If you’ve thought about moving to Mexico, you’ve likely already done a lot of research into the best places to live and what the weather is like, but there’s always more you could learn. Many aspects of living in this country are pretty widely unknown, which is why we’re taking the time to cover some of the things no one tells you about living in Mexico. None of them are deal-breakers by any means, but they’re certainly good things to be aware of.
Locals Are a Little Too Helpful
Due to misconceptions and a bit of propaganda, too many people believe that the Mexican people aren’t all that friendly. In reality, they might actually be too nice at times. For example, if you ask someone for directions, even if they have no idea where your destination is, they’ll still try to help you.
They might give you very vague directions or even call a family member who might know the answer. Either way, it would be much easier if they just said no, and you could then leave and ask someone else. This happens a lot in a variety of scenarios.
Housing Options Are Quite Affordable
Shockingly, not enough people know that this country’s housing options are quite affordable compared to property prices in America. Even though it’ll cost more than surrounding houses, oceanfront properties for sale will be much cheaper than you’d expect. In general, the cost of living in Mexico is relatively low, but the modest price of owning a home on the beach always takes newcomers by surprise.
Most Large Transactions Are Cash Only
Even though most prices of large-ticket items are not as high as one would think, the downside to them is locals almost always expect you to pay for them in cash. Things like a down payment on a house, electric bills, and monthly rent charges are almost exclusively paid with actual currency. Fortunately, past COVID restrictions have started paving the way for more payments by card, but this transition has been pretty slow overall.
Always Carry Loose Change
On top of cash being vital throughout most of Mexico, the same applies to loose change. When using the bus system, having exact change is very helpful. Most of the time, bus drivers won’t be able to give you change back for the bills you pay with. Even if they can, this exchange can slow down the loading process quite a bit.
Change is also very useful when tipping in smaller amounts. Giving a tip to bag packers and restroom attendants is a common practice in Mexico, but they don’t expect very much for these services. If you keep some spare change on hand, it’ll make tipping these people much easier.
On top of that, having cash will come in handy when paying for merchandise and meals as well. Not all stores and restaurants in Mexico take card, so you’ll also need some cash. Make sure you pay in pesos and not USD, though; this will help ensure that you don’t overpay due to the unfavorable exchange rate of USD.
Many People Don’t Use Seatbelts
The last thing that no one tells you about living in Mexico that we have for you is an interesting one. Not many people use seatbelts throughout the country. The weird part is that this is still a law in Mexico, but very few officials actually enforce it. This leads to most locals never using their seatbelts. You’re still free to use them—which we’d definitely recommend—but don’t be surprised if not many others do.
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Source: Mexpat Realtors www.mexpatrealtors.com
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