When Alex and I packed up our lives in Chicago and moved to León, Guanajuato with our two boys and cat, we knew we weren’t alone. But we didn’t realize just how many of us there would be.
1.6 million US citizens moved to Mexico in 2025 alone. Let that number sink in.
The Question Everyone Keeps Asking
“Why did you move to Mexico?”
For Alex, the answer is beautifully simple: “Life is precious. Why not explore what’s out there while we’re still young and healthy?”
For me? It’s more layered. It’s about cost. It’s about freedom. It’s about not wanting to complain about where our money goes anymore. It’s about being able to afford gym memberships—Planet Fitness level, not some luxury club—which felt like an impossible luxury back home.
But here’s what we’re both feeling now: it’s about safety. It’s about dignity. It’s about watching our community get targeted and realizing that we have the privilege to choose another path.
The Privilege of Choice
Let me be clear: we come from a place of privilege. We’re dual citizens. We can return to the US whenever we want. Alex kept his remote job. I’m still working as a contractor. We have a rental property in Chicago that helps with our cost of living here.
Our move was a choice.
That’s what makes our story different from the thousands of families being detained, deported, and forced back to their countries right now. We left because we wanted to. They’re leaving because they have no other option.
And that difference weighs on me.
Where Do We Fit?
The lady at the INE office (where I got my Mexican voter card) told me I wasn’t the first person that day applying. It was 9 AM.
There’s an influx of people like us—children of immigrants, second-generation Americans, people who were born and raised in the US but whose parents came from Mexico. We’re not the white retirees living off Medicare and Social Security. We’re not the expats (God, I hate that word) gentrifying neighborhoods.
We’re something else entirely. We’re part of what some people are calling “reverse migration” or “repatriation.” We’re going back to our family’s motherland, but it’s also not really “back” because many of us have never lived here before.
So where does that put us?
Alex says we’re a category of our own. I think he might be right.
The Real Cost Comparison
Let’s talk numbers because this is what makes the biggest difference in our day-to-day lives:
In Chicago:
- Daycare/preschool: $2,400/month for both kids
- Gym memberships: Not even in the budget
- Going out, exploring, living: Constant financial stress
In León:
- Private school for both kids: Significantly less than Chicago daycare (we’re talking about two thousand dollars saved per month)
- Gym memberships: Affordable reality
- Going out, exploring, living: Actual freedom
We’re paying 20,000 pesos (about $1,000-1,100 USD) for a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom house. It’s spacious. We have a big patio. The kids have room to play.
Compare that to my parents, who are also part of this 2025 migration wave. They’re building a house in the rancho—paying cash upfront, somewhere between $150,000-200,000. Sounds like a lot, right? But then there’s no mortgage. Ever. And their property taxes? My mom says it’s something ridiculous like $50-100 a year.
In the US, that same quality of life would cost $400,000-500,000, with a $2,000+ monthly mortgage for 30 years.
The math isn’t hard.
City Life vs. Rancho Life
Alex and I chose León because we wanted city living. We’re used to Chicago—walking to places, exploring different neighborhoods, seeing architecture, experiencing culture. We wanted that here too.
Could we have moved to my family’s rancho in San José de Otates? Absolutely. Free housing, lower costs, beautiful mountains, and all the tranquility you could want.
But that’s not our vibe right now. We want the option to visit the rancho on weekends when we need to decompress (even if that means unexpected Sunday night parties with grupo music and tequila). But for daily life, we need the city energy.
The beautiful thing about Mexico is that there are options. Big cities like León, Guadalajara, Mexico City. Moderate pueblos. Small ranchos. You can choose the lifestyle that fits your family and your budget.
The Current US Climate
I can’t talk about why we moved without addressing what’s happening right now in the United States.
Our community is under attack. Full stop.
People are being detained and deported based on how they look, the jobs they have, their accents, or their English proficiency. The president is literally turning the country against itself. It’s ethnic cleansing, and I don’t use that term lightly.
When you think about who the first people in that country were, the irony is devastating.
So many people have reached out to me saying, “You moved at the perfect time.” And while we didn’t leave because of this administration (we’ve been planning this for a while), the timing feels eerily right.
Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has said everyone is welcome here—as long as you do it right, legally and respectfully. That’s a complete 180 from what the US president is saying.
Not Gentrifying, Just Existing
Some people ask if we’re gentrifying Mexico. Here’s my take:
Gentrification is wealthy people moving into poor areas. We’re not wealthy. And we’re definitely not in a poor area.
Everyone we’ve met here has welcomed us with open arms. When I explain our story—that we moved because it sucks over there—people get it. They understand. I haven’t felt hostility from anyone (except maybe the government, but that’s a topic for another episode).
We’re not displacing anyone. We’re just trying to live.
What’s Next for Us
Right now, we’re taking this year to figure things out. We’re renting, getting to know León, understanding what we want long-term.
Alex is actively looking at properties to buy (sorry, landlord—he might break this lease if we find something good). We’re open to different options, different neighborhoods, different lifestyles.
We’re also building community with other families who’ve made this move. That’s been one of the most beautiful parts of this journey—connecting with people who understand, who are navigating the same questions, who share their wisdom without gatekeeping.
Because that’s not our way as Latinos. We chisme. We overshare. We help each other out.
If You’re Thinking About It
If you’re a child of immigrants considering moving back to your family’s country, here’s what I want you to know:
It’s possible. There are options. You’re not alone.
Think about whether you and your partner (if you have one) are both in agreement. Consider what kind of lifestyle you want—city, pueblo, or rancho. Look into whether you can keep your job remotely or if you need to find work here.
And if you’re of Mexican descent and don’t have your dual citizenship yet, now is the time. The holidays are coming up, which means you might be visiting family in Mexico anyway. Take advantage of that trip.
I’m hosting a free masterclass on November 13th at 7 PM Central to walk you through exactly how to get your Mexican dual citizenship. It’s easier than you think, I promise.
Because here’s the thing: whether you’re fleeing discrimination, seeking financial freedom, wanting adventure, or just trying to give your kids a better life—Mexico might be the answer you’ve been looking for.
We’re living proof that it’s possible.
And we’re part of a massive wave of people who are choosing to come home.
Show Notes
In this episode of the “Living in Mexico” series, I sit down with my husband to have an honest conversation about why so many people are fleeing to Mexico in 2025. We talk about being part of a massive wave of reverse migration, what it means to be children of immigrants returning to the motherland, and why the timing couldn’t feel more right (or necessary).
What You’ll Hear:
- Where we fit as second-generation Mexican Americans in this reverse migration movement
- Our honest take on being dual citizens and how we’re different from expats
- How the current US political climate is pushing our community out, and why fleeing to safety doesn’t make us any less American
Resources Mentioned:
- Free Masterclass: “How to Get Your Mexican Dual Citizenship” – Thursday, November 13th at 7:00 PM CT
- Cost of living comparison tool
- Listen to our previous ‘Living in Mexico’ series episodes
About Jessica Cuevas
Jessica is the founder and creator of Viva la Mami, LLC a community centered around Latina motherhood. Jessica created this platform after not finding empowering stories about experiences of Latina moms. She realized that there was a lack of representation in this space and felt there was a need for mamis to share their stories and to learn more about the nuances about motherhood through a cultural lens.
Viva la Mami’s mission is to empower the modern Latina mom to redefine the meaning of madrehood through education, story-telling, and cultural relevance all while bringing comunidad together.
