Working and the cost of living in Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya; an insider’s view.

By Sara Moen

In the 6 plus years we have owned and operated Playa Maya News one of the most common e-mails we receive is; “How can I move to Paradise?” Are there jobs available for foreigners? What is the cost of living like? Is the educational system comparable to other parts of the world?  Although I would like to respond by saying it is easy, painless, and that I spend my days lounging on the beach with my cabana boy lathered up feeding me margaritas and freshly peeled shrimp, the reality is quite different. You still have to pay rent, bring your dogs to the vet, pay your electric bill, and work, work, work. I am not saying that I regret the decision to move 4,000 miles away from my home town, away from family, friends, and familiar places, BUT I would like to share my experience in moving to a foreign country.

New Immigration Laws for Mexico to Go Into Effect May, 2010.

We recently came across an article out of San Miguel de Allende (Thanks to John Bekas of In the Roo) that addresses new immigration laws and changes coming to Mexico in May 2010. We contacted the original author, Carol Schmidt, and she was happy to share what she knew. She did, however, want to make sure we let everyone know that this is not 100% confirmed as we all know things can change drastically here from one day to the next. As you can see once you read below that this is a complex matter, and can also depend on where you are applying for your paperwork. Thank you to Carol and her wonderful website: Falling In Love With San Miguel for the information!