We have been living in Cancun for 6 years. We moved here permanently after we retired from our jobs in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. We had vacationed in Cancun repeatedly since 2001 so we knew the area. The attractions here are many: The weather, the culture, clean air, the wonderful Caribbean sea and the many interesting things to see and do. We chose to live in the city as opposed to the famous Hotel Zone because we wanted a more authentic cultural experience by living right in the city among our Mexican neighbors.

Cancun is a big, small city with most of the conveniences that we were accustomed to in the USA. We live in an area called SM18. Our home is within walking distance to all the major stores and businesses. By car or taxi most are no more than 5 minutes away. Cancun also has a fantastic public transportation system. We can walk to Walmart, Sams Club, Costco, City Club and the beautiful, modern, amazing Plaza Las Americas. The local “Triple-A” baseball park and soccer stadium are nearby. In Plaza Las Americas there is a wonderful VIP movie theater featuring leather recliners, each w/ a personal table and lamp. Push a button and the wait staff will bring you a menu and serve you beer, wine, hard and soft drinks from the bar, (often there is a 2 for 1 special) …………..and food that includes everything from freshly made popcorn to sushi, pizza, and sandwiches. The price of admission is approx. $6 USD.

By car it’s a quick ride over to Home Depot, Grease Monkey, Superama, Mega, and AutoZone. The Mexican government has greatly improved their immigration facility and it’s pretty much a no hassle visit or two to apply for or renew your papers.

We have Medicare but it does not provide coverage outside the US. So we have the IMSS Mexican heath program which costs approximately $700 per year and covers most common problems. We also have a catastrophic policy. For about $2400 USD per year with a $2000 USD deductible we are both covered for any major events internationally. It also covers air ambulance to anywhere in the world. We find that most of our ordinary visits to Dentists, Internists, Optometrists, Skin doctors, etc. are so inexpensive that we pay out of pocket for them. In Cancun there are numerous private hospitals and 4 of which I’ve had personal experience with. They are all excellent. If you are a resident they charge much less that if you are a tourist. One time I had a severe allergic reaction to something I ate and I went an emergency room. I was given an IV and a shot and saw the doctor and was in there about 3 hours. The bill was 300 pesos……about $25 USD.

We’ve made new friends and enjoy a very active, rich social life here. My wife belongs to the International Women’s Club (IWC) and that has been a source of many of our new friendships. Cancun is a melting pot of many nationalities and we have friends from many countries around the world. For example, last Thanksgiving we hosted a dinner and our guests were from Mexico, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Costa Rica and the U.S.

The Mexican people are hospitable, warm, welcoming, and fun loving. Life here is much more relaxed than in our former home. We find our neighborhood to be safe and have not had any incidents in the time that we have lived here. All of our neighbors are friendly and most of them also speak English. Suzie takes weekly Spanish lessons and is well on her way to being fluent. We really enjoy our life here, especially the warm weather all year long. We take most of our meals outside on our covered patio even through the winter months. These facts really solidified our decision to live here as the right one.

My wife and I are certified scuba divers and we can go on dives all year round in the crystal clear waters off of Cancun, Cozumel, Puerto Moreles, and Isla Mujeres. The fishing, boating and snorkeling are also fantastic here. We take art lessons and are learning how to paint in oil on canvas. In addition, we are slowly eating our way through the hundreds of restaurants in the area and posting reviews about them on our web site.

We have a maid once a week and a gardening service twice per month. Luxuries we could not have back in the USA.

We do have concerns during the hurricane season. But unlike most parts of the USA we do not experience sudden unexpected natural calamities. If anything good can be said about getting hit with a hurricane it is that you have about a week to prepare for it. This year we watched in horror all the floods, fires, droughts, tornado’s, tsunami’s, and earthquakes that have affected the USA, New Zealand and Japan. Most of these come suddenly with little or no warning. I’ll stick with the hurricane risk until further notice.

We can enjoy the warm clear waters of Cancun all year round and take advantage of sailing and swimming every chance we get.

We feel very fortunate to live and love Cancun which we now call our Home.

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