Alan & Sandra’s Incredible Cross Country Adventure

 

Which is Better, Mexico, Spain, or the USA

 

Our primary source of information regarding living in these countries was InterNations, which conducts an annual survey to determine the satisfaction levels of retirees and digital nomads living in 46 countries.  These scores are based solely on perception.  For example, under “Safety & Security”, the rating reflects how safe the foreigners felt in their host country and not on how safe they actually were.  In 2025 over 10,000 expats responded ranking Mexico in third place, Spain in ninth-place place, and the USA in a distant 36th place.  It is interesting seeing one’s country through the eyes of foreigners.  I suspect that the USA rankings in 2026 will be even worse.  If you are wondering, Panama and Colombia were considered the best countries to move to, while Turkey and Kuwait were the worst.

 

Healthcare – InterNations ranked Spain in first place and Mexico 19th.  Surprisingly the USA came in dead last in 46th place, which is a reflection on our lack of universal coverage and high medical costs.  Statistically, the average quality of healthcare in Spain and the USA are comparable, with Mexico being inferior.  However, if you look at the best healthcare available in each country for those that can afford it, Mexico ranks as good as the others.

 

Safety & Security – Statistically, when it comes to both violent and non-violent crime, Spain is by far the best with Mexico being the worst of the three countries.  InterNations ranked Spain in 14th place, Mexico 33rd, and the USA 43rd.  I found it very interesting that foreigners living in Mexico felt safer than foreigners living in the USA.  The USA homicide rate is 5.9 per 100,000, while the rate of Americans killed in Mexico is only 2.1 per 100,000 Americans. 

 

Ease of Settling In – This is an area where Mexico shines coming in first place with Spain ranked 13th and the USA 25th.  This score was based on questions like “How welcoming are the locals to foreigners?” and “How easy is it to find friends?”. 

 

High-Speed Internet – This is the only area in the InterNations survey that the USA came on top with a 12th place ranking.  Spain was ranked 13th and Mexico was a distant 31st. 

 

Ease of Dealing with Bureaucracy – The InterNations survey ranked Mexico the best in 18th place, the USA close behind in 19th place, and Spain 26th.  Presently, the Mexican government has a much more tolerant view of foreigners than the Spanish government does.  It is far easier and cheaper for a foreigner to obtain residence and purchase property in Mexico than it is in Spain.  For example, everyone purchasing property in Spain is required to pay a 10% tax.  Last year this tax was increased to 20% for non-EU residents.

 

Housing Affordability – Mexico was ranked 8th, followed by Spain in 26th, and the USA in 29th place.

 

Cost of Living – Mexico ranked 8th, Spain 11th, and the USA 35th.  The cost of living in Spain is on average 33% cheaper than it is in the USA and Mexico is 43% cheaper.

 

Happiness – Of the three countries, it appears from various studies that Mexico has the happiest people, while the USA has the least happy.  When it comes to the happiness levels of the expats in these countries, InterNations ranked Mexico 3rd, Spain 4th, and the USA a distant 34th.

 

Do you want to live in your host country for the rest of your life? – On average 24% of the InterNations respondents answered yes to this question.  39% and 41% of the expats in Mexico and Spain said yes, while only 17% of the foreigners in the USA wanted to stay long-term.

 

Public Transportation – With nearly 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) of high-speed rail, Spain has one of the best intra-city transit systems in the world.  One can travel from Seville to Barcelona, over 700 miles (1,100 kilometers), in under six hours.  In Mexico one can travel by bus to almost every city in the country.  Certainly not the case in the USA.  For example, Tepoztlán (population 14,000) offers far more intra-city bus options than Madison (population 270,000). 

 

Civil Rights, Freedom of the Press, and Political Stability – It would appear Spain is the best country for these categories, and Mexico is the worst of the three countries.

 

Weather – On average the weather in Mexico’s central highlands region is far more temperate and pleasant than it is in Spain and most of the USA.  Because of Tepoztlán high elevation, after the suns sets on hot days the temperature can drop as much as 25 degrees through the night.  Another big plus is this area experiences seven months of almost no rain followed by five months of rain-free, and often sunny, mornings and early afternoons, making it very easy to plan your outdoor activities. 

 

Architecture – Though we found the architecture in Spain’s historical districts to be amazing, we found Mexican cities as a whole to be more visually interesting with their rich blend of indigenous, Spanish colonial and modern architecture.

  

Sense of Community – Mexicans are known for their strong family ties and mutual support that prioritize the group over the individual.  This extends to a community wide culture of mutual support that goes far beyond simple neighborly gestures. 

 

Food – Though Spanish food is quite good, we prefer the vast variety of indigenous and European influenced dishes found in Mexico.

 

Infrastructure – The infrastructure in Spain is much better than it is in Mexico.  You always need to be alert when walking on Mexico’s sidewalks, because they often have large gaps, holes or uneven portions.  While Mexico’s expressways are quite good, driving their local roadways can sometimes be challenging having to deal with potholes unmarked speedbumps and poor signage. 

 

Mañana (Tomorrow) Culture – Spain’s and Mexico’s Mañana culture can be viewed as both a negative and a positive.  Many expats find this way of life at times to be very frustrating with simple tasks taking much longer than expected.  However. If one can go along with the flow, they could live a more relaxed and unhurried existence valuing more life's moments and connections.

 

Noise Levels – This is probably the single biggest complaint of expats living in Mexico.  Depending on the neighborhood, it is common to be subjected to either street vendors with megaphones, late night parties, festivals, fireworks, church bells, barking dogs or crowing roosters.  Or all of the above.