We have lived in Mazatlán for over 6 years now on Cerritos Beach and just love it here. We get no rain for 7 - 8 months here, perfect weather for golfing, boating, surfing, walking, playing pickleball, etc.. Cerritos Beach is much nicer than any beach we have visited in Puerto Vallarta and we enjoy walking on ~4 miles of it regularly. The prices for accommodations, food and transportation are much less in Mazatlán than Puerto Vallarta, so it is much more attractive and affordable for new expats looking to move to Mexico to retire and qualify for Temporary or Permanent Resident Visas.
Mazatlan has one of the largest Aquariums in Latin America, if not the largest with the recent remodel. Mazatlan has professional baseball and soccer teams/stadiums. Mazatlan has one of the largest Carnivals in the World. Mazatlan has a fishing industry, with one of the largest tuna canning companies in Latin America. Mazatlan has many awesome beaches that were not mentioned. Do you think I should keep going?? Mazatlan has many theaters where people can enjoy world-class music, dance, concerts, etc. Mazatlan is a historic City, with one of the few historic downtown areas on the Pacific coast. Mazatlan is vibrant year-round, instead of being busy only during the "season". At least for me, the choice is clear, I am a Native..LOL!!!
Been to Mazatlan 5x and PV 2x. Both are beautiful, but Mazatlan is much cheaper and the native people are more respectful in Mazatlan. PV felt great for a 4-5 day trip, but Mazatlan has so many great communities along the coast. The Malecon is huge in Mazatlan with many restaurants along the way. If you’re looking for a long term trip or even living then Mazatlan to me makes more sense economically and better experience.
Do you have a video comparing Mazatlan with Manzanillo? I thought your content with this video was excellent. I appreciated the use of the map and the talk about what's near the cities.
I tell people that Mazatlán is a city with a little tourist area, and Puerto Vallarta is a tourist area with a little city. Mazatlán is semi-tropical, Puerto Vallarta is tropical. Geography is very different. In Mazatlán very few businesses shut down during 'low season', while in Puerto Vallarta quite a few businesses close. I always suggest Puerto Vallarta as the first timer's place to visit because it's visually stunning and most people speak at least a little English. You didn't mention Mazatlán's best beach - La Isla de la Piedra (you'll have to come back if you missed it). Personally - while I live in Mazatlán I vacation in Puerto Vallarta - and Acapulco. Just North of Acapulco is Barra de Coyuca which has the most perfect beach ever. Acapulco also has far fewer English speaking tourists, and they have great prices in the restaurants along the Costera. Oh - Mazatlán has buses and taxis too - your discussion made it seem like all we had was pulmonías and aurigas :) Thanks for the video!
When mentioning the surrounding areas, I was surprised that you didn't mention San Sebastián del Oeste, which is inland about one hour by car from Puerto Vallarta. No, it's not a beach town. The climate is way cooler and the town itself, while not touristy in the strictest sense, has been designated a "pueblo mágico". Definitely a change of pace from PV. As far as Mazatlán goes, there's a ferry now that takes people to the ex-penal colony of the Islas Marías, which is becoming an interesting "eco-tourist" destination. The ferry ride takes about 4-5 hours. Another thing you didn't mention at all was a comparison of the cultural life between Maz and PV: in PV, things are definitely oriented more towards the visual arts (LOTS of galleries), while in Maz, there's much more emphasis on music and dance. They have a decent music school there and there are frequently symphony and opera performances, as well as performances by an excellent resident modern dance company. There are visual arts as well -- just not quite the same amount as what's in PV. Maz is also now the home to an incredible new (and huge) aquarium.
I like Mexico and Mexicans, so I live in Guadalajara - an international city with everything I need. It's got good people, decent rents, good health care, good weather and - it's Mexican, not an extension of the USA designed to earn immigrant dollars. If you are curious about Mexico, you should visit one of the big cities rather than always going to one of these immigrant communities. Places like PV or Cancun are quite different from the rest of the country. And a travel tip - learn how to be courteous the customary Mexican way, and be polite (the Mexican way) and respectful when you talk with Mexicans. Every country expresses courtesy differently, and if you learn the local way and use it, your visit will be much better because you will be treated as a courteous person, rather than as a rude person.
Good tips! I speak spanish fluently, have lived in more than 8 mexican cities (not just "USA extensions" as you call them) for a total of 3 years so i assume this commentary is meant for other people.
Can I share an opinion as an average watcher of your channel? Maybe bring down the volume of the music just a little, and the bird chirping constantly was very distracting other than that I like the channel.
Thanks for the feedback. Been trying to improve my audio equalization in the editing but it takes time. And you're right that damn bird ruined part of the video, hahhaa. im definitely hyper aware of annoying animal sounds when making new recordings
@@GenERICexpats One can't help but notice that you completely omitted Perhaps the MOST unique aspect about PV is that it is a large international recognized , vibant , gay resort town . with a tremendous amount of business who openly cater to the community . It's quite unique in Mexico
Yes puerto vallarta is far more expensive than most assume. Mazatlan is still somewhat reasonable but compared to unknown cities/towns in mexico, they are definitely above average in cost
If Acapulco was in it's hay days like it was in the 50 60 70 and part of the 80's with Hollywood stars and actors Acapulco would clearly beat Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta
One important thing that you didn’t mention was the food and people. Local food in Mazatlan is way better and their people are great. “Aquí hasta un pobre se siente millonario”. “ here even poor people live like a millionaire”😂😂
3000-4000 USD p.m. for an apartment in Puerto Vallarta?? You must have looked at the most luxurious apartments aimed at gringos. Not even in Sayulita a reasonably comfortable apartment costs that much. You can get a reasonable apartment for under 1000 USD. But certainly Mazatlan is more economical (far under 1000 is more than possible).
no these are really the prices in PV now in 2023, just do the exchange rate and you will see, in Fluvial and Versailles rents are between 40 000 pesos to 50 000 pesos, its getting more expensive than Florida
In inmuebles24 I can find various 2 bedroom apartments between 20'000 and 30'000 MXN and some below. Looking outside of the internet I'm sure you can also find cheaper. But of course it depends what you are looking for. If you want all your luxuries and space from up north (120m2 + incl. AC, dishwasher, carport...), pool and this being in the best zones right at the beach or with sea view and only through a realtor, then you are gonna pay...
Almost no Mexicans can afford anything near those prices - that's 5 to 10 times what rent is in nice Mexican neighborhoods in normal Mexican cities. If you go to a town that caters to immigrants from the USA, you will have to pay close to USA prices - in this case, prices that many (if not most) people in the USA can't afford, either. If you choose to live in one of the modern cities like Guadalajara or Merida or Oaxaca, the prices will be lower and the life will be more interesting. You'll need to learn some basic Spanish, though, and will definitely need to know how to be courteous in the customary Mexican way.
Ive got a few videos specifically on apartment prices such as this one in PV ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mMr4nh4Bo6I.html Feel free to check them out
