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How to Decide Where to Live in Mexico: Choose a City Based on Your Actual Life
One of the first questions people ask when they're thinking about moving to Mexico is: Where is the best place to live? I understand why. You start researching Mexico and quickly find lists of the best cities for expats, the cheapest places to retire, the safest cities, the best beach towns and the best places for digital nomads. But after living in Mexico since 2019, I think there's a better question: What does the life you want to build require from the place where you live
C. Monte Raynor
5 days ago7 min read
Moving to Mexico Checklist: What to Do and in What Order
Planning a move to Mexico? Use this relocation checklist to organize finances, residency, housing, healthcare, transportation and other decisions in the right order.
C. Monte Raynor
5 days ago7 min read
Are You Ready to Move to Mexico? A Relocation Readiness Guide
Researching a move to Mexico is not the same as being ready. Pressure-test your finances, housing, residency, family, healthcare, transportation and timeline before you move.
C. Monte Raynor
5 days ago6 min read
Can You Afford to Move to Mexico? How to Build a Realistic Relocation Budget
Can you afford to move to Mexico? Build a realistic relocation budget around your actual lifestyle, transition costs, obligations, housing, healthcare and financial resilience.
C. Monte Raynor
5 days ago6 min read
GL.iNet Travel Routers for Remote Work: What You Actually Need for a Personal VPN
Learn how GL.iNet travel routers fit into a Personal VPN, why newer Slate 7 hardware matters, and why bigger routers are not always better.
C. Monte Raynor
5 days ago7 min read
Personal VPN for Remote Work Abroad: How the Setup Actually Works
Learn how a Personal VPN for remote work abroad actually works, including host location, upload speed, travel routers, and planning your complete setup.
C. Monte Raynor
5 days ago5 min read
Raising Black Teens in Mérida, Mexico: One Mother's Experience Building Community
What one Black mother learned raising three boys in Mérida—and why helping teenagers build community can matter as much as the move itself.
C. Monte Raynor
5 days ago10 min read
Raising a Black Family in Mérida, Mexico: Our Experience After Moving Abroad
Our firsthand experience raising a Black child in Mérida, Mexico—from schools and Spanish to friendships, community and building a life abroad as a family.
C. Monte Raynor
5 days ago7 min read
Pulled Over by Police in Mexico: What Happened and What I Should Have Done
What happened when police pulled me over in Mérida, Mexico—and why the experience felt so different to me as a Black American living abroad.
C. Monte Raynor
5 days ago5 min read
Black Expats in Mexico: What to Know Before Moving
Considering Mexico as a Black American? After living in Mexico since 2019, I share what to consider about community, culture, location and relocation planning.
C. Monte Raynor
5 days ago7 min read
Moving to Mexico: The Residency and Relocation Steps I Wish Everyone Understood
Planning a move to Mexico? Understand residency, entry, housing, money, healthcare and the first decisions to sequence before you relocate.
C. Monte Raynor
7 days ago8 min read
Dynamic DNS and Personal VPN Setups: Why Support Matters Before Something Breaks
When you are living abroad, traveling, or testing life in a new country, the last thing you want is a surprise connection issue. Most Personal VPN setups work quietly in the background. You connect. You do what you need to do. You move on with your day. But like any system that depends on routers, internet providers, changing IP addresses, and configuration details, a Personal VPN setup still needs to be understood, documented, and supported properly. One issue I have seen co
C. Monte Raynor
Jun 125 min read


The #1 fear showing up in our Mexico Readiness Reviews
A lot of people start thinking about Mexico because they believe life may cost less. And for many people, that can be true. But after looking at our Roadmap to Expat Readiness Reviews, one thing is very clear: The money question is still the one keeping people up at night. The most common primary fear was not housing. It was not language. It was not even safety. The #1 fear was: Money running out. That matters—because it tells me people are not just dreaming about Mexico. The
C. Monte Raynor
Jun 114 min read


