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Thinking about moving to Mexico usually starts with a feeling, maybe a beach at sunset or a colonial plaza on a warm evening. Before long it turns into dozens of practical questions about money, paperwork, neighborhoods, safety and property. Mexico Shores is here to put those questions in a sensible order so you can work through them one at a time.

Who this site is for

Mexico Shores is written for Americans, and for many Canadians too, who are weighing a move, a retirement or a home purchase in Mexico. Some readers are drawn to the coast, from the Riviera Maya and Puerto Vallarta to Baja California and Mazatlán. Others are looking at cities such as Mexico City, Mérida, Guadalajara, Monterrey or San Miguel de Allende. Whether you’re simply curious or already comparing leases, the guides start from where you are.

How the site is organized

The site is built around one main section, and its guides are grouped by the decision they help you make.

Relocation

Relocation covers moving to, living in and retiring in Mexico as an American. It is organized around four main sub-topics: Cost of Living, Where to Live, Safety and Retirement. The same section also explains the residency process, what owning, renting or selling property looks like for foreigners, and how taxes, title protection and timeshares fit into the picture.

A good order to read in

If you’re early in the process, start with where you might want to live and what daily life there costs, because those two answers shape everything else. Next, look at safety for the specific state and city you have in mind, using the current US State Department advisory as your baseline. Then read about residency, since your visa path affects how long you can stay, what you can bring and what you’ll need to show a consulate. Leave property questions for last, after you know where you’re going and how you’ll live there.

How to use what you read

Each guide explains how something generally works and dates the figures it relies on. Rules, financial thresholds, exchange rates and prices in Mexico change, sometimes every year, so treat every number as a starting point to recheck. At key moments the guides tell you who can confirm the details: a Mexican notario público for property closings, a licensed attorney for legal questions, a qualified tax professional for taxes on both sides of the border, and the Mexican consulate for residency requirements.

A note on who’s writing

The guides are written by Laura Bennett, who spent years coordinating international moves at a relocation services company and still thinks in checklists. You can read more about her and how the site works on the About page. If you have a question or a correction, the Contact page explains how to get in touch.