An early-retired boomer in Mexico explains his path and choice

Mexico is the third most popular country for retired American workers, after Canada and Japan.

Bartmess said he’s not rich, but he’s not poor, and he’s been saving for his retirement overseas by contributing to a 401(k), buying stocks, being frugal in his 50s and keeping a portion of his salary in savings accounts.

He works as a corporate lawyer and saves for early retirement

Bartmess worked for 35 years as an attorney in the oil and gas industry.

He said he didn’t start saving substantial amounts of money outside of his 401(k) until he was 49. As he neared his 50s, Bartmess said he began to think more proactively about saving and building his retirement wealth.

At that point, he began stashing 20 percent of his annual salary and bonuses into savings accounts. Bartmess also bought stocks, index funds and bonds to diversify his portfolio.

He said he lived below his means for most of his career, which helped him adjust to saving more. For example, he opted to buy a “nice but small” condominium in downtown Houston instead of a larger house in a suburb of the city, even though he could have afforded it.

Bartmess also has no children and said not paying for college has helped him save. He said focusing on being frugal in the decade before retirement also helped him feel more capable of moving outside of Texas. When Bartmess was 58, his mother died and he also inherited wealth from her estate, contributing to his savings.

He said the job’s demanding schedule has taken a toll on his physical health and he aims to retire as soon as possible. “I developed insomnia, chronic migraines and the loss of my natural voice, all as a direct result of being under so much stress for 35 years,” Bartmess said.

At 60, he took early retirement. After retiring, Bartmess lived in Houston for a year, but said he wanted to leave the US. After making two trips to Puerto Vallarta, Bartmess was convinced it was the perfect place to retire.

The decision to retire in Mexico and move to Puerto Vallarta

Bartmess said affordability wasn’t his motivation for moving to Mexico.

He said the main factor behind his decision to leave was the pursuit of a more relaxed lifestyle. He said living in Houston didn’t provide the retirement environment he envisioned for himself.

He also said he wants to get involved and experience Mexican culture. Bartmess first visited Mexico when he was 9 years old and has returned many times. His first trip to Puerto Vallarta was in 1976 and he said he has fond memories there.

Bartmess said he pays more for gas in Mexico than in Texas, but food and housing are cheaper. He said a Jeep Wrangler top-up costs about $60 in Puerto Vallarta.

However, Bartmess said he can dine at a nicer restaurant for about $15, and there is good food in regular restaurants for much less. “Street food in Mexico is plentiful, cheap and usually good,” he said.

Bartmess began collecting Social Security at age 62, the first year he was eligible. He is a permanent resident of Mexico but has retained his US citizenship.

He said the biggest consideration for American retirees looking to move abroad is whether they are healthy enough to maintain the lifestyle. For example, he said his health care options in Mexico aren’t as good as those covered by Medicare in the U.S., but he’s lucky enough to be healthy enough not to worry too much.

He said he’s also comforted by the fact that he’s about a two-hour flight from Houston, where he could return to use his Medicare benefits if needed.

Bartmess said Mexico’s proximity to Texas makes it an ideal retirement location for many Americans.

“Puerto Vallarta is a very artistic city with many painters, sculptors, musicians, writers, art galleries and so on,” Bartmess said. “There are churches of many denominations with services in English, a vibrant LGBTQ scene, jungle tours, a botanical garden, endless social opportunities and basically any kind of workshop you can imagine.”

In retirement, Bartmess has spent more time working on his creative writing and participates in a writers group in Puerto Vallarta.

But Bartmess said if Americans want to move to Mexico, they should be prepared to learn about the local culture and respectfully acclimate to their neighborhood. He would recommend taking a trip first to explore the area and better understand if it fits their lifestyle.

For example, after visiting Puerto Vallarta, Bartmess said he was interested in improving his Spanish, so he settled in a neighborhood with fewer tourists to better immerse himself in the community.

Bartmess said he engages in community service by picking up plastic trash twice a week at Playa Camarones, the beach just three blocks from his apartment.

Bartmess has lived in Puerto Vallarta for 14 years and said she has no plans to leave.

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