Boomer lived in USA, Canada, Mexico: Prefer cheaper life in the south

Allanach said every day, Mérida feels more like home. The city is safer than he imagined, the prices for almost everything are much lower, and the healthcare is more reliable. Allanach said they tried to immerse themselves in the local culture, rather than just stick around for fellow expats.

“Mérida has significantly improved its infrastructure and many people are moving here. There is also a very significant gay community,” said Allanach.

He moves to Canada, then to Mexico

Allanach was born and raised in Portland, Maine, where he began his career as a journalist. He did police work for a local newspaper, which led him to become a police officer after a brief stint with the US Postal Inspection Service.

For over twenty years, Allanach worked in the police force, eventually becoming Chief of Police in the Portland area. She then earned master’s degrees in public policy and educational psychology and held positions as an educational administrator and behavioral therapist.

He met his partner during his master’s program, although Lorgeranon, who is from Thailand, was unable to obtain US residency. Allanach suspected that life in the US would be difficult as a same-sex couple, noting that he had become “quite disillusioned” with the country.

Eventually, they decided to move to Vancouver. Allanach found work in the educational psychology department of various schools. Allanach and Lorgeranon agreed that they lived a “wonderful life” in Vancouver with many friends and cultural opportunities.

However, living expenses began to rise and he said his income was taxed at $12,000 a year. Even with a solid salary, he couldn’t see a comfortable future in Vancouver, knowing how fast the city was growing. At the time, he said, health care was expensive, especially for dental care, and it was difficult to find spaces for medical appointments.

In addition, he found that the politics of his area were moving more towards the conservative point of view, and he felt increasingly uncomfortable.

After retiring from the school board, Allanach put his 820-square-foot condo in Vancouver on the market, selling for over one million Canadian dollars, and decided to travel the world for a year, thinking that the expenses would be more or less equivalent to staying in Canada. They owned another condo that sold for nearly $600,000 in 2014, though it’s now valued at over $1.4 million.

They traveled to many European countries, spent four months in France and spent time in Thailand with Allanach’s partner’s family.

Allanach wanted to move to Thailand for retirement, but Thailand only grants permanent residency to 100 people per country each year. Allanach added that the country often changes its visa rules, meaning it would not be feasible to live there long-term.

They visited Mérida, the capital of Yucatán state in southeastern Mexico, several times starting in 2015, noting that it was popular with expats but still had a vibrant local community. Allanach said they felt safer in Mérida than in the US or Canada, and the prices were lower. Mérida has a population of approximately 1.2 million as the financial capital of the Yucatán Peninsula.

In 2017, they bought a 1920s colonial house in Mérida from a Vancouver couple. They stayed there between trips back to Vancouver and moved to Mérida completely in 2020.

“One of the things that’s just a disaster for people moving to a foreign country is you go there and expect to make where you came from home, and that just doesn’t happen,” said Allanach.

Getting used to Mérida

Once Mexico opened up to tourism after easing pandemic restrictions, Allanach met an architect from Los Angeles who moved to Mérida and brought his practice with him. The architect built them a 2,800 square meter house, where they have been living for three years. The house cost him $238,000 and has three bedrooms, a full bathroom, a living room, gardens and a pool in the center of town. Still, Allanach said housing prices have risen rapidly as more expats come.

Allanach and Lorgeranon have bought a car to explore the town and surrounding areas – which they park outside their house without any worries. They tried to immerse themselves in the culture and history of the Mayan people; Allanach said they became very close to a local indigenous family and paid their child’s school fees.

“We meet people who say they’re moving to Mérida, but I don’t know anything about it,” Allanach said, noting that he appreciates integrating into the community instead of just staying in the expat areas.

Allanach said he was impressed with Mérida’s medical system because he is often able to see a doctor within an hour without being rushed. Many pharmacies near him are open 24/7, and he often gets 30% to 45% off his prescriptions. He said doctors often make house calls in his part of town, and seeing a doctor at a pharmacy costs just $2.50.

They often get fresh produce at Mercado Lucas de Gálvez, although they often shop at Costco for larger purchases. He estimates that their grocery bill is much higher in Mérida than in Vancouver, given that many items are imported. While there are many affordable restaurants, he said some restaurants that cater more to tourists are “very expensive.”

He saves hundreds of dollars annually on car insurance, which is $500 in Mexico for a new SUV, while he paid over $2,500 in Vancouver. While property taxes were about $1,700 a year in Vancouver, they are only $160 a year in Mexico. They use solar power, which was a one-time expense of $5,500, although Allanach said the electric bill in the summer could cost between $250 and $500 because the heat is sometimes difficult.

Other costs include $38 annually for trash pickup, $30 monthly for 5,000 TV channels, $35 for pool service, and $60 monthly for their phone plan.

“We like the routine here. We like the predictability,” Allanach said. “I see what Canada is offering for $900,000 and it’s half my living room. I’m almost nauseous.”

Have you recently left the US for a new country? Contact this reporter at [email protected].