Need advice on possibly relocating to Mexico

[Considering Mexico]

My husband & I are considering relocating to Mexico with our daughter. We'd like to know if anyone can recommend where would be the best place to live considering these factors: safety, job availibility for Native English speakers & not too expensive, on a total income of $1200 USD.

[pappabee]

Originally Posted by Considering Mexico

My husband & I are considering relocating to Mexico with our daughter. We'd like to know if anyone can recommend where would be the best place to live considering these factors: safety, job availibility for Native English speakers & not too expensive, on a total income of $1200 USD.

Before anyone can answer your requests they will need more info.
What type work do you and your husband do?
How old is your daughter?
Have you done any checking on Visas?
Will you have a car or not?

I think answers to those questions will help people give you the advise that you're requesting.

[TundraGreen]

Originally Posted by Considering Mexico

My husband & I are considering relocating to Mexico with our daughter. We'd like to know if anyone can recommend where would be the best place to live considering these factors: safety, job availibility for Native English speakers & not too expensive, on a total income of $1200 USD.

My first question would be: Why are you considering moving to Mexico? Your post is so open-ended that it is hard to even begin to respond. None of the factors you mentioned (safety, jobs, cost) are very useful for deciding where to go in Mexico. It is safe practically everywhere. Job availability can vary greatly with area, but in no place is it very easy to find work. And the cost, well that can vary a lot between a rural area to Mexico City with everything in between.

[pappabee]

Originally Posted by TundraGreen

My first question would be: Why are you considering moving to Mexico? Your post is so open-ended that it is hard to even begin to respond. None of the factors you mentioned (safety, jobs, cost) are very useful for deciding where to go in Mexico. It is safe practically everywhere. Job availability can vary greatly with area, but in no place is it very easy to find work. And the cost, well that can vary a lot between a rural area to Mexico City with everything in between.

One of my major concerns is getting a visa, that's why I asked that question. It's my understanding that a three person family can't get a visa with only $1200 USD income. They can use a tourist permit (180 day) but that's all.

[RVGRINGO]

A question for the original poster: Are you aware that you must have visas for each family member and that express permission from INM (Immigration) is required in order to work? Wages are a small fraction of what you would earn in the USA.

[Belizegirl]

In addition to what has been previously posted, if your daughter is of school age, you will need to research schools.

I am not sure if those of us who are expats here with children, are allowed to send our children to public schools. I have only heard, no. At any rate, the expats that I know, including myself, all have their children enrolled in a private billigual school, or homeschool that is ATS.

The private schools can be somewhat expensive if you are on a tight budget. Once you pay the inscription, for the uniforms, books and supplies you will have spent somewhere between $700.00 and $900.00 dollars. In addition, there are the monthly fees which are at least a couple of hundred dollars.

[conklinwh]

I think 1st question is whether when you move here do you have sufficient income to live on or is work an upfront requirement. As stated earlier, $1200/mo is not enough to qualify for visas for a family of three so you would basically be limited to tourist permits, FMMs, with 180 day limits. I suspect that people posting here could layout how you could live on $1200/month but unless you live very frugally and home school, I wouldn't try it.
That gets to work requirement. BTW, we are all sort of assuming that one of you is not a Mexican citizen.
By far the easiest way to work in Mexico is to be sponsored by a business in Mexico. We have no idea of your skill set, but a multinational that has need of your skills would give you the opportunity to negotiate a package based on your interest to move to Mexico that could well be lower than a family coming here on an international assignment. This lower potential cost would help your case. But again, one of you needs to have a skill set that a company would have some difficulty finding here.

[Considering Mexico]

Originally Posted by pappabee

Before anyone can answer your requests they will need more info.
What type work do you and your husband do?
How old is your daughter?
Have you done any checking on Visas?
Will you have a car or not?

I think answers to those questions will help people give you the advise that you're requesting.

I am a massage therapist, but could also consider teaching English as well. My husband works in shipping & receiving, also has a part-time barber business. Our daughter is 3 years old. I've just begun looking into visas. We won't have a car to start off.

[sag42]

Originally Posted by Belizegirl

In addition to what has been previously posted, if your daughter is of school age, you will need to research schools.

I am not sure if those of us who are expats here with children, are allowed to send our children to public schools. I have only heard, no. At any rate, the expats that I know, including myself, all have their children enrolled in a private billigual school, or homeschool that is ATS.

The private schools can be somewhat expensive if you are on a tight budget. Once you pay the inscription, for the uniforms, books and supplies you will have spent somewhere between $700.00 and $900.00 dollars. In addition, there are the monthly fees which are at least a couple of hundred dollars.

Children of legal foreign residents with a CURP number can attend public schools. Although most private schools are academically better, there are some excellent public schools as well. Depending on where in Mexico one decides to live.

[conklinwh]

That is good info. I doubt that those skills would motivate a multinational to go to bat for you so expect that your best opportunity is to come in under FMM to check out one or more places for cost of living versus your expectation. You say that both of you are native English speakers but don't give level of Spanish competency.
My guess that if you do make something work that it will be in starting a business that maybe combines massage therapy with a barber(beauty?) shop and maybe some English on the side. BTW, both massages and haircuts cost well below US costs. A good hour massage is $300-350p depending on use of say hot rocks while my last haircut tin San Miguel was $70p. I could have gotten in Pozos for about $15p with tip. At 13-14 pesos/dollar, you can see that not much.