The appeal is more than just the thought of permanently toasty weather. The cost of living, from housing to health care, is significantly lower in Mexico than it is in the U.S. Mexico offers a perfect mix of centuries-old traditions and contemporary lifestyles.

 
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While it’s difficult to calculate the number of Americans & Canadians living abroad, there have been estimates that more one million Americans and Canadians citizens reside in Mexico. Thousands of baby-boomers are entering the Mexico real estate market to purchase second homes, investment properties and/or primary residences. Mexico also benefits from a close proximity to the U.S., a robust healthcare system, a diverse climate, affordable real estate, and modern amenities familiar to those living north of the border. 

Location
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico between Belize and the U.S., and bordering the Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and the U.S

Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatan, Zacatecas.

Population 109,955,400 (July 2008 est.)

Independence: September 16, 1810

Legal system: mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Ethnic Groups

Mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, and other 1%>

Religions

Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Languages

Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous languages.

Time Zone

Mexico City (-6 GMT)

Guadalajara (-6 GMT)

Cancun (-6 GMT)

Telephone Codes

Country Code: +52

Dial 011 + 52 + area code + the number

Internet country code (.mx)

Climate

The central plateau and mountainous zones tend to be cool, while the coastal regions are warmer with relatively high humidity. Nights can get cool, even by the beach. Typically, the rainy season in Mexico starts in early June and lasts through October. In coastal Mexico, the rainy season is also the hottest season.

Customs/Visas

Visitors from the U.S. need a valid passport or must present an original birth certificate and photo ID. Travelers from other countries may need a visa. After proof of citizenship has been verified, you will receive a free Mexican Tourist Card, which you must keep with you at all times when in Mexico. This permit must be given to officials upon departure. If you lose your Mexican Tourist Card, you can obtain a copy or permission to leave the country from the local Immigration Office.

In Mexico, like many other countries, any person under the age of 18 is considered a minor. Very strict regulations govern travel by minors into Mexico. For example, if traveling alone, the minor must have a notarized consent form signed by both parents. If traveling with only one parent, the minor must have a notarized letter of consent signed by the parent not travelling.

Currency

US dollars are easily exchanged for pesos in banks, major hotels, airports and exchange houses. Most Mexican banks are open on weekdays only from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. but there are some open on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. Exchange houses are open longer and offer quicker service (and usually a better exchange rate) than banks.

Health/Water

Purified water is used in beverages and ice and for cooking in all big-city hotels and restaurants. It is best to stick with bottled water and beverages, without ice, in outlying areas.

Electricity

Standard current is 110 volt AC, as in the US, however adapters are useful because three prong outlets are not widely available.

National Drinks

Tequila - Fermented and distilled from the agave plant, mainly in Jalisco, and particularly in the town of Tequila

Pulque - Made by fermenting agave, but not distilling it

Atole - Corn flour, evaporated milk and sugar. Particularly good for an upset stomach

Horchata - Cold drink of rice, almonds, cinnamon, lime zest and sugar

Popular Beers - Corona, Modelo, Victoria, Pacífico, Estrella, Léon, Montejo, Dos Equis, Sol, Indio, Bohemia, Carta Blanca, and Tecate.

Food Specialties

Beans (frijoles), chocolate, peppers, seafood (particularly along the coasts and specially in the Yucatan), tamales, tortillas, guacamole, tacos, tortas. Chocolate has been popular in Mexico since the Olmecs and Mayas. The most commons uses are as a hot beverage or in a mole sauce (made with cocoa, dried chile peppers, spices, nuts, seeds and other ingredients).

Most Popular Tourist Attractions

The coastal resort cities on both Pacific and Atlantic/Caribbean coasts; Mexico City and its museums, archaeological sites and galleries; Yucatan and the Mayan pyramids; Copper Canyon; colonial cities such as Guanajuato, Guadalajara & Teuila region, San Miguel de Allende, Chapala & Ajijic, Cuernavaca, Taxco and Oaxaca, Baja peninsula.

Activities

Sunbathing, swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, paragliding, hiking, dining, sightseeing, horseback riding, golf, sailing, fishing, birding. Mexico is a huge and varied country, and there is no end to the activities it offers.