It was there that we began comparing our locations to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where we had vacationed for years. We had not put Mexico on our initial list because we had believed the negative media hype. After more research we put it back on our list when the actual statistics showed how misinformed we were. We then added Nicaragua after visiting while we were in Costa Rica.

After a visit to the states, we continued to Ecuador staying in Salinas and Bahia de Caraquez. We then traveled only as tourists for a month in the highland cities of Ecuador and two weeks in Peru then back to Granada and San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. On December 15, 2013 we landed in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for a planned 5 month visit.

Our goal budget proved to be very doable! We enjoy a social environment that includes having numerous restaurant choices at all pricing levels, good live music, and entertainment choices. By cooking at home and limiting our eating out, but still going to places for social gatherings, we found we could live within that budget in every location and have a very active social life.

It was a wonderful feeling to know that we didn’t have to make a decision based on cost of living alone. Detailed documentation of our monthly budget for 13 months showed us that we could choose our location with our heart not our pocketbook.

After only one month in Puerto Vallarta, we made our decision and declared PV “HOME”! Since then, we have signed a one year lease on a fully furnished condo exactly in the neighborhood we want to be in. We have continued with our Spanish lessons, enjoyed getting to know our town inside and out, met wonderful new friends, enjoyed good live music and entertainment, had family and friends come to visit, volunteered for worthy causes, and have really loved our daily life. This town never ceases to amaze us!!

Dreams can and do come true!! We have had no regrets choosing this style of living. We look forward to traveling to other beautiful places on this earth from our home of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

 
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