MND Guide “Where to live in Mexico 2024”

Getting High is part of our weekly review of three inland Mexican cities and their surrounding areas as our Where to Live in Mexico 2024 guide continues. All three locations are above 1,500 meters in elevation, with two even above 2,100 meters, with a spectacular backdrop of towering volcanoes. We focus on two historical and cultural strongholds in the states of Morelos and Puebla before venturing into the Mayan heartland in the amazing state of Chiapas.

Although none of these places receive much attention in the rankings of the “best places to live”, they are among the most impressive tourist destinations in Mexico. Morelos and its capital, Cuernavaca was once a beacon for Americans living in Mexico, while the neighboring state of Puebla has been a crossroads for humanity since ancient times. Southern Chiapas is closely tied to Central American traditions that still shape its character. When it comes to the comforts of living abroad, pointing out similarities between the different places is not this week's theme.

This trio requires a knowledge of Spanish, an acceptance of urban challenges and an understanding that each state as a whole is more than its individual parts. All three exude the “real Mexico.” It comes to you in subtle and profound ways: key events in Mexican history unfold side by side with the everyday reality of some of Mexico's most intractable development challenges.

San Cristobal

You can hardly go further south and still call yourself a “Mexpat” than in Chiapas and its second most famous cultural touchstone, the city of San Cristóbal de las Casas – I reserve the first place for Mexico's most important archaeological site, Palenque. San Cristóbal may be more of a side trip from your more established Mexican home: a respite from the conditions that afflict your current Mexican residence. It's a wonderful place to “get away from it all,” where you can experience centuries-old customs, 16th-century Spanish architecture, colorful markets, tourism-led gentrification, and all the ways the Mayan civilization endures.

Fresh air, scented with wood smoke, wafts over the town of San Cristóbal. Communities throughout Chiapas are confronted with environmental violations, conflicts between communities, Drug attacks and Mexico's highest poverty rate. It is the poorest state in the country economically, but the richest in indigenous culture and natural resource diversity.

Connections depend on Tuxtla Gutiérrez International Airport, an hour's drive away. San Cristóbal stretches across a flat mountain valley with surrounding hilltop communities, most of them impoverished. With a population of 216,000, it still feels like a village. San Cristóbal's low-slung houses and historic stone buildings, two plazas and green spaces are spread out over a neat network of colonial streets. It's one of Mexico's most picturesque towns, flooded on weekends by millennials from Mexico City, Europeans and a handful of culture-seeking Americans. Coffee lovers will be happyDay trips and scenic hikes to the surrounding villages will enrich your weekly calendar.

Living here means getting used to the high altitude and chilly winter nights, shopping like a local, and maintaining a daily routine that's more Guatemalan than Mexican: Chiapas didn't become part of Mexico until the 1840s. The city is safe 24/7, easy to get around on foot, and the cost of living is low—you can find furnished apartments for under $500 a month. You'll find less medical care, and San Cristobal's street vendors are notoriously persistent. And yes, you'll have to contend with staggering poverty in some areas. But life here is cheap—$1,500 a month is doable for a couple. Taxis are extremely cheap, and the entire city can be covered on foot in less than 30 minutes, so you don't need a car.

Cuernavaca

The state of Morelos, Mexico's third smallest, is another of those places that is bursting with historical, natural and cultural treasures in a very small space – Morelos is the 30th smallest state in the country (behind only Tlaxcala and Mexico City itself). Cuernavaca is the state capital and its temperate climate, proximity to Mexico City and stunning sights – think Las EstacasTepoztlan, Xochicalco and the Zempoala Lagoons – have attracted famous residents for centuries, from jazz greats like Gil Evans and Charles Mingus to movie stars like María Félix and Barbara Hutton. The city's heyday ended in the early 2000s, when crime drove Cuernavaca's foreign and Mexican elite to safer areas. Thankfully, this has now largely changed and Cuernavaca is on the rise again.

Thanks to improvements in public safety, Morelos is compact enough to consider taking over a village and then conveniently access the amenities of a big city should you need them. You'll still face some weekend traffic jams from CDMX, and Cuernavaca's impossible geography means getting around town is difficult. Consider coming here to learn Spanish first; I did that in 1979, and it changed my life – there's a highly recommended language school for those who want to immerse themselves in the language.)

Overall, however, Cuernavaca is reinventing itself as a playground for Mexico City's elite who want to retreat to the countryside on weekends, and life here reflects this. For this reason, the city is rated a very respectable 4.0. Private schools are being established and access to a wide range of activities — from football and rugby to skydiving, the opera and the very pretty lakeside town of Tequesquitengo — all of which can be enjoyed with minimal travel time. Modern shopping is very easy, with a number of large supermarkets equivalent to those in nearby Mexico City, and although there is no airport, it is ideally located to enjoy Mexican life in all its everyday glory.

Mexico City

The city and state of Puebla may be your best pick of this week's trio for city and country living. Not very popular with foreigners – aside from the large German colony of VW and Audi executives – Puebla is less than two hours east and south of Mexico City.

Puebla is full of life, movement and memory. A rich indigenous soul, the legacy of the Spanish conquest, the memory of Mexico's most epic battle against the French invaders and modern expressions of art, culture and contemporary avant-garde city life make this an excellent choice for first-time visitors and locals.

Puebla's irregular, mountainous shape allows it to border seven of Mexico's most culturally rich states: Veracruz, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Morelos, the State of Mexico, Tlaxcala and Hidalgo. The Valley of Puebla has been a human and cultural corridor for millennia, connecting the cultures of Mexico's Gulf Coast – including the OlmecMayas and Totonacs – with those of the Mexican highlands in the interior. The state has 12 Magical villages11 climate zones, 217 municipalities, five major indigenous populations and an “everlasting” backdrop of four towering, snow-capped volcanoes that is breathtaking to behold.

Puebla is Mexico's most pleasant urban landscape, home to nearly three and a half million people, but without the congested traffic and urban chaos that characterize Mexico City. The historic center – a UNESCO World Heritage Sitee — has hundreds of catalogued historic buildings, English-language information signs, museums, clean streets and ample public parking. The compact downtown area is well preserved and has a distinctive decorative and architectural feel that sets it apart from other Mexican cities, with the use of Spanish-inspired Talavera tiles as external accents.

Puebla is a gastronomic delicacy for its regional cuisinebut note that it is one of the most socially conservative major cities in Mexico. Puebla International Airport will take you back to the United States, but has limited domestic flights, so you may need to plan on a 90-minute drive to Mexico City airport for domestic flights.

Popular districts are La Paz, Las Ánimas and the modern Angelópolis, which is close to universities, shopping, modern hotels, hospitals and the International Baroque Museum. Vicinity Cholula is another viable option.

The most important question you need to answer before settling here is whether you can live at an altitude of 2,130 metres. Many older people cannot, and it would be a shame not to be able to enjoy a place that literally takes your breath away.

The reviews

A full breakdown of our rating system can be found here.

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