What's it like to live in Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico? How’s the lifestyle?

The lifestyle in Chapala and Ajijic depends on what you are, who you are, what you’re doing and how old you are. It also depends on how you socialize.
 
For example, some people in Chapala might be retired military and they are very active with the American legion.  They might walk on the malecon (boardwalk by the lake), they might go out a lot, and hang out in the plaza. In Ajijic, some people might be part of the Lake Chapala Society. They might have a house and have...

The lifestyle in Chapala and Ajijic depends on what you are, who you are, what you’re doing and how old you are. It also depends on how you socialize.
 
For example, some people in Chapala might be retired military and they are very active with the American legion.  They might walk on the malecon (boardwalk by the lake), they might go out a lot, and hang out in the plaza. In Ajijic, some people might be part of the Lake Chapala Society. They might have a house and have guests over frequently. Others will take Spanish lessons. Younger people might work and go to the gym and be in more social events.
 
There are always a lot of fiestas here in Mexico. Here in the state of Jalisco area, we probably have fiestas almost every month so you’ll always be able to find a municipality or plaza with fireworks and a live band playing at least for about a week out of a month if you want to look for it. To experience the culture and the people and their cultural events, I have seen dances and presentations very frequently in the Chapala and Ajijic area. So there are always things to do and people to see. It depends on how social you are and what you want to do. 
 
If I were to compare LA to Mexico, I would probably compare LA to Guadalajara because Guadalajara has theatres, operas, and concerts but you have our urban sprawl; it’s spread out, and you can spend a lot of time in traffic. In Chapala and Ajijic, in contrast, you’ve got a high concentration of foreigners in a small area so it’s something that you can’t compare to the US. You’ve got a lot of culture and food and art and things that are in really concentrated in a small area.  In Chapala and Ajijic, there are maybe a couple of stop lights and 2 or 3 gas stations versus the 4 lane highways, traffic, urban sprawl, strip malls and shopping centers they have in Guadalajara. Guadalajara is a real city and Chapala still has its small town charm. We have a Wal-Mart and more stores opening up, but it’s still very, very suburban.  The comparison I can make is that the relationship between Guadalajara and Chapala is like the relationship between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.

 

(Lakeside, Chapala, Mexico, pictured.)

Your lifestyle here in Ajijic and Lake Chapala can be as active or as inactive as you want it to be, but there is certainly no reason to be bored. Many expats volunteer with local organizations in the day time and at night because of the low cost of good quality food, many expats dine out often meeting up with friends.

 

There is an active theater scene with several venues and an auditorium that features top class visiting entertainment which in the...

Your lifestyle here in Ajijic and Lake Chapala can be as active or as inactive as you want it to be, but there is certainly no reason to be bored. Many expats volunteer with local organizations in the day time and at night because of the low cost of good quality food, many expats dine out often meeting up with friends.

 

There is an active theater scene with several venues and an auditorium that features top class visiting entertainment which in the past has often featured Grammy winners etc. and one new development is the Lakeside Little Theater streaming performances on huge screens, of plays, concerts and orchestral recitals from around the world.

 

We are part of a lively cocktail party circuit that is extremely welcoming of new people and often these are in private homes and in fact sometimes it is so active we have to take a few nights off!! Like I said there is definitely no need to be bored.

 

(Pictured: Amazonas, a house in Rancho del Oro, Ajijic, outside entertaining space.)

Ajijic, on Lake Chapala is in part a retirement community. Because the Americans and Canadians who live there are embarking on a new life, most are intent upon making friends, so it's easy to strike up a conversation, learn the ropes, and be invited to parties.

 

Very few expats work. After a lifetime of it, Gringos are here to play. Given the friendliness, perfect weather, and low prices, play is easy. It's like living a vacation full-time. Happily, being carefree fits...

Ajijic, on Lake Chapala is in part a retirement community. Because the Americans and Canadians who live there are embarking on a new life, most are intent upon making friends, so it's easy to strike up a conversation, learn the ropes, and be invited to parties.

 

Very few expats work. After a lifetime of it, Gringos are here to play. Given the friendliness, perfect weather, and low prices, play is easy. It's like living a vacation full-time. Happily, being carefree fits right into Mexican culture.

 

Due to low prices, most transplants have a maid and maybe a gardener, which frees up lots of time. A few spend some contemplating what matters. Almost everybody spends lots of time socializing.

 

Thanks to affordable everything and tasty cuisine, many expats dine out with friends, or sometimes at home, taking time to enjoy the meal. They also participate in clubs:

Many meet at the Lake Chapala Society, which is like an embassy for expats.

 

Thespians enjoy three theaters; one featured a Grammy winner, another streams performances from around the world.

 

On their own, expats hike the mountain, waterski, kayak the lake, stew in spas, play golf and tennis, ride horses, etc.

 

Many transplants volunteer to support their new community. Winter sends Canadians and Americans southward November through April. Then the town puts on events like the Northern Lights Festival. Charities hold galas to fundraise for:

The local Mexican residents set a fine example of friendliness. In the street they greet each other and non-shy Gringos. They show respect for elderly people. Sometimes a task might not be accomplished as quickly as an expat wold be used to, but it's part of the relaxed pace.

 

Need to save money getting well? Come heal on holiday with a world-class doctor or dentist.

 

(Picture: Ben White of Lake Chapala Society, after interview with Chuck Bolotin, of Best Places in the World to Retire.  Click here to read the interview.)

The one word that best describes the lifestyle in the Lake Chapala / Ajijic area is a Spanish word that even if you don’t understand Spanish, you can easily guess at the definition: tranquilo.
 
When we drove through Mexico on our eight-month road trip, we wrote about all the places we visited.  The first in a series of articles I wrote about the Ajijic area was titled Our First Few Days in Ajijic: Not Too Much, which was the answer I kept receiving from a local for...

The one word that best describes the lifestyle in the Lake Chapala / Ajijic area is a Spanish word that even if you don’t understand Spanish, you can easily guess at the definition: tranquilo.
 
When we drove through Mexico on our eight-month road trip, we wrote about all the places we visited.  The first in a series of articles I wrote about the Ajijic area was titled Our First Few Days in Ajijic: Not Too Much, which was the answer I kept receiving from a local for all the questions I asked.  Is it too hot, is it too cold, is it too crowded, etc.  The answer was always the same: Not too much.
 
Everything here is moderate and easy, starting with the weather.  (Here’s a YouTube taken in Ajijic with a musical parody called “Ajijic, and the Livin’ is Easy.”) Although Ajijic is over 1,000 miles south of the US – Mexico border (a latitude at which you would expect it to be hot), the elevation here is slightly over 5,000 feet, which greatly lowers the temperature.  Then, if that weren’t enough, we sit on Lake Chapala, the largest lake in Mexico, which then moderates the temperatures further—not too hot and not too cold.
 
We’re close enough to the very large city of Guadalajara to have big-city amenities like first-rate healthcare, an international airport with non-stop flights to the US and Canada, and very high-end shopping, all while enjoying the more relaxed, less frantic feel of a smaller village.
 

The low cost of living also contributes to the sense of calm.  It’s amazing how your stress level decreases when you know that you can afford a housekeeper and gardener, if you smash your car, the body shop bill will be about one-tenth of what it would be in the US, and if you need dental work, you can pay out of pocket for about a quarter to a third of what it would cost in the US.  (See here for an article on how living in Mexico gives you a lifestyle upgrade.)
 
All of this contributes to a culture of calm contentedness, and as other people are calmer and more content, it can’t help but rub off.

 

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