Since we've been dealing with expatriates in class over the past few weeks, we feel this video is spot-on with current discussion. It's a video that highlights many Americans now currently living in San Miguel de Allende, a nice town north of Mexico City. Right off the bat, there are many incentives for Americans wanting to live in the town - especially the comparison in the prices of goods and services. Some key highlights are as follows:
- A beautiful house that would cost upwards of $1,000,000 in Florida costs only $645,000
- A gardener who costs $10-$15/hr costs $2/hr
- A housekeeper who costs $80/day in the United States costs only $80/work week
- Property tax on a $500,000 house costs $10,000/year in the states, compared to only $200-$400/year in San Miguel
- Bilingual private schooling for kids costs only $2,000/year in San Miguel, compared to upwards of $28,000/year in the United States
As noted, anything that involves service is significantly cheaper. This has been causing a drastic increase in U.S. expatriates to come flocking to the city, especially the baby boomers nearing retirement. How do you feel living in San Miguel would be? Do you feels the pros of living in an area with a significantly lower cost of living outweighs the cons of being a foreigner living in a different country? One downside to the low costs of San Miguel is the ever growing transformation into becoming more "Americanized" with the growing rate of American citizens and businesses. It's an ever increasing threat to the city - causing it to lose its cultural identity and flavor.
We hope you enjoy the video!
Simon Gillis and Qahir Makhani
19 comments:
Honestly, most cities that are popular with retirees have large foreign population. These people aren't really attempting to adapt to local culture as much as find a cheap place to live. I don't think these kind of populations have much effect on the local culture. The Americans likely live in gated communities filled exclusively with other Americans. The real population and culture will remain largely unchanged.
David Mouron
Honestly, most cities that are popular with retirees have large foreign population. These people aren't really attempting to adapt to local culture as much as find a cheap place to live. I don't think these kind of populations have much effect on the local culture. The Americans likely live in gated communities filled exclusively with other Americans. The real population and culture will remain largely unchanged.
David Mouron
Those prices really are unbeatable! I would love to live in San Miguel ayt some point in my life, but I will agree that the city is becoming more and more Americanized and being to lose its original cultural identity.
Culture and language are what makes a place unique and every effort should be made to preserve these things.
I agree with David to a point. I'm sure that even though San Miguel is being inundated with American expatriates it's likely that they sequester themselves in gated communities cut off from the locals unless they venture out. However, it has to be noted that we are taking the resources away from those that live there already so we are, in fact, having a negative impact on San Miguel as more and more Americans move there.
I would not want to live in San Miguel simply because things are so much cheaper there. First, I wouldn't be able to participate in government because I wouldn't be a Mexican citizen. Second, I wouldn't feel comfortable paying a Mexican houseworker 20% less than what they would be paid in America. It doesn't seem right. At the same time, it would be better to provide someone with a job who doesn't have one, even if I would be paying them much less than an American worker.
Dan says we would be taking resources away from people indigenous to San Miguel, but I wonder if this is the case. The people moving to the city are basically exporting hundreds of thousands of dollars to Mexico through buying houses, hiring workers, etc.
This just seems very strange to me. I wouldn't leave my family, friends, and country just to be able to buy more things.
I drove through a town similar to the one mentioned in the video called Chapala in Jalisco. The town according to http://www.chapala.com/chapala/faq.html, states there are approximately 6,000 permanent Canadian/American residents.
I thought it was interesting to see light skin and blond hair that far from the border. Some buildings had English and Spanish, and from what I have heard from family members who live a few hours away, there are American owned businesses there as well. Most Americans do live in gated communities but are not "afraid" to come out.
Unlike Ricky, I would not feel bad about paying less. Transactions are all relative to one and another. Its not like you pay them $1 for apples and they have to pay $2 to buy them. No one is getting taken advantage here. Expats do have an advantage, but are not putting anyone through slavery.
I think seeing myself in a few years living over there would be kind of cool. As others have noted, San Miguel is looking its original culture due to the increase of expiates.
I think it depends on the reasons for moving there. If you are older and retired this sounds like a great place to go. It's less expensive and gives you the opportunity to experience a new culture when you may not have previously had the chance.
If you are moving there simply for the prices, that's you're own decision. But I think it'd be important to work and make some kind of contribution to San Miguel.
