I Dreamed of Mexico Decades Before It Was My Address

It costs us approx. $2,984 USD a month to live in Mexico City. That's 49,384 pesos for two of us, in August 2026.

That gets us a small two-bedroom, two-bath apartment on the 18th floor with a pool, a gym, coworking and a rooftop. It also covers groceries, restaurants, internet, phones, personal care for both of us, Netflix, and DiDi everywhere, because we don't own a car.

But we didn't start here.

We came to Mexico from Canada during COVID with four suitcases.

We sold everything we owned so we could afford the move. Our first apartment was a small two-bedroom, one-bath in Monterrey for 9,000 pesos (approx. $450 USD/month at that time). It was a real step down, and we took it on purpose so we could survive.

Every move since then has followed my income. When it went up, and it stayed steady and looked like it would continue to go up, we moved.

We'd look at each other and say, "Can we do this? Can we REALLY do this?"

YEP!

Then we put our faith in me, in my ability to make money, and we made the move.

This is the whole journey: every rent we paid, what it costs us now, and the one number I actually watch.

But it started long before Monterrey. It started decades earlier on a beach in Vancouver.

Why Mexico?

I grew up in a small farming community. Lots of sun, but cold a lot of the year. Then I lived in Vancouver for half my life, and Vancouver is rainy and dreary eight months out of the year.

I just really wanted the sun back.

I remember standing on Crescent Beach, looking at the houses right on the water. That's what I thought Mexico was like. Beautiful homes on the water. Sun all year.

I didn't understand anything about currency or cost of living back then. I just knew I loved big cities; I was always drawn to new experiences, and for decades Mexico felt like the escape I wanted. A way to get away from all the nonsense I was going through. It was tough for a long time.

About sixteen years ago, two months before I met Antonio, I took my first vacation ever. Puerto Vallarta. I was by a pool at a resort, with the palm trees and the food, and I had never experienced anything like it. I fell in love.

When I came home, I wanted to learn Spanish. That's actually how I met Antonio. He needed some help with immigration, so I said, "Why not? Let's get married. Let's walk through this immigration process." It took almost ten years before he had his Canadian passport in his hand.

I was still thinking about Mexico. He didn't want to go.

Here's the part that saved me later. I'd already lived abroad. I taught English in South Korea in 2000, and went back in 2007. That's where I learned about the geographical cure. Everywhere you go, there you are. The location doesn't fix you. In another country, it makes it worse, because now you're also dealing with the language, the culture, the food, even the clothes you're used to. (I wrote about Korea here.)

So thank God, by the time Mexico was real, I already knew that.

Then we made a change in the business. We moved to Edmonton to help a couple do marketing for a really high-end resort in northern Saskatchewan. It was beautiful, and I thought, what a great change.

That week we moved, COVID shut everything down.

We lasted about a year and a half. We knew we had to leave Edmonton, and we didn't know where in Canada we'd go. Not necessarily back to Vancouver. Not necessarily another city.

And it was tough. The relationship with the couple we'd been working with in Edmonton broke down, and I was trying to get back on my feet working for myself.

That's when I said, "Well, this might be our best time to go."

Every Time My Income Went Up, We Moved

Four suitcases. That was it. We sold everything so we could afford the move, and we lived in furnished places and Airbnbs for years because we had nothing to put in an empty apartment.

We started in Monterrey, Mexico, and it was a real step down. In just 2 years, we went from a beautiful, brand-new luxury high-rise in Vancouver to a dingy ground level one bedroom one-bath for 9,000 pesos. But we knew people there; it was familiar, and it gave us a foothold.

We made that step so we could survive.

Monterrey sits in the mountains. Very cold in the winter, very hot in the summer. We moved upstairs in the same building for a bigger kitchen, 12,000 pesos, and lasted about six months in total. I thought the rent was more than it should have been. Things were more expensive than I expected. Still cheaper than Canada, though.

Then Mazatlán. I thought that's where I wanted to be, because it was by the water.

We were there for four years and moved three times, just to keep expenses low and get ourselves situated. A very small one-bedroom, one-bath for 15,000. Then a two-bedroom, one-bath for 18,000. Then the house: three bedrooms, three and a half baths, two storeys, a pool, on the marina. About 32,600 pesos.

That last jump nearly doubled our rent. I remember us both saying, "Can we do this? Can we REALLY do this?"

Every time we moved, we took a leap that my income would stay steady and keep going up. And every time my income went up, we moved.

We put our faith in me, in my ability to make money.

When we came to Mexico City, we knew we had it.

For context: in Vancouver we paid $2,400 CAD for a two-bed, two-bath about six years ago, and rents there have gone up a lot since. In Edmonton, it was around $1,400 CAD.

The years are too far apart to line them up against today's pesos. But Mexico is still a lot cheaper than Canada.

What Does It Cost To Live In Mexico City?

Here's August 2026. Two of us. Every line. (I publish these numbers every month in The Ledger.)

Converted at 16.55 MXN/USD, the rate on our August transfer.

Rent is 64% of it. The rest is how we actually live.

