San Miguel de Allende or Merida???

adrianikon616 wrote:

Hello and thanks for answering my question.  I want to make the move to Mexico very soon. I have been there a ton and now ready to make it my full-time home!  I have been to San Miguel de Allende many times and I am thinking of moving there. However, I have heard so many good things about Merida. I have done my reseach and I am now more confused LOL!  Any thoughts of which of the two cities you think would be the better place to live? I would like to open up my own HR consultating firm in Mexico, so also from a business side which might also be the best move?  Thank you all so much!!!

I have also visited both places. I currently live in the Lake Chapala area, south of Guadalajara. It all comes down to what you are looking for. Merida is a big city, and SMA is a small one. Merida has a small expat community, and SMA has quite a large one. SMA is located in the Central Highlands of Mexico, and therefore it is easy to visit a variety of other really great places (i.e. Guanajuato, Queretaro, Morelia, Patzcuaro, Guadalajara, Lake Chapala, Mexico City, etc. etc.), while Merida is at the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula with only Cancun and Campeche in easy reach. SMA has a very nice climate year-round (a bit cooler than I prefer in winter), while Merida is boiling hot and humid for much of the year. SMA is fairly expensive, as Mexican cities go, while Merida is still relatively cheap.

So what are you looking for in a place to live?

adrianikon616 wrote:

Thanks for much for the info! I am in my mid 30's and I am currently a consultant here in the US. I am going to keep my job and just work remotely from Mexico as my location does not matter. Been to SMA many times and I do like it, but it is expensive. For example, the homes! I have seen many homes online in Merida that start from 50K, 60K, and 70K for example that are very nice...needs a little TLC but very nice. SMA, on the other hand, homes are quite high and the vauvle is not there. I could not find good colonial style homes in SMA for the prices I found in Merida. Just wondering is perhaps SMA is too over saturated due to all the expats living.

I think the prices are higher In SMA not only because of the expats, but because Mexico City is not all that far away, certainly close enough for wealthy Mexicans to have second homes.

That said, I think you might also consider climate as a factor. The climate in SMA is very mild year-round, with low humidity, as you know if you have visited there a lot. The climate in Merida is very hot for most of the year, with high humidity. This is not only a matter of comfort, but of expense. Electricity is very expensive in Mexico, and gets more expensive per kilowatt as you use more. An air conditioner (a virtual necessity in Merida most of the year) will significantly run up your expenses.

In any case, I strongly recommend that you rent for at least a year, preferably for two, when you move down. That way, whichever city you pick, you won't be stuck there if you decide it's not right for you, or for that matter, if you decide that living full time in Mexico is not right for you. While I love living here, it doesn't turn out to be everyone's cup of tea.

Housing is moving very slowly in most areas of Mexico, especially the nice areas where people have run up the prices. There is no mortgage system you would recognize, and there are no disclosure laws to protect you if you later find out your foundation is cracked, or roof leaks, or that someone else has a lien on your home, etc. You need to take it very slowly in getting into the real estate market down here, until you thoroughly understand how very differently things work, and have talked to a wide variety of people who have bought or who rent. You don't want to be stuck with an expensive piece of real estate that you can't sell, perhaps for several years. Don't let your north-of-the-border sense that you've just gotta buy a house push you into a premature bad decision. Talk to other expats who already live in the areas where you want to settle. I have no doubt they will tell you exactly the same thing.

Belinda28597 wrote:

I have been graphing the temperatures in Sarasota, FL and Merida, Mexico for about a year, as I live in Sarasota. The yearly average temperatures are almost identical. To me, the weather in Sarasota is near perfect except for July and August, which is very hot.

Hi Belinda.

So, It sounds like your interest is primarily Merida. What are your questions?

Belinda28597 wrote:

Thx for the reply. However, I asked about electricity cost with A/C. You stated you have fans, I think.

Sorry for the confusion, the house has 4 A/C's I use the one in the bedroom for the most part. My intent was to let you know what the cost was with a pool, fans and the a/c. using the ceiling fans most of the time cuts down on a/c use. So, those numbers include a/c.

Belinda28597 wrote:

Thx for the reply. However, I asked about electricity cost with A/C. You stated you have fans, I think.

Hi, here are the rates based on usage so, you can compare your summer bills and convert the same usage and have the mexican cost  (note the rate change during summer and winter). I presume that Merida would have the 1a rate in summer (0,697$ first 100kw, 0,822$ next 50kw and 2,802$ after the first 150kw) if it's warmer then rates go down. 150kw usage per month costs 111$ pesos 300kw would cost 431$ pesos or about 25$ USD. Be carefull if you rent or own within a complex then the rate could be comercial so cost would be 2,802$pesos from the 1st kw.

http://app.cfe.gob.mx/Aplicaciones/CCFE … p;imprime=

For your information, we have a two bedroom apartment with fans and spilt A/C, we are located on the west coast Nayarit which is warmer than Mérida, I believe, we arrived on August 26th and used the A/C once only. The fans we have are 56" commercial 3 palms 4 speeds at speed 2 they do a great job and no noise. Also the ceilings are curved  (mexican way) which are keeping cooler versus flat ceilings.