Escape the Ordinary: Unveiling a Unique Way of Living in Mexico 

Four years ago we created our own informal community in a popular south Baja town with some friends and acquaintances that have been spending their winters here RVing and kite surfing for several years. We gathered four parties together and purchased a hectare (2.4 acres) of raw land above the town. We had it surveyed into 4 lots, had a front end loader/backhoe come in and grade an access road and fenced the entire hectare to keep the cattle out. $48k usd for the land and another 1k for the survey, road and fence. We each have a 2500 sq meter lots (.6 acre) with native plants preserved on them and parked out. We each built septic tanks with banos on top and underground water storage tanks, about $5k for both. We built a simple RV pad integrated into the land on a large stone terrace. We're totally solar with no bills other than paying for propane and water deliveries which is minimal. Houses are now in various stages of construction and done at whatever pace is convenient. Only about $20k for the land and improvements was required to get our homestead set up and fully functioning with a comfortable full size RV which we now leave here full time. It's super comfortable yet minimalist living on a beautiful and secluded peaceful tidy lot with million dollar views, high above the Sea of Cortez. We don't have any formal rules but there is extra security in company and we are of course supportive of each other and spend lots of time together with fires, communal cookouts and parties and of course kite surfing together as much as possible. It's the best arrangement in town!

I was living in LA and San Antonio tx for 16 years my English is not perfect I come back to Mexico 🇲🇽 on 2020 I live in Oaxaca I like people from all around the 😊 world 🌎

Really interesting to hear about alternative living options, thanks for the video.

Once again you nailed itt…great video great coverage❤

Great interview and information..hopefully we will hear about more of these communities in..mexico...gracias Mexico

Thanks Brighton! Great vid. Blessings to you and Fam for 2024💚❤

Sounds exactly like what we called a 'commune' in the 60's and 70's. Why the idea needs a shiny new name, I don't know; but it sounds just like an 'assisted living' situation, which is a form of commune (they all don't need to be on a farm run by a guru). Interesting topic. I'm all for it, with the exception that it seems to be geared towards expats with the exclusion of locals. I just don't understand why anyone would move to another country and not integrate into the local community.

Such a smart interview.

Thank you for showing this!

Anthropologists will tell you that humans evolved living in small, tight knit communities, usually not more then 150 individuals. Those communities thrived in prehistoric times because decisions were made for the betterment of the community. Humans are not wired to live in super megalopolises. We get stressed, react with hostile intentions and generally do not thrive. This sounds like my kind of life. Thank you for showing us this brilliant solution to modern day life.

Wow, one more option for me, that's is great, thanks for the video. I am always learning new things from you.

Very strange "Intentional Communities"!?! (Unsurprising, as Ajijic would be the very last place you would expect to find a one!) Dave Hoaglands community (below) seems authentic and typical. I lived on a kibbutz in Israel a lifetime ago: All the orchards, vehicles, and the factory, were owned in common. All the children were raised communally. All the meals and the work was done in groups. As a new biz school grad, as I was at that time, I was astonished that such a pure form of communism could work so well! Also, in the 1970s, I lived with hippies, in an old miners cabin, on the Pend Oreille River, in the Kootenays, growing MJ, and working and collecting Unemployment Insurance alternately. Off-grid, back to the land, countercultural, feels more like Intentional Community. Bhodi and Namaste feel like flavored, branded old folks homes...

Will be back in Ajijic in about 3 weeks for the final step in our permanent immigration journey. Even though we have built a house in the area we really would like to check both of these places out. Thank you so so much for making this video.

Saludos 😊

Esta bien!

I had never heard of intentional living before your video, it sounds very interesting. Definitely an alternative lifestyle that is not for everyone, but practical. Thanks for this! (Was Ms Moon in the video about assisted living?)

My ideal concept of intentional and communal living and retirement would be a private room at the Four Seasons or Rosewood with an unlimited bar and food tab.😂

$1000 a month is quite high for a studio, in that area of Mexico, but I guess along with that comes the community support factor you’re paying extra for.

Great video, I like the idea of intentional communities, cohousing etc. I don’t think I’m looking for the sort of thing as I still do some work and like living with privacy and not having a social obligation to chat socially with people when all I wanted was to go down to a pool and swim some laps. I was a bit shocked at the prices she was mentioning of the minimum people need to get by in Mexico. Perhaps she’s just speaking of Ajijic. I lived many years on and off in Mazatlan, Mexico City and other places very comfortably for $600 a month including rent, going to the cinema a few times a week, going to the coffeehouse and buying my groceries at the market. I’m very proficient with Spanish so maybe that made a lot of things much cheaper, as an example rather than finding rooms or apartments for rent online or through housing websites by simply learned places by word of mouth. As an example in the city of Guadalajara, I found a really great coffeehouse that I like and it turned out they had small apartments for rent upstairs. There was no sign saying apartments for rent, you just have to simply ask. But I think quite like being a two minute walk from your apartment to an excellent coffeehouse as a way to start your day.