My Sabor de Yucatán Passport Tour: 10 Stops, Countless Flavors, and a Whole Lot of Mezcal
What’s good, Mexit Planners? Mérida just wrapped up its very first Sabor de Yucatán food festival, and let me tell you—it was a full-on feast for the senses. I spent over four hours tasting my way through 10 different restaurants, mostly along the buzzing Gastronomic District on Calle 47, and ending near the Monumento a la Patria on Paseo Montejo. From smoky tacos to raw octopus (yes, really), I sampled a little bit of everything—guided by the official festival passport, whic
C. Monte Raynor
Feb 284 min read


Catching the IE-TRAM at Sunrise: A Ride Through Modern Mérida
What’s good, Mexit Planners? It’s 5:20 a.m. on a Friday and I’m out here in Mérida , chasing sunrise and something I’ve been waiting on for months—the North Route of the IE-TRAM . If you’ve been following the transportation upgrades in Yucatán, then you know this line is a big deal. This new route runs from Parque La Plancha , right through Prolongación Paseo de Montejo , and all the way up to the Periférico —Mérida’s ring road. Think of it like Mérida’s version of a subway.
C. Monte Raynor
Feb 214 min read


Coffee, Cold Brews & Surprises: My Café Crawl Through Centro Mérida
Hey Mexit Planners, If you know anything about me, you know I love coffee. So when a new book landed on my doorstep (about—you guessed it—coffee), I figured it was the perfect excuse to head into Centro Mérida and explore a few coffee shops I hadn't visited in a while… and a couple that were totally new to me. This wasn’t just a café hop—it turned into a full-on Centro adventure with buses, bookstores, burgers, and unexpected art galleries. Let’s dive in. 🚎 Getting There: V
C. Monte Raynor
Feb 144 min read
Surviving Power Outages in Mexico: A Remote Worker’s Guide
If you're new to Mexico and working remotely, here's one thing you're going to learn fast: The power grid isn't always your friend. Here in Mérida, where I live, it's not unusual to lose electricity once a week, sometimes for just a few minutes, other times for a few days. And with the city growing faster than its power infrastructure, this reality isn’t going away anytime soon. Now, if you're just watching Netflix, that might be a minor inconvenience. But if you’re in the mi
C. Monte Raynor
Feb 125 min read


Gallerón: A Hidden Coffee Gem in the Heart of Santiago, Mérida
What’s good, Mexit Planners? If you’re the type who loves discovering tucked-away local spots that feel like a secret—you’re going to want to add Gallerón to your list. This place isn’t just another café. It’s an old-school colonial home turned coffee speakeasy , right in the heart of Colonia Santiago , one of Centro Mérida’s most vibrant and historic neighborhoods. The only clue that something special is waiting inside? A simple sign that reads: “Knock the door.” That alone
C. Monte Raynor
Feb 72 min read


A Morning Walk Through Montecristo: One of Mérida’s Most Elegant Neighborhoods
What’s good, Mexit Planners? This morning, I laced up my sneakers, grabbed the mosquito repellent (because these rainy season mosquitoes are not playing), and headed out for a walk through Montecristo —one of Mérida’s most beautiful and well-established neighborhoods. Now, this wasn’t just any walk. I covered a lot of ground—starting in Emiliano Zapata Norte , passing through parts of Colonia México , Montecristo , and even touching Montebello and Monterreal . But the heart
C. Monte Raynor
Jan 304 min read


Exploring Compestre: A Walk Through One of Mérida’s Most Desirable Neighborhoods
Exploring the Hidden Gem of Mérida: Colonia Campestre Come take a stroll with me this morning as we explore the charming and history-rich neighborhood of Colonia Campestre —one of Mérida’s hidden gems and definitely a top contender if you’re looking for a quiet, central, and well-connected place to live. We’re starting this walk at Walmart Express , right off Prolongación Paseo de Montejo , just as you head into the northern part of the city. From here, we’ll walk a few side
C. Monte Raynor
Jan 234 min read
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