By Rodrigo Manterola
Are there any jobs for expats in Mexico?
The question is not only for ex-pats but for everyone who is planning on retiring someday and enjoying the golden years; in Mexico or anywhere else.
Many Expats in Mexico are in their retirement time. They live out of their pensions and other sources of income like rent money and savings, and Mexico is perfect to make that money go a long way.
But 2020 and a few other black swans in recent years have shown us that our money can vanish overnight; A pension you can survive on is some sort of endangered species that most people under 45 years of age probably will never have.
Finding options to back up our money is crucial, and learning the new technologies and skills may be the new way to keep you busy, …no more pottery nor oil painting.
Think about the stock market, cryptocurrencies, online marketing and e-commerce, and a whole lot of new skills for you to learn; And you may have to.
There are a few things Expats in Mexico do to keep busy, and even make money.
Some ex-pats even have found their fortune in Mexico by investing smartly and early enough in the Real Estate and touristic industries.
So to answer the question of the best jobs on-demand or options in Mexico to make money as an ex-pat are:
Are you making the move to Mexico? Read our moving to Mexico guide here
Sell something
Jobs for Expats in Mexico can be more than just a job.
If you have any skills or experience in insurance companies or the travel industry or even the medical industry, there are many ways you can make money, offering your skills, experience, creating something of your old contacts, etc.
Yoga, dancing, painting, photography, etc. People are willing to pay to learn.
You can help people with their banking, taxes, medical insurance by selling services online in the form of consultation, affiliates, etc.
See what you have in your set of tools and skills and incorporate it into the new times.
Invest in a property in Mexico
The cost of Real Estate in Mexico is way more affordable than in the USA, Canada, or Europe, and getting a piece of land or property in Mexico is a real possibility for an ex-pat living off his/her pension or savings (Depending on the individual budget).
If your budget allows, the Real Estate industry is booming, particularly in Expat favorite towns like Playa del Carmen and Tulum amongst others.
Buying property is a really good way to keep your money going. All you need is a mortgage to start and yes, you can get one in Mexico.
Not only prime beach property is good business, some of the areas not considered prime areas generate good dividends over the years.
You need to know what you are doing and research and hire good and honest Real Estate agents and lawyers in Mexico or anywhere else for that matter.
Open a food business like a restaurant or a coffee shop
Many ex-pats have opened restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, pizzerias, sushi shops, and all variations of these.
Some of these are companies with outstanding success and with multiple locations all over the country.
Some others are small boutique businesses located in touristy beach towns like Tulum where they are on top of their category.
Location, location, location… And lots of hard work, understanding the industry and the tourist market as well as the local vibe.
There are many legalities and complexities associated with this kind of business but if you are experienced in it, or you are willing to go learn the hard way, the ROI can be huge and the experience can be amazing.
Run an Airbnb business
Many ex-pats have made platforms like Airbnb their central business without even owning one single property (or even have a Work or PR visa).
The need to learn new skills, especially online skills have never been so obvious, from online banking to property management, or just to keep in touch with the family, our online skills have been evolving and we need to keep up.
There are many ways to learn how to do this online, if your work experience or old colleagues and friendships put you on a path like this, there is good money to be made for sure.
This particular platform (Airbnb) has been through many legal changes in Mexico, taxation can be very high if you are not working legally in Mexico or don’t have an RFC (RFC is the individual id number every person in Mexico gets to pay their taxes with).
Write a Blog and make money from it.
Yeah, everybody says so but it ain’t so easy, yet if successful, it can be a blast.
Writing a travel blog is not easy, requires lots of time, discipline, and energy to write about stuff, take photos, do research and make alliances and create the money-making tools and channels to make it a business.
Some sell Traveling services, others help relocate people abroad.
Some subjects like; legal, real estate, nutrition, health, and other areas of expertise are particularly successful when blogging as they can serve multiple streams of income.
If you were to walk this path beware of the learning curve; it can be very hard (and expensive) to get a blog going, despite what they say on Youtube.
Learn as much as you can before you even decide to enter this world, but if you do decide to walk this path, find that that you love or master, refine it into an art of service, and blog about it to sell goods and services associated to it. Good luck.
What you can do will depend on your skills, tools, and creativity, there are no ends to what you can do with the elements you have in a country where your money can go further. Make wine or beer or write a book about it. Your choice.
Do Expats pay taxes in Mexico? Find out here what you need to know about taxes in Mexico for Expats
How do I get a job in Mexico?
Any jobs for expats in Mexico need the right visa, which visa is the right one?
You need a Work Visa or a Permanent Resident visa, in most cases, you need to be invited by a Mexican company first before you get your Work Visa.
You can start the process by first visiting the directory of Mexican consulates. You can see what are your personal requirements as per your nationality to getting an invitation to work in Mexico.
We talk about the different types of visa available to live, work and invest in Mexico here
What is a good salary in Mexico?
A good salary in Mexico is anything above the local poverty line, but this also depends on each individual lifestyle.
Mexico’s minimum wage is some $6.00 US a day or about $180.00 US a month. Some 6,000 pesos. And right there lies the line between poverty and severe poverty.
To live in Mexico with comfort is not hard to achieve as many ex-pats have a budget at least that of Mexico’s four times folded.
A salary that provides the lifestyle where a nice house, car, gym membership, and travels are included can’t be less than $1500 US a month, and these may vary depending on location, $1500 a month may take you a long way in some places but just won’t cut it in some other places.
Starting at $1500 US a month, many Americans, Canadians and Europeans can still afford to start a decent level of life in Mexico and that’s why so many do.
Some people come to Mexico with a budget well over $3,000 US a month, which in Mexico can give you a good starting point when creating a new life in Mexico where comfort and the possibility of investment are real.
From there on, any budget above $3000 US a month is a no-worries kind of budget.
In the end, what is a good salary in Mexico depends on individual needs and lifestyle.