✌

Namaste sounds like a cult 😳. I wouldn't want to have to attend a community meeting every morning when I'm retired.

It is starting to look like MX is on an economic upswing of significance. Reshorng from Asia, etc.. The USD:MXP exchange is starting to manifest this. Its good that you're showing alt life styles. Thanks.

Congratulations and welcome to OUR /YOUR country! Adding quality of life ...great!

nice video

Can you tell. Me where the second hand store near Cabo is.

Thank you for your videos! Can you share, when possible, about the natural foods there such as locally grown (organically) coconuts etc..? I'm not sure what grows there naturally? To me, extremely important since America's foods have all been tainted or totally poisoned and there is no way around them. I do appreciate you sharing the cost amounts in actual dollar amounts. If fruit trees grow naturally can you let us know in what areas? Thank you again!

The sad part about so many foreigners moving to Mexico, just like any other part, is making housing and property more expensive for the locals.

I'm trying to teach commands to my dog. I'm afraid she'll get confused when she hears everyone saying "NamaSTAY".

How much does it cost

i'm seriously looking for a community like you guys, but something i can afford/ am now in cozumel. getting too pricey and dangerous here. definitely could not move here if this were my first year here.

❌ Can you please share where other's can look with lower incom

It used to be a sunny place for shady people, fortunately they have come up with some guidelines to eliminate the lowlifes. Of course still one way to beat the guidelines is to marry a Mexican national. I have been living in Mexico over 17 years the wife and I live on 780 a month and that includes rent. If I had $3,000 per month to spend I would be swinging from the chandeliers😅😅😅😅😅

How can I be in touch? Can I speak with someone on instant messenger?

Well for me that sounds frightening. Most definitely not for us. I have no doubt that some walks of life would be thrilled to live there. BUT not our ting man. To be honest it sounds like what I'd expect if the "Hallmark Channel" expanded into Communes or "International Communities" . Great interview though and keep em coming. PS how are the Margaritas now that you are back in Mexico ? Finally Merry what ever you wish to celebrate and I hope Kat is already there or will be soooooon. P n D

I get where some of the commenters are coming from. Instead of delivering disappointing click bait, you conveyed the reality of moving to Mexico, which, ironically, was also disappointing to hear. Did it sound a little Debbie Downer? Sure. But I would rather know ahead of time instead of finding out after the fact. Hearing that I could potentially be priced out of MEXICO sounds ludicrous on the surface. However, the same thing happens in the U.S. all the time. You set your sights on living in a particular town, suburb, etc. only to find out that people of means have priced you out of available real estate. For those who want to complain, they can thank out-of-control Capitalism and the fact that we have now sent it southward. Everywhere we expats go in large numbers; you can expect the same outcome. At some point, you're late to the game. It's like an IPO. Those who get in first prosper. Those who don't, well, they get this video and a stark reminder of how the system works. As for communal living (apparently now known as intentional living), if the needs of the residents are met and they're happy, so what? Who cares? If you don't approve, keep your opinion to yourself and simply choose not to participate.

I lived in a gated community in the US.😂😂 most people called it the ghetto 😂

Bro, you gotta make sure you was your hair once in a while or is that wet hair, not a good look but keep up the good work anyways

Anything 'mandatory'..nope, not for me. I can see why someone would like this living environment.

can tell yer from california superfast talk downer !!!!!!!!1

Just another way for people to want to be accepted. You are not free in a setting like that. It's just being controlled and thinking you are dong something different. Nothing against the man making the Vid. You need to show various ways of living. I can smell the Hierarchies from hear. Good Luck with your servitude.

No thanks, went through that commun crap back in the 60s and never again.

An attempt at Gringo Heaven. Yippy! What about the larger community of Mexico. Ever thought about them? God, I am so disappointed in my generation. Turned out we signified nothing. Takers, not givers. Count me out!

It is so rediculous. The US let's Mexicans with no income relocate here a give them all the handouts they need and Mexico is turning Americans away with less than 60 thousand in the bank. I would never support that kind of hypocracy as you two obviously do.