor in Mexico, there are no good paying jobs for foreigners calling it come(?). Even though you think living in paradise is a dream...just wait for it...cause, that's not the case!

Stay safe Sandra & Michael...keep enough money for a return ticket(if they allow you back in that is ?)

That is definitely your experience. I (pre covid) spend a lot of time in Mexico and I agree with this couple. The area they are living in is quite reasonable and they say they are doing just fine on around 2k per month. There are areas in Mexico that have wisely upped the cost of their goods but the tourists still buy them.

Medical coverage is very available to expats and is really cheap. If you go to Mexico as a tourist and do touristy stuff, you will find the more expensive places to spend money. However, if you assimilate with the country, you will find that it costs a fraction of what it costs here.

On one trip, my daughter fell very ill and the resort brought in a doctor, a nurse and the medication she needed. Cost 75.00.

My brother in law paid less than $100.00 for an MRI and he waited not one day.

Another family member gets all of his dental done in PV. What he has paid over a grand for here, he pays less than $250.00.

There are many who will tell you that their health system is far and away better than here and based on what I have seen, I would tend to agree.

Mexico is a beautiful country populated by wonderful people. It has crime and poverty like anywhere else but the trade off is worth it. That is my goal, to be there full time.

Viva la Mexico!!!!

And it's Peso, not paso. Would have thought that would be ingrained in someone who had spent so much time there.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Good grief... no one suggested that Mexicans were nothing but great people. Why would you assume otherwise?
Picking on someone for a simple spelling error...speaks volumes for you; not me!
Enjoy Mexico !

[normaM]

They have been there only since Oct. Funny if it was a lifelong dream to live in Mexico FT they didn't learn Spanish.
I know people who have bought homes down there, I wasn't impressed with the location. Oh well worst case happens they are still Canadians and can get Govt help
I agree with you Oldtrucker. Wonder if the Mexicans complain like some do here re the TFWs?

[one wheel]

I think Mexico gets a bad rap by MSM & the Tourism Industry because they want people to vacation at home ?

Our News reports drugs / crime in Mexico as though it's out of control as fear tactic while it's as bad or worse in Canada ?

The Police riding in the open pickups with rifles kept things under control because they would use them if necessary ?

There were ATM machines on the streets 24/7 left unprotected, that couldn't be done in Kelowna or anywhere in Canada.

I've only stayed in the Cancun area & felt completely safe. I saw women walking alone after midnight going to different nightclubs.
The food & people were terrific & Mexico provided great value for the money spent.

[60-YEARS-in-Ktown]

We would not complain if the TFW,s ate a lot of their meals in local restaurants daily , and spent money around town.. at least some of us would not..

[GordonH]

Congratulations on your retirement and enjoy Mexico, there are risks wherever one wants to live. Life itself can be a risk.

[vegas1500]

West Kelowna News

Sandra and Michael Wright retired early in the town of Bucerras in Mexico.

With over a million cases in Mexico and the lack of personal safety...did they do the right thing?
https://www.castanet.net/news/World/316 ... 000-deaths

I lived in Mexico for many years. It is no longer cheap to live there! Food, water, ice, medical, rentals, homes are all based on American prices now and no longer ruled by the cheap paso. With cheap labor in Mexico, there are no good paying jobs for foreigners calling it come(?). Even though you think living in paradise is a dream...just wait for it...cause, that's not the case!

Stay safe Sandra & Michael...keep enough money for a return ticket(if they allow you back in that is ?)

It is still cheap to live in Mexico.....clearly your interpretation of cheap is a lot different than mine. I have friends that live there year round. Healthcare is top notch (in Their opinion better than here) And very affordable.....by our standards. Most people going to Mexico are not looking for work....if you are, that’s a mistake.

[GordonH]

I suspect those who move to areas near major resorts, yes prices are going to high. There many areas were prices of day to day things are very low, and area is still very nice i.e within 45 minutes to an hour of Puerto Vallarta.

[mexi cali]

Good grief... no one suggested that Mexicans were nothing but great people. Why would you assume otherwise?
Picking on someone for a simple spelling error...speaks volumes for you; not me!
Enjoy Mexico !

And I didn't say that you had. I simply stated that, in my experience, Mexicans by and large are very good people. As for the spelling error, had your piece not been so judgmental, I would not have pointed it out.

But seriously, paso? Methinks that's what you think.

[Catsumi]

keep replies impersonal, thanks

[AltaRed]

For me at least, the article was not clear whether these retirees were formally emigrating to Mexico with permanent residency there and cutting residential ties to Canada. If so, there are significant tax implications from a CRA perspective if the emigres have an investment portfolio in a standard non-registered brokerage account with a lot of unrealized capital gains, as in, for example, stocks that have appreciated in value.

CRA deems any such assets to have been sold at the fair market value of those assets on the date of departure with income tax due on the capital gains. Those tax implications are what stops most retirees from making a complete departure from Canada to places like Costa Rica, Panama, Belize and others. Beware of getting caught in this web. Talk to a tax professional first before making any such moves.

[rabidmole]

Why was this even a story? Who cares. More ego boost and “look at what I am doing” than anything else. Will they let us know when things go south and they crawl back to Canada with their tails between their legs? Doubtful.
Slow news day for sure telling a non-story. I couldn’t even imagine contacting a news agency to ask them to put out a story of me moving away to a third world country so I can live the high life compared to the locals serving my every need. Sad.