Watch: This Free Video Presentation on the Benefits of Expat Life in Mexico.
Dear International Living Postcards reader,
Lake Chapala is a snowbird’s paradise, home to a large and welcoming expat community, and boasting a near-perfect climate of bright blue sky and sunshine.
And that’s not all. It’s also where you’ll find great-value real estate.
IL Roving Latin America Editor Jason Holland tells you more, below…
Victoria Harmer
Editorial Director, International Living Postcards
P.S. Mexico offers a temperate year-round climate, a colorful, welcoming culture, and extreme affordability—a couple can live very comfortably on $1,905 a month or less, including rent and a healthcare plan. If you’re considering a move to Mexico, either full- or part-time, then you need to check out Mexico 101. Request access to this in-depth video resource before midnight tonight to lock-in a saving of more than 50% off. Details here.
***
Lake-View Homes from $150,000
By Jason Holland
There’s a simple but comfortable hotel in the small Mexican city of Matehuala, in the high desert of northern Mexico, called Las Palmas Midway Inn.
Why “midway”?
Well, at six hours drive from the border with Texas, it’s just about halfway to Lake Chapala, one of the most popular expat havens in Mexico. And, indeed, if you stay at the hotel, you’ll notice license plates from all over the U.S. and Canada.
There are about 20,000 expats, mostly retirees, living in and around a string of towns and villages along Lake Chapala’s northern shore.
The most popular communities are Ajijic (the letter “j” in Spanish is pronounced like an “h,” so that’s A-hee-heek—master that and you can pass for a local) and Chapala. But you’ll also find foreign residents in Jocotepec, San Antonio Tlayacapan, and San Juan Cosala.
And there are also expansive gated communities of homes and condos on the hillsides in between, with panoramic views of the lake.
Collectively, the area is known as Lakeside. And expats have been coming here going on 60 years, making it one of the most established destinations in Mexico. As you make your way through the area, you’ll certainly notice the expat influence—signs for businesses and restaurant menus are often in English and Spanish. Many locals speak English. And you’ll see plenty of expats walking and driving around.
It makes for an easy landing for a newcomer as there are plenty of resources to help you get set up once you arrive as far as securing residence visas, setting up accounts for utilities, buying property, getting a bank account, and the like.
What has made Lakeside so popular, for so long?
The lake, the largest in Mexico at 417 square miles (about 50 miles long by 10 miles at its widest), is surrounded by verdant mountains, with slopes rising steeply. It’s a beautiful landscape.
The towns are on the sliver of land between the water and mountains. Often, expats live on the hillsides where they can take in the views from their terrace—perfect for capping off a day with a glass of wine…or greeting the morning with your coffee.
The climate is a major factor. It’s moderate year-round, staying in the 70s and 80s F during the day (T-shirt weather, as I like to say) and cooling off into the 60s and 50s F at night—just enough to bring a sweater or light jacket if you go out to dinner and have a blanket on your bed to stay cozy. This is despite being at roughly the same latitude as warm and humid Puerto Vallarta.
However, being next to such a large body of water and at a higher elevation, about 6,000 feet, has a moderating influence on the weather. Important to note: There is a rainy season in summer. But most of the time it only rains for a few hours in late afternoon or evening…which means you have most of the day to get out and about…besides it’s the rain that makes everything so green and ensures that gardens of tropical plants thrive here.
The pleasant climate is a major reason Lakeside sees a huge jump in the expat population in the winter months as snowbirds flock from their homes to escape the snow and cold.
The lifestyle here is a mix of tranquil living and quiet village life. Despite the development of modern shopping plazas and country club style golf communities in some parts, it still has a rural feel.
The town centers remain quaint and walkable, with traditional touches like cobblestone streets, parish churches with ornate bell towers, and bustling plazas, as well as any number of cafés, restaurants (covering cuisine from Thai to traditional Mexican), art galleries, and other cute little businesses.
The large expat community is very active. There are any number of clubs and organizations to get involved in. Like to craft or want to learn how to paint? There’s a group for that. You can play pickleball, master the Spanish language, practice yoga, volunteer with an animal rescue…it’s all covered and much more.
And, of course, there are plenty of parties, happy hours, ladies’ lunches, and the like going on every day of the week.
But in many ways, expats have the best of both worlds in Lake Chapala because while you can have that low-key country life here, Guadalajara, one of the largest cities in Mexico, is just an hour to the north—so you won’t miss out on any modern amenities you might need. There you have world-class hospitals with specialists in every discipline (although Lakeside itself has well-regarded medical care, too)…big box stores…and an international airport.
Speaking of medical care…since Lakeside has such a long history of hosting retired expats, several assisted living communities here make it possible for folks to age in place and not have to return to their home country. Having help in the home, whether a skilled nurse or just someone to get help you get around, is also available.
Both options are much lower cost than what you find in the U.S. Those lower costs extend to just about every aspect of life in Lakeside, from meals out (a nice dinner with drinks will run about $30 to $40…a simpler meal in a neighborhood restaurant about a quarter of that) to places to rent and buy.
To be sure, you can find high-end, luxury housing options here. But a comfortable two- or three-bedroom home can be found for under $150,000…even under $100,000. For something with lake views in a gated community, you’re looking at $150,000 and up.
As far as rentals, a two-bedroom condo or townhouse will run you $700 to $900 a month, with something like a three-bedroom home in the $1,000 and up range.
Editor’s note: Right now we’ve got an invitation for you to go “on the road” with IL Roving Latin America Editor Jason as he takes you on a tour of the country he chooses to call home. Mexico 101: Your Blueprint to the ¡Viva México! Lifestyle puts a huge amount of information, recommendations, tips, advice, and insights about living, traveling, and investing in Mexico—one of the world’s best retirement destinations—in one place…in living color…on video.
With Jason as your Mexico 101 guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about moving to, investing in, living in, and/or starting a business in this much-loved expat haven.
We’re so excited about it that we’re offering it to you at a special discount of over 50%—plus we’ll also send you seven comprehensive special reports including a must-have Mexico Scouting Trip itineraries and Travel Guide. But this personalized “relocation tour” is only available until midnight tonight, so to make sure you don’t miss out you need to request access here, now.