Leaving Merida to live in Playa or Cancun ?

There is something that keeps us in Mexico but I cant put my finger on it.
I dont have a fella so its not a love thing lol, my kids dont want to leave Mexico and deep down I dont either but I have never been in a place for so long with such few friends especialy when I am fluent in the language.
At least over your way I could walk along pretty beaches, sit in street cafes.........its too hot over here for all of that, life is in the air con and what sort of life is that ?

Europe is on a total meltdown financially and people are stressed, I miss the UK but I cant afford to live there and Spain is dying a death and I am lucky to be able to rent my villa out to a Dutch guy so I should enjoy it while I can but I am not enjoying it here and havent done for a while.

 

Hi Maria,
I am a big contributor to this board and I must admit that I, and others have posted negative experiences here. BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT I/WE HATE IT. I love it. It is just that I/we like to vent sometimes. Plus, we all know people who have come here, especially from the U.S., with rose colored glasses, and cannot bear the cultural differences. I think we have somewhat of an obligation/opportunity to give people things to consider, who come here on vacation and think that they want to live here, end up spending their life savings, and leaving miserble and broke. Cancun is NOT all parties and beaches. I have been here 7 years last month and return to the U.S. less and less, whereas 5 or 6 years ago I was spending nearly 50% of my time abroad. That's just me.

V's post is really good. He is a friend of mine and I know that he researched this move to death, then after moving here, he rented in at least 3 areas of the city, before buying a home in the area he most desired.

On your hospital comments, we have some very modern hospitals here. I had a serious health problem a couple of years ago, and after consulting doctors who are friends, I discovered that Merida is where the doctors go, if things get rough, for medical matters. So I did too and don't regret it one bit. I still get some periodic checkups but for the most part I do them here.

I understand the elitest "white" Mexican comments. You are talking about my ex g/f. Jajaja. 99% of them probably come from D.F.

Good luck with your house/apt hunting. You can meet many new and real friends from this forum. On this thread alone, Tracey, Gringation and V are friends of mine. I feel that they could call on me for anything and vice versa and there are so many more good personal friends I have made this way over the years.

Cheers,

 

That's interesting mate - do you mean because of the economy and stuff that it wouldn't be a smart move right now? Or are their other factors?

 

I agree with you here, Steve. My husband wants to move to Merida in the next few years, but I'm not convinced. I've told him it looks beautiful and I'm dying to buy an old colonial house, but it's just "too Mexican" hahaha

Here in Cancun I can enjoy lots of aspects of Mexican culture, but there are many things that remind me of home as well. Plus I'd miss the beach!

As far as the Cancun vs Playa debate, it depends on what you're looking for. Cancun is closer to more services (better malls, movie theaters, etc), and Playa has a more laid-back European feel. Both have amazing beaches.

 

Hi everybody

Thanks for some great opinions, I need to do some leg work and see if we can get over there for Xmas as I dont want to rush things too much as I have to be sure I am doing the best for us all.

The thing about Merida is its cheap and safe, thats why so many expats come here and buy colonial homes and reform them.

Personally the terrible amount of traffic, the constant smell and the intense heat of living in centro takes me back to the bad part of Goa India I went to, so I dont see any attraction to it atall.

The locals dont understand why the gringos buy in centro but again thats a snob thing as all the white Mexicans live in the North of the city.

I had a friend who worked here in Merida and he earned 1000 pesos a week, he eventually went back to Cancun 2 yrs ago and now he earns 3500 for the same job he did here for 1000 pesos and he says that there is no difference to the cost of living now food and utility wise as Merida has become so more expensive, food and petrol have shot up in the last 4 years.

If you want cheap houses to buy, intense heat, lots of traffic, miserable people or people who look down on you then Merida is the place to come to and believe me I am not bitter or sour, but its reality.
At my daughters school they class people from the DF as foreigners, they are a bunch of miserable insular buggers and will rob you blind.

My daughter went to the best school in Merida and she is friends with all types of people because she is not judgemental or racist but here her rich friends will comment about her hanging with NACOS or INDIOS.......words I wouldnt use in a million years, not even in the Uk lol, but its quite acceptable here to speak of the lower classes like that and I stopped being a friend with a woman because of her vulgar mouth infront of my kids about darker skinned people........SHE WAS A WEALTHY WHITE MEXICAN !!!!!!!!!
I could live in Mosside in Manchester with the gangs if I wanted to be around that sort of crap.

I have seen so many expats come here and try to do a business and the people here just dont spend money and so anybody of an unretiring age has to go back.
Merida is for the retired person with not too much money in the pocket.

As for the UK, its the price of taxes and utilities and insurances that cripple people. Food is cheaper and better quality than here, the clothes are better quality and I agree with Steve about it being the same old same old
As soon as the sun comes out they all run for the BBQ, get the food cooking and then just as its cooked it starts to rain........I see it on facebook all the time about the weather and the bbqs

well thanks again for the info......if you could let me know where you live or names of the places you live so I can look on Vivastreet etc, it may help me

 

mmmm, I'm struggling to see it - seems like a good move.

No healthcare worries, cheap holidays, cheap food, healthier lifestyle, much higher standards of living for half the price. Much less bureaucratic bullshit to deal with. Excellent services to be taken advantage of for the kids.

Boiling hot at your computer desk here for your daily routine without all the things of UK or sitting at a desk day to day in England with all the added benefits?

Maybe England has just got to bland, a faceless society where life is easy and has just got boring...?

It's funny what you hear people over there complain about, when you see what people here have to deal with, they don't know how good they've got it.

 

Maria you sound really fed up ! Change is good- go for it move and experience new places , new people etc.
I am also in Uk right now and agree with stuff Steve has said- its easier to live here- more efficient,more choice etc but Im still not ready to return. ! Like I said Spain would be our dream but the economy prevents us moving right now so we plan to continue living in Cancun and enjoying it.
Every place has its problems- dont think for one moment Uk doesnt have its racist elements- it does.!
I hope wherever you move to brings you happiness, adventures and close encounters with some lovely interesting people.
Tracey

 

I don't live near the Hotel Zone. Does that mean there's no point in me being here?