While there may be many Americans moving to this area, I do not think it is a threat to their culture.
I agree with Ricky, I would not want to live anywhere based solely upon price. That being said, I am available and want to travel in South America someday. I would personally not be opposed and the lower service prices would be a great perk. For better or worse, the world is becoming more culturally blended. This problem is not unique to this area in San Miguel de Allende. Some cons of living in San Miguel would be the lack of language and distance from your hometown. These two I could handle easily by learning Spanish and taking my family with me.
-Tricia Bruce
I agree with some of the above comments as well, I do not think that price woud outweigh the cons of being a foreigner. While the prices seem like a great pro, I do not think that would be my reason to move. I think I would move to experience the culture if anything, and while people love the prices I am sure they move for this reason as well. I would hope and think for most people who take the leap of faith to move to another country with a different language it is not only because of price differences, it is also about experienceing the culture. It is for that reason I do not think that the growing number of americans is going to "Americanize" the city too much.
Courtney Moradipour
The prices listed in the blog post are jaw dropping differences. It's unbelievable the difference in prices. I would definitely move down there as an expatriate if given the opportunity. With the increase in Americans it would be a little sad to not get as much culture as one may want, but on the flip side it would be easier for some expatriates to make the adjustment living in another country if it has become slightly Americanized. Personally, I would love to move somewhere like this, if anything to get the chance to live in another country and to enhance my Spanish speaking skills.
Just from watching this piece on San Miguel has me wanting to consider living in Mexico in the future. I definitely feel like the pros outweigh the cons, especially in the case of the family shown in the video. I think it is more important than many other things that their children are receiving an international education of quality at a low expense. Though I do feel as more Americans move to San Miguel it will lose it's culture and many of the perks for moving there and the inexpensive ways of life will begin to dimenish.
Kierra Warren
I think price has to be a factor to an extent. These prices are incredible but I would need more reasons than simply how cheap is it. I think it would be a great experience but I want to travel to places where it doesn't seem like the place I left and really get out of my comfort zone to experience the culture firsthand. Having said that, I am not opposed to going their but like others I would be concerned how much of their culture remains intact.
Wow! Maybe I'm a sucker, but the video made me want to live there. Usually when I think of living in an interesting place abroad, I think of it being more expensive. If you don't want to live in a foreign country, then I'm not sure if the savings makes up for it. However, if you do want to experience living in different parts of the world, this sounds like an awesome place. I do wonder if the locals resent the Americans who live there though. I have heard of other cities where Americans set up communities, such as in the Philippines, and the locals do not appreciate all of the Americans moving in and not assimilating.
After watching this video, I feel like it would be paradise to live in a place like that! And considering it's so cheap, it seems like a no-brainer when you think about what you would have to pay for the same house in the US. I personally love experiencing new cultures, so the only thing that would dissuade me is being away from my family/friends.
-William Lee
I definitely think that San Miguel is a prime example of our the current recession is affecting the influx of people leaving the US. Why not go somewhere that has the same services as the US (such as the Costco and Office Max in the video) just cheaper? And not to mention how sweet the city looks with the markets and outdoor cafes- definitely not something you find a lot in America. I would absolutely consider making the move to another country to live as long as the job I had was something I enjoyed.
I would not have a problem living in another country such as San Miguel. I think that the drastic cost of living would be a major motivator to move to a country like that. I would love to move to another country when I get older, and a place like San Miguel would seem like an ideal place to retire. It does seem that the more Americans that move to a country like San Miguel would cause the country to become more Americanized because people who own businesses there are going to want to catier to the Americans so they will become loyal customers who continue to come back to their business and spend more money.
I feel that living in San Miguel would be an interesting and lovely place to go, especially in comparison to Florida and the prices one would pay there for similar amenities. Living in a different country would take getting used to and as previously mentioned being unable to take part in local government would be strange. Also, I think it is clear that the city is losing its cultural identity, the last portion of the video showed clearly that the city is covered in American businesses so the impact on the city has already happened.
I would love to leave at a place like that. I dont think it would be a big deal to move to a low cost environment. As indicated, the in flock of Americans makes the culture more Americanized and sure it would lose some of its identity. I think once San Miguel loses its flavor, people will move to other low cost areas of the country.
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