Exploring Abroad: Parting Thoughts on San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Cynthia:  Our original plan was to spend two weeks in San Miguel. Shortly after arriving, we decided to extend our visit an additional week. That pretty much sums up our feelings about this top expat destination, right?

Edd:  Yep. And I’m glad we moved to a different part of the city for that extra time. It gave us a more complete impression.

C:  Turns out we chose an extremely popular location for the expat community. It was really convenient. Only about a 15-minute walk to downtown, and there were lots of great restaurants in the neighborhood.

E:  Plus a 2-story building full of organic foods and products was so close. I went to a massive supermarket that, like the modern northern area of Mérida, almost made me forget I was in Mexico! 

C:  Can you even think of anything we didn’t like?

E:  Well, let’s be honest, the hills in some areas of town are incredibly steep. And even with good walking shoes on, the cobblestone streets and uneven sidewalks are a challenge.

C:  It would be a difficult place to live if you have mobility issues.

E:  Other than that, let’s go down a checklist of attributes we look for in potential overseas retirement destinations:

• Climate ~ Temps from daytime highs in the 70s to nights in the 50s all year? That’s what we consider ideal weather.
• Cost of living ~ The two main expenses are always housing and food. Owning a residence in San Miguel can be pricey, but we found that a couple relying on Social Security income could easily afford rent and food with money left over for a comfortable lifestyle.    
  

C:  We certainly ate well and stayed within budget except for splurging a bit on our anniversary celebration. How about:

• Health care ~ San Miguel, with a population of only 175,000, has three hospitals, including one that’s brand new. Top-notch care is available here, and throughout Mexico, for a fraction of what you would pay in the U.S.
• An established expat community ~ Americans started moving to San Miguel shortly after World War II and have been arriving ever since. It’s estimated that expats now account for 10% of the city’s residents. English is widely spoken, and there is a wide variety of special interest groups to plug into. 
• Proximity to the States ~ Two international airports are within an hour’s drive from San Miguel. Direct flights to Houston take only two hours. 
  

E:  Speaking of transportation, there’s absolutely no need to own a car. I wouldn’t even think of driving on those narrow cobblestone streets and steep hills. Plus there are zero traffic lights and stop signs! Inexpensive Uber rides are readily available when you don’t want to walk.

C:  And not having a vehicle lowers your monthly budget too. You know, another attribute of San Miguel is the beauty of the city. I think a contributing factor is that many artists have remained here after coming to study. It made such an impression on us that “attractive surroundings” may get added to our own wish list.

E:  There’s so much to see and do that it felt like we only scratched the surface during our three weeks there. San Miguel de Allende blew us away and easily became the top location we’ve visited in Mexico.

C:  But have we saved the best for last? We’ve got one more place to explore, and it happens to be the most popular expat destination for Americans and Canadians in the entire country—Lake Chapala. 

E:  There must be very good reasons for that, so we’re about to hop on a bus and learn firsthand what they are. Will we agree with the thousands happily living there that it’s our favorite location in Mexico too?

C:  It’s time to find out, and reconnect with some friends who moved from Cuenca to Lake Chapala. Since both places are expat favorites, can’t wait to get their perspective!