Adapting to the climate in Mexico

It's not much different from moving to different places in the U.S. weather wise. Some areas are cooler and some are very hot and humid.

I live in the hot and humid southern part of Mexico. When we first moved here we figured we would stay perhaps a year and find somewhere more moderate. We explored a lot, but just didn't leave because we found few places that  had all of the easy walking distances to what we needed . It's been 4 years and I'm still here ( he died last year).

You body adapts, but you also learn from the locals. If I use the air conditioning I do one area at a time and conserve by keeping the windows closed. In the morning I open everything up and let the morning breezes in, then close the doors and windows when the sun hits the house. Patience is the biggest requirement, with observation being a close second.
Remember Mexico has the climate you want, you just have to look for it. There is sun every day here so I suspect I am generally healthier and more active. Things are not necessarily very convenient like they are in the U.S. so I have to put a lot more effort into finding things, which means I have to continue improving my Spanish and be physically active every day. If you are looking for easy and just like the U.S. it's not in Mexico.

We live in San Carlos, Sonora, which is on the mainland west coast. For me, summer from late June until (magically) October 15 is unbearable outdoors, after the sun is up and until the sun goes down. Even a pool is no help after midsummer, the water is too much like a warm bath. The breaks come when monsoon season starts in earnest and those wonderful breezes and rains arrive. We have a desktop publishing business and produce a book every year, with my busiest time being summer, so I spend most of my time at the computer, under the minisplit. I try to do any shopping after sunset, and bunch my errands so I only have to go out once; then I can hit the shower when I get back. I live in light, loose sundresses and sandals. The key is to get up at five and do anything physically demanding then. But I rescue homeless and abandoned dogs, and if I get a call about one, I will go out anytime day or night.

I really believe the challenges we have in adapting to life in Mexico help to keep our minds active. It's too easy to be complacent, lazy and dull-witted living in the States and then when a real challenge arrives you're not ready for it. My opinion, anyway.

Five fans going constantly, two hammocks under a palapa with a fan, a small pool ..... and there is always the beach.  Too warm to work in the garden today so I won't

I'd be interested in hearing from folks who have settled in Merida or elsewhere in the Yucatan about coping with the extreme summers. Merida has so much going for it but summer heat is a challenge!

I live only two hours from there and yes Merida can get very hot.  Mostly what we do here is open the house up in the early morning ,after day light because of mosquitoes, which can also get pretty intense in Merida. After the sun is fully up, I start a process of closing the house back up and alternating which room I have the Air conditioner on. The cost of having the air conditioning on continuously in pretty high. Here we have consistent breezes off of the bay which help, I have 5 fans , 3 are ceiling fans and at least two of them are on 24/7.
Merida doesn't have consistent breezes, a malecon,  ocean or bay access so it seems to get much hotter than here. Yes I know it's not far from Progreso, but Progreso is another city Merida is 24.5 miles away from, and it's sitting next to the sea not Merida. The ocean breezes are blowing over Progreso, not Merida. So Merida is a big city with lots to do, and it gets very hot during parts of the year so you have to make plans for that , but it's only part of the year April 15 to June 9. Last year I was there on business and the temp was 42.7 degrees Celsius (108.9 degrees Fahrenheit) recorded  by the Meteorological Observatory of Mérida it broke records. I was glad to get back here where it was 5 degrees cooler with a breeze.

Thx for the response. We live in Mexico City but are looking to move to a cheaper city with a more relaxed lifestyle and Merida certainly qualifies on both counts. You say you live on the coast but I'm guessing not in Progreso itself. How do house prices in the coastal towns compare to those in Merida? Do you have all the services (like a good internet connection) you need in your community?

Now that I'm awake, travellight, I see that your posting data say you live in Campeche. I may be visiting that town for a few days in August. Is there much to do there as a tourist? And, are there many expats living in Campeche? I know Merida has a pretty large expat community but Campeche seems off the beaten path from an expat point of view.

You are living in one of the most expensive parts of Mexico currently, so my provisional response would be definitely cheaper. Other than Cancun perhaps, and seasonal for tourists escaping the cold, most areas near the cost are cheaper.  You can even find deals near Cancun.
If you go to Progreso the towns to the left would be even less expensive . Then you would be close to the things you like in Merida.  As an example, the cost of the large house I rent here is equal to the cost of many small apartments in Mexico city.

I live in the state capital of Campeche in Campeche . The weather is usually very nice, occasionally there is a lot of rain, or it is pretty hot otherwise many days are good days to take a walk on the malecon.  it is a moderate sized city with a lot of visible history, a bay, breezes, and most of the things I need.  Breezes keep the mosquetos away for evening walks.

It's a very culturally rich area, with many things to see. El central alone is worth a few days adventures. There is an old ship that cruises the bay on Sundays, the old city wall that you can walk on, forts and the zona arquelogica. Just to name a few . There are many small parks and Cathedrals. The main park in el central has a tourist info for setting up tours, but I never used  it, yet many do, and seem pleased.

There are expats here , but there is no formal group.  We wanted to become part of the culture not foreigners in a separate area. Most of us speak at least passable Spanish.

All of the replies are from the hot zones except the capital, and they are thinking of moving! One should look around and pick one's climate before moving, so this question does not seem to make much sense, and there are many more important things to adjust to. I am uncomfortable with heat and humidity so coastal areas are out. Unfortunately cold and damp are hard on me too, limiting choices, but the choices are there and every place in the world just about has problematic weather. So, frankly, this question is close to moot IMO. One would normally pick the weather that is suitable in the first place, wouldnt one?

Climate Change is real, it appears.  People from Saltillo to Guadalajara to Celaya to Zamora to Zacatecas to Xalapa and Coatepec, Mexicans and expats have all remarked how "unseasonal" the last few years have been.  Hotter, colder, damper and dryer; sometimes all in the same place.

So, some of us are less than perfectly prepared.  Where heat is necessary, portable gas heaters do nicely with a good comforter at night.  Early this Spring, I was thinking I'd bite the bullet and see if AC didn't bankrupt me.  That would not have been feasible because electricity is included in the rent because a big house my apartment and a studio were all on one meter.  That's being changed and if my bill comes out lower than a certain amount, an AC might be doable.  Meanwhile, the unexpected conditions are far from serious enough to have changed the decision where I have located.

Hope it works out comfortable for you, gudgrief!