Mérida, Yucatán Mexico is Overhyped?
Mérida, Yucatán Mexico is Overhyped TL;DR
Mérida’s popularity continues to grow, however some people are seeing the “true” Mérida beyond Paseo Montejo and wondering if it may be somewhat overhyped. Mérida is well renowned for its safety in terms of violence; but theft is commonplace. Still, it’s considered the safest city in Mexico. However, many feel the climate is unbearable. They look for cooler destinations in Mexico like Guanajuato, Mexico City, Querétaro, San Miguel de Allende or perhaps the west coast in Baja California Sur, like Cabo San Lucas or La Paz which are known for their dry climate. Rising electric bills and dirty streets have some thinking twice about Mérida as the best retirement and/or expat destination despite its safety accolades.
Mérida was Initially too Good to Be True
My 3 Month Stay at the Hyatt Regency
I first became enamored with Mérida in 2017. I stayed in the Fiesta Americana, back when Sanborns was still located on the bottom floor. I was amazed at the area and instantly fell in love with the city. However, I didn’t realize that I was just in a honeymoon phase. After returning to the same area in 2018 I decided to buy a place in the preferred north of the city, but I stayed at the Hyatt Regency, right across from the Fiesta Americana off of Paseo Montejo because they allowed cats. I brought my beloved cat Scotty (RIP) with me.
“Living Large” Gave me a Warped Perception
Both the Fiesta Americana and the Hyatt Regency are located close to el centro in a beautiful area of Mérida. This warped my perception of the city overall. I mean, it was amazing during my stay there. Who doesn’t like staying in a nice hotel for a while? I stayed at the Hyatt Regency for 3 months while my purchase was going through. The property purchase was a bit of a headache as can be expected, especially since I had to buy through a bank trust known as a “fideicomiso” in Mexico. This is due to the fact that Mérida lies in the restricted zone due to its proximity to the coast.
Go Beyond Montejo, the Privadas and Shopping
Trash in the Streets is Commonplace in Mérida
Once you venture beyond Paseo Montejo, the fancy privadas (gated communities) and nice shopping centers you’ll soon realize just how filthy some of the streets are. Mérida is overhyped for this reason alone. There is garbage thrown throughout the city on the sides of the streets. Alcohol bottles, bags from chips, beer cans, mattresses, pizza boxes, soda cans, shoes, tires, and toilets, are just a few of the things I’ve seen in the hundreds of walks and motorcycle trips I’ve completed throughout northern Mérida. This is why Mérida is overhyped in my opinion. The walks I take are in, what is considered a nice area to live in called San Angelo/Montes de Ame. They have some rentals going for 52,000 pesos a month plus a 10,000-peso maintenance fee. So yeah, it’s not a bad area. It’s such a shame because Mérida really is a nice place otherwise. It’s safe from physical violence, has delicious cuisine and a perfect mix of history and modernity.
Mérida Expats Defend Mérida Despite the TRUTH
I know hard-core Mérida expats and retirees will defend Mérida to the death no matter what but that doesn’t take away from the FACT that the streets are littered with garbage. It doesn’t mean it’s not a great place to live, but it’s something you just have to come to accept.
Some Expats Need to “Justify” Their Move
A few expats have this “NEED TO JUSTIFY” their move overseas and will defend it at any cost and completely bash and criticize whatever country they’re from. I’ve never understood that about human behavior. If someone criticized my hometown or where I’m from because it truly was dirty or crime ridden, I’d have no problem with that. It’s not personal. I’m just aware, I see things independently of politics or favoritism. I just don’t get it. I always tell it like it is, good or bad, no matter where the place is.
Humid Climate Starts to Wear on Me
When I first arrived, I never really thought about just how humid Mérida is. It never crossed my mind. I believe I arrived in the cooler months, possibly November. In any event, it wasn’t an issue when I first arrived. However, after finally settling into my new place, the reality set in. I was no longer staying at the Hyatt Regency. I would go on my walking routine for about an hour and come back completely soaked head to toe. It was bad, real bad. The humidity in Mérida is on a whole ‘nother level. Awful humidity is one reason I feel Mérida is overhyped. The only other place I’ve been that compares is Cartagena, Colombia and perhaps Guayaquil, Ecuador (just humidity not temperature). I lived in Florida for 20 years and can confidently say that the humidity is way worse in Mérida. In my opinion, and that of many others, the weather sucks. I know that weather is subjective, and some may love hot, humid weather, but I know a lot of people can’t stand it.
Water Leaks Down the Walls Inside My Home
Once the rainy season came, I saw just how bad the shoddy construction of my condo was. Streaks of water would just pour in the condo on the sides of indoor walls. I’ve never experienced this in my life in the US, Ecuador or anywhere for that matter. Despite trying to “patch up” these obvious defects the water never stopped pouring down inside my home in several spots. Needless to say, it was a bad purchase. I was beyond frustrated. Black mold started to grow, not good. It seems however, that people in Mérida are almost used to it. When people are “used to water running down their walls” that’s a problem to me.
Property Appreciation Uncertainty Means Mérida is Overhyped
I was fortunate to walk away with zero net gain from my purchase, not ideal. Yet, I see so many realtors and sellers promoting single family home and land sales in Mérida virtually guaranteeing appreciation. Be real careful and line yourself up with TRUE professionals. Get inspections on every part of the property, in addition to an appraisal from a vetted source. Just know that appreciation of your property is certainly not guaranteed in Mérida. Property appreciation uncertainty is another reason I feel Mérida is overhyped. Look at how the controversial gentrification of Mexico City has skyrocketed property appreciation. I’m not taking a side either way but from an investor’s standpoint, a property located in the prime neighborhoods of Mexico City has huge demand. I believe there are better areas for investors to buy than Mérida.
Please note that the data for this graph was compiled with the help of ChatGPT, which is known to sometimes make mistakes. The data in this graph is for informational purposes only. Supposed sources for this data are listed at the bottom of this page.
I Still Love Mexico and I Still Like Mérida
I became a permanent resident of Mexico. It’s become a part of who I am. That doesn’t mean I don’t have two eyes and can’t see. If I didn’t like Mexico I wouldn’t live here. I could easily live in Ecuador where my daughter lives, or Panama where I also have residency, or even go back to Florida. However, Mexico is part of my identity. Still, I feel residents should care about where they live instead of just turning a blind eye to blatantly obvious issues. I moved to Querétaro and I’m happier here. In my opinion the weather is much better and overall, the streets are cleaner. It doesn’t mean I hate Mérida; in fact, I like it a lot and will return to visit in the cooler months around Christmas. It was just time to move on. Mérida will be the perfect place for many, I’m sure. I had my eye on Querétaro for some time and for me at this stage, I’m glad I made the move.
Sources
- Baja California Sur | TheLatinvestor – “10 statistics for the Mexico real estate market in 2025”
- Puebla-Tlaxcala | El Mañana – “Aumento significativo en el precio de viviendas en México”