10 Things I Don’t Love About Living in Mexico (and Why They’re Still Worth It): A 1-Year Reflection
We just celebrated our one-year anniversary of living in Lake Chapala, and if you read our last post, you know how deeply in love we are with this place.
However, moving to another country means making real adjustments. Mexico will test your patience, confuse your expectations, and occasionally wake you up before sunrise with explosives.
In the spirit of keeping it real for anyone considering the leap, here are 10 things about living in Mexico that take some getting used to as well the silver linings that remind us why we love it anyway.
1. Watching Where You Step: Cobblestones, Sidewalks, & Street Dogs
If you like taking in the scenery while walking, prepare to stumble. Between uneven pavement, tree roots, historic cobblestones, and dodging pet droppings, walking anywhere requires constant vigilance. Biking on cobblestones is a full-body vibration session.
- The Flip Side: It forces you to slow down and stay present. Those cobblestones serve a crucial purpose during the rainy season- absorbing heavy water runoff and preventing mudslides. Plus, seeing and getting to know the neighborhood street dogs is one of my favorite daily routines.
2. 5 AM Cohetes During Festival Season
Cohetes, loud, boom-heavy fireworks with zero visual display, are launched at the crack of dawn to signal saints’ days, festival mornings, and religious holidays. They will startle you out of a deep sleep.
- The Flip Side: You can’t help but admire a culture that celebrates life so loudly and unashamedly. It’s a constant reminder that life here is lived out in the open, with joy and deep-rooted tradition.
3. Plumbing & Water Realities: No Tap Water & Non-Flushable Paper
You can’t drink from the tap and older town plumbing means toilet paper goes in the trash bin, not the bowl. You have to make your own ice cubes using purified water and I absolutely love ice, so this is a constant chore that luckily Joe has taken on as one of his household duties. Thank you, Joe! And public restrooms usually cost a few coins to enter.
- The Flip Side: Many homes have affordable, high-quality filtration systems installed at the sink. Otherwise, you can get water delivered in garrafons at a low price. And because public restrooms are managed by paid attendants, they are often much cleaner and better maintained than public bathrooms in the US. Going to the public toilet here at the malecon or in a park is not a horror show as it can be in the US.
4. You Can’t Swim in Lake Chapala
It’s a gorgeous backdrop for sunset walks on the malecón, but due to runoff and algae, the lake itself isn’t a swimming hole. Not to say that no one swims. On hot days, local kids will often cool off in the water.
- The Flip Side: The lake’s pollution stems largely from agricultural runoff from regional farming including the massive berry farms in Jalisco, so the delicious trade-off is having access to ultra-fresh, inexpensive local berries year-round! The Pacific coast and the stunning beaches of Nayarit and Jalisco are only a scenic four-hour drive away. When we want ocean waves, a weekend getaway is absurdly easy to plan.
5. Drugstore Items Are Behind Glass
Unlike back home where you can browse vitamins, supplements, and over the counter medications in an open aisle, most pharmacies here keep everyday personal items behind the counter or behind glass where you have to ask a employee to hand them to you.
- The Flip Side: It forces you to practice your Spanish vocabulary! Asking for what you need behind the counter is a built-in daily language lesson. It also reduces the amount of items you buy that you don’t really need. Simpler living!
6. Aggressive Table Clearing
The moment you take your last bite at a restaurant, the server will often whisk your plate away before you’ve even set your fork down. Sometimes, Joe and I actually time how quickly after our last bite the plate will be taken.
- The Flip Side: It stems from a culture of attentive service. They aren’t trying to rush you out the door- in fact, you can sit at the table for two hours after paying without anyone bothering you. They just want your table to be spotless.
7. Finding Great Pizza and Asian Food is a Struggle
While Mexican food, fresh seafood, and local bakeries are phenomenal, finding truly great NY-style pizza, authentic Thai, or top-tier sushi can be a challenge in smaller towns.
- The Flip Side: It makes visiting the US or traveling abroad to Asia feel like an absolute culinary treat, giving us something special to look forward to whenever we return.
8. Occasional Power and Water Outages
Every once in a while, the power goes out during a storm, or internet connectivity drops for a few hours without notice. It isn’t uncommon at all to see posts on the local facebook groups asking who else lost power, internet, or water.
- The Flip Side: It teaches you resilience and flexibility. You learn to keep backup water, charge your devices, and take an unexpected pause. In a world obsessed with constant connectivity, a forced power outage can actually be a peaceful break.
9. Gringos Who Refuse to Learn Spanish
It can be frustrating to hear fellow expats live here for years without attempting basic Spanish phrases or trying to engage with the local culture beyond ordering a beer. We do live in an area where many Mexicans, especially within the tourism sector, know English. However, living here for 10 years and still barely knowing basic requests is absurd.
- The Flip Side: It serves as a great reminder of the kind of expat you want to be. Trying out your Spanish- even when you stumble- opens up incredible doors of connection with local neighbors who truly appreciate the effort. Better yet, it expands your friend circle far beyond the usual expat bubble, connecting you with incredible local people you’d otherwise never have met. Learning Spanish is very difficult at this stage of life for me, but I am determined. I practice for about an hour every day and have a goal of three years to be conversational. It matters.
10. “Mexico Time” Means Adjusting Your Expectations
Things rarely happen on a strict schedule. Contractors show up late, errands take three stops instead of one, bands start later than expected and “mañana” doesn’t necessarily mean tomorrow- it just means “not today.”
- The Flip Side: This is actually the secret gift of living in Mexico. It breaks your addiction to urgency, forces you to slow down, and teaches you to stop expecting everything instantly.
The Bottom Line After Year One
Life in Mexico is an adjustment, no doubt about it. But when you weigh these minor inconveniences against the kindness of the people, the glorious weather, the vibrant culture, and the freedom of living lighter, the choice is easy.
Mexico doesn’t change to fit your preferences- it teaches you to adapt, relax, and appreciate life as it comes. And honestly? That might be the best lesson of all.
💡 Retire & Roam Pro-Tip: Thinking about making the move? Don’t expect it to be a copy of your life back home with cheaper prices. Embrace the quirks early on, buy a good pair of walking shoes with ankle support, and get ready to laugh off the little things.
