How To Live A Stress-Free Life In Mexico

We’ve all heard that the number one killer in the world is stress. Right? What if you could live a stress-free life in Mexico?

I know the drill all too well. Your property taxes went up this year. Your health insurance is covering less, and you’re paying more. Your savings are thinner than your waist, and it keeps you up at night. You feel out of shape but don’t have the time to make a change. And then to top everything off, you haven’t cooked a single meal this week because fast food is cheaper and more convenient. 

Stress builds up. And your body doesn’t discriminate from a small stressor to a big one. The American Medical Association stated that 60% of all disease and sickness comes from stress. 

Luckily, you are in total control to make a change!

Now, what does all of this have to do with living in Mexico?

I’ll explain how living in Mexico can help you live a stress-free life.

Mexico Is Beautiful

This is a country with a lot of natural beauty. Including parks, beaches, rainforests, lakes, trails. You’ll have so much to chose from that it won’t be hard to enjoy the great outdoors while keeping in shape. 

You can take up fishing, trail biking, bird watching, hiking, golfing, gardening, or anything you’ve always wanted to do. Mexico has it all!

Expect to be more active simply because it’s a culture of walking short distances for essential things like water, milk, and tortillas. It’s a religion in Mexico to walk to the nearest convenience store or “tienda.”

It’s also common to take afternoon walks around the plaza on a weekend afternoon. Visit any plaza on the weekend, and you’ll see crowds of people all enjoying the outdoors. 

Now, you don’t have to drive if you don’t want to! Mexico has so many taxis, and public transportation is so widely available that you can live without a car. You can have a stress free life without owning a car.

If you plan to relax and sit back, you can very well do that too. Mexico has plenty of benches set up in some of the most scenic places so that you can take in the beautiful scenery.

Lower Cost Of Living = Less Stress

What if you could retire sooner? 

Mexico has a much lower cost of living in general. On top of that, your U.S. Dollar or Canadian Dollar is stronger here. The current exchange rate is USD 1 to MXN 21. 

But what does that mean for actual expenses? I’ll go over that in detail.

Housing

Rent is where you’ll see the most significant savings. To give you an idea of how much:

• Average rent in the U.S. is $784/month for a one-bedroom.
• Average rent in Mexico is $300/month for a one-bedroom.

Now, keep in mind that a $300/month rental in Mexico isn’t equal to most rentals in the United States. A rental like that in Mexico will be rustic and a much lower standard of living than most U.S. homes. However, most of the apartments or houses in Mexico will rent for a fraction of the cost of a similar place back home. 

Stress-Free Healthcare That’s Affordable.

The healthcare system in America is only getting more expensive, and it’s worrisome. Even if you are the healthiest person, you still have to consider having health insurance just in case! If this is keeping you up at night, you’re not alone.

Surprisingly, Mexico has one of the best healthcare systems in the world! According to International Living, it ranked #3 regarding its medical system.

Many of the doctors in Mexico have received all or part of their training in the U.S. They have specialized training, and you can expect to receive quality care. Most of the doctors in any of the big hospitals speak English.

You’ll see modern equipment. You can expect comfortable facilities with modern rooms and strict hygienic measures.

Most ex-pats tend to pay out of pocket for medical expenses because the bill is cheap enough that they can afford it. In most cases, a doctor’s visit will cost you around $40 without insurance. But, keep in mind hospitals expect payment upfront. But if you become a resident in Mexico, you qualify for medical insurance through their famous Seguro Popular. Prices for this range between $0-$500 Annually, are based on your income, and they accept pre-existing conditions.

Talk about having a stress free life in Mexico knowing you’ll have affordable access to medications, doctors, and hospitals.

Fresh Food Is Not Only Cheaper. It’s Flavorful!

What if you could spend 50-60% less on food each month without sacrificing quality?

Shopping for groceries in Mexico is one of my favorite things to do! I love going to the large farmer’s markets and taking in all the smells and colors. 

Farmer’s markets in Mexico are known as “mercados.” In a mercado, you can shop for vegetables, fruits, cheese, meat, spices, sauces, moles, and even some household goods. You can easily buy a 2lbs of chicken, vegetables for the week, spices, and snacks for under $25!

That means, if you enjoy cooking, you could eat for $25 a week! In the U.S., I’d be lucky if I could get away with $50 in a single grocery trip. 

Street Food

Okay, so maybe cooking isn’t your thing. That’s fine!

It’s not that common to eat fast food every day in Mexico. I’m not saying fast-food chains don’t exist. They’re everywhere, just like in the U.S. 

What you will find in Mexico are street food vendors. And let me tell you they are very cheap! Now, I do have to caution you that sanitary measures for street food vendors in Mexico aren’t the same as in the U.S. 

Street food tends to be unhealthy, can be contaminated, and can carry parasites. 

It’s best to ask for recommendations from a local or choose one of the street food vendors with a crowd. Usually, that’s how you know it’s safe. 

This is to give you an idea of how cheap eating street food can be:

• Tacos al Pastor (6 small tacos)- $2.50
• Quesadillas (2 with meat, sour cream, and salsa) – $3.00
• Elote en Vaso (corn with mayo, cheese, chili, lime)- $2.00
• Torta (two buns filled with chorizo, beans, and cheese)- $1.50

I could write an entire article on street food in Mexico, but I’ll leave it at these few examples because my mouth is watering.

What Better Way To Un-Stress Than A Massage

Okay, seriously. Massages in Mexico are extremely affordable. Other than my husband Dustin, I don’t know of any person who doesn’t like to be pampered with a massage. It’s the literal definition of melting your stress away.

Massage shops are plenty in Mexico. You can find them at fancy spa and wellness salons, hotels, or even in some strip malls. They’re incredibly clean for the most part, and a fraction of the cost compared to the U.S.

I’ve gotten a few massages in Mexico. I’ve had the deluxe treatment from a fancy hotel spa. and I’ve also had a massages from low end places. They were all great!

To give you an idea, here are some prices you can expect to pay:

• 1 hr massage in a luxury hotel- $50
• 1 hr massage in a mid range strip mall- $35
• 1 hr budget massage- $20

I’ve never paid less than $40 for a budget massage in the U.S. Perhaps getting massages once a month isn’t out of the budget anymore! Can you feel your stress melting away?

Great Weather in Mexico

Sun, mountain air, rain, or dry weather is all possible in Mexico. It’s a large country where you can find everything from beaches, mountains, rainforests, volcanoes, and cities. But one thing you won’t have to stress about in almost all of Mexico is shoveling snow or icy roads.

Depending on where you live, you could also have spring-like weather year-round. Without having to stress about turning on your air conditioning ever again! 

You can enjoy places that cater to people with allergies. So you can finally ditch your allergy medication and be able to breathe fresh, pure air. 

But if living under the sun has been your dream, you’ll find many beaches in Mexico that can become your next paradise. 

So you really can have it all in Mexico! Some people live part of the year in one region of Mexico and another area in the second part of the year. And remember that with a lower cost of living you can really finally afford to live in that beautiful place you’ve always dreamed of.

Picture Your Stress-Free Life

The best part is that you have the power to make a change to your future if you wish to do so.

You can live in Mexico if having enough money for retirement stresses you out.

If you worry about acquiring medical expenses that can make you go broke, you can live in Mexico, knowing that your health won’t empty your pockets.

Living in Mexico will be a new adventure! You can have more life for less money. But most of all, you can finally stop just existing and start living!

Don’t forget to learn all about getting residency in Mexico.

Do you have anything to add to this article? I’d love to know! Post a comment below.