We left the US and moved to Mexico when I got pregnant 4 years ago. It’s more affordable and our family is thriving.

Puerto Vallarta is considered one of the most expensive cities for renters in Latin America — even so, our cost of living here comes with more value than it did in the US.

We live in a comfortable two-bedroom apartment for under $1,000 a month. Our grocery bill is typically about $400 a month for four, and we eat well with a lot of fresh food. Even better, we can do all of our grocery shopping on foot and purchase everything from local stores.

Within a 10-minute walk from our home, we have a seafood market, a butcher shop, a fresh produce market, and stands with freshly made tortillas.

A two-bedroom in a walkable city like this would easily cost more than double the price in the US — and we’d never be able to afford to eat so well if we moved back.

We have no plans to move back to the United States

We’ve been living here for over four years and have been able to make a decent living by starting our own businesses, which has been fairly easy.

Although my husband struggled to get permission to work in the US, he’s now a personal chef for several local clients. In Mexico, he launched his business with minimal startup costs, permits, and licenses. I work online as a freelancer and recently started a travel agency.

There are certain things we miss about home, but we wouldn’t want to give up all we enjoy here, like access to affordable fresh food and quality healthcare.

Our quality of life is better here, and we’re so happy we made the choice to raise our family in Mexico. We can’t imagine going back to the US.