And we live simply. We don't drink, we don't party, we don't smoke. We have minimal wardrobes. After rent and food, the biggest thing we spend on is DiDi, because we don't have a car.

Water costs more here than it did in Mazatlán. And costs shift depending on where you are. Different areas of Mexico City and the outskirts all cost differently.

One thing that isn't in that number: furniture.

This is the first unfurnished apartment we've had in Mexico, so we had to buy everything new. We did it on meses sin intereses, months without interest, and it'll take us a year to pay off. I keep that separate from the monthly on purpose. What you see in the table is what we live on, and we live really well on it.

Why Pay More To Live In Mexico City?

In Mazatlán, we had a house with a pool on the marina. In Mexico City, we pay about the same for a small two-bedroom on the 18th floor.

Here's why. Mazatlán was by the water, and I didn't like it. I didn't like the heat. I didn't like going to the beach because it was dirty. I didn't like the seafood. And itis very small, and it felt very isolating.

Last year, when I took a year off, we travelled to four different cities looking for where we'd land. Every time we came through Mexico City and stayed a couple of days, we absolutely loved it. We moved here in March, and it's been the best decision we've ever made.

Yes, it's more expensive. But the quality of life is so much better. We have access to the things we love: food, shopping, culture. The major airport. The apartments are modern and very nice. Ours has coworking, a pool, a gym, outdoor lounges, a rooftop and a social room. It's safe and secure, and we're in an area where we don't need a car.

At the bottom of the ladder, the question was: can we afford it? Now it's: what do we want the money for?

What Does Healthcare Cost In Mexico?

We don't have insurance right now. We just pay the doctors their rate, and it's not high at all.

You can see the doctor at the pharmacy for free. You just tip them around 50 pesos. You can see a specialist for under 1,000 pesos.

Now, we're in good health, and we haven't had any problems. That's the honest part. I'm a permanent resident, and when I become a citizen, we'll look at coverage.

This is what works for us. It isn't advice to skip coverage, so look at your own health before you copy our plan.

Is Life In Mexico Actually Better?

People always say, "Oh, it's a better life in Mexico." Or, "You'll have a better life when you move to Canada."

I'm telling you, folks, it's not better. It's just different.

Some of the financial pressure eased, because it costs less to live here. And it brought other problems. Everything in life is 50/50. Canada was 50/50. Mexico is 50/50.

If you're not okay in your own country, you're not going to be okay here. In fact, it's going to make it worse. (That's a whole post of its own, and I'll write it.)

The upside is I have to change and grow. Things don't always go as planned. Mexico does things very differently, and I have to let go of the way things were and deal with the way things are. That makes me a better, stronger person, and it's why I'd rather move to a country than travel to one.

The Number That Actually Matters

Here's the number I actually watch.

In August, my affiliate income covered our cost of living 2.21 times over. Before a single client dollar.

That income is recurring commission from Go High Level, the software I build on and recommend. The company pays me every month for the people I've helped who stay on. It lands on the 10th whether I'm in Monterrey, Mazatlán or Mexico City. That's what made every rung of the ladder possible. (Here's how affiliate income actually works.)

The next rung is San Miguel de Allende. That's where we buy a house. In San Miguel, you need a car, and my goal is to reach the level where Go High Level covers one. That's what the $50,000 a month goal is for. I report on it every month in The Ledger, good months and bad.

If you want to know your number and build income that covers it, start with my free guide, How to Master the Basics of High Level in 7 Days. What to set up first, what to skip, and how to find your best income path.

When you're ready, start Go High Level through my link and the HL Revenue Room is free. That's me in your pocket while you build. And if you want to see every way to get paid with it, read How to Make Money With GoHighLevel.

FAQs

Is Mexico City More Expensive Than The Rest Of Mexico?

Yes, rent especially. Our small two-bedroom in Mexico City costs about the same as a three-bedroom house with a pool did in Mazatlán, and more than three times our first apartment in Monterrey. Costs also change a lot depending on which part of the city you're in.

How Much Do You Need To Live Comfortably In Mexico City?

We live really well on about $2,984 USD a month for two, with a simple life: no car, no drinking, minimal wardrobes. Your number depends on how you live and where in the city you land. Start with rent, because it'll be most of it.

Do You Need A Car In Mexico City?

Not where we live. We use DiDi for everything, and it's our biggest cost after rent and food. Other places, like San Miguel de Allende, you'll want one.

Is It Cheaper To Live In Mexico Than Canada?

Yes, a lot cheaper in our experience. I can't give you an exact gap, because our Canadian rents are years old and they've climbed since. Every place we've lived in Mexico has cost us less than living in Canada did.

Can You Live In Mexico On A Remote Income?

Absolutely. I do. Residency comes with financial requirements, and they change, so check the current ones with the Mexican consulate before you plan around them. The bigger question is whether your income depends on where you live. Mine doesn't.

To Living Free,

Pamela Dale

Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you sign up for Go High Level through my link, the company pays me a commission. It costs you nothing extra, and I only recommend what I use and build on.