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Last Updated on June 6, 2022 by Natalie

We have been living in Mexico for over three years and we are now expats in Queretaro, Mexico. Living in Queretaro has been a big change from our former city in Mexico in some ways and not a change in other ways. Life here is still pretty different from the US and I love it!  If you’re moving to Queretaro, Mexico, here’s what to expect when living as an expat in Mexico with your family.

Living in Queretaro, Mexico

One thing you can expect while living in Mexico is to expect the unexpected. I cannot stress that enough. Some days, just living here is an adventure. It hasn’t been uncommon to see cars and motorcycles going the wrong way on one way streets. In Celaya, I used to see buses and other cars running red lights every day. Instead, my current commute is filled with roundabouts. It’s an understatement to say that I don’t like roundabouts in the USA and I like them less in busy city traffic in Queretaro. Luckily, I’ve never seen anyone attempting the roundabout driving in the wrong direction.

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Please note: Querétaro is spelled correctly with an accent on the second “e”. In English, we don’t use accents, so I’ve used both the common American spelling and the correct spelling throughout the piece.

Daily life as expats in Queretaro

Though some days are a mad adventure, most days are surprisingly normal. In fact, my biggest complaint about Queretaro is the traffic. I can mostly avoid the highways and that will be where traffic is crawling or you see some crazy driving (like any freeway anywhere). However, the roundabouts I pass are quite a bit more difficult during the rush hours. Cars routinely pull out when they shouldn’t or cross in front of you when they should’ve yielded.

On a normal week day, my husband leaves early for work. We are usually waking up around the time he leaves. The kids and I do the normal getting ready for school routine and I drop them off. I like to go to the grocery store after dropping off the kids because the stores are much less busy at that time of the day. If I don’t have to grocery shop, I’ll return home and walk a few laps of my neighborhood. I see the same neighbors every morning and call out “buenos dias” to them and the security guards. After I pick up the kids from school in the afternoon, I’ll feed them and then take them swimming in our neighborhood pool.

It’s really rather normal, especially now that I’ve been living in Mexico for so long. Especially after the lock downs of 2020, I get groceries delivered as needed. I cannot take the children to the store with me and this is the easiest solution. Delivery charges vary, depending how far you live from your closest store that delivers. We pay around $2 USD for the convenience.

Are you considering moving to Mexico? Check out this incredible resource for expats moving to Mexico, Moving to Merida by Cassie Pearse! Much of the information is applicable to moving to any part of the country, even Queretaro, Mexico. I highly recommend this book to help your move to Mexico go smoothly.

Cost of living in Queretaro, Mexico

Ah, the money talk! It’s important to know what the costs will be like in your potential new home as an expat in Queretaro. We spent the previous three years in Celaya, which is in the neighboring state of Guanajuato. We expected higher prices in Querétaro and we were right. However, they aren’t much higher. These prices are accurate for the areas outside of centro like Juriquilla, El Refugio, and Jurica. El Refugio has some lovely, safe neighborhoods with lower rent, while both Jurica and Juriquilla are going to be higher.

Please note: The US dollar to peso conversion rate changes constantly. The exchanges below are subject to fluctuation and should only be considered as averages.

Rent

Rent: 20,000 pesos per month (around $1,003.51 USD)

Our house is in a gated neighborhood, which is a requirement of my husband’s company. Our house is half the size of our house in Celaya (we paid 19,000 pesos per month there, with water included), but mostly comparable to the house we sold in Ohio. We have three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a small yard. Our neighborhood amenities include a pool, workout room, and 24 hour security.

While we were house hunting, we looked at several price points. There are nice houses in gated communities for as low as 11,000 pesos per month (which is around $552 USD per month). Those neighborhoods also had a pool, workout room, and 24 hour security. We chose to pay more for a larger home, plus it’s close to my children’s school.

All gated neighborhoods have an HOA type fee. It’s typically called a maintenance fee. Our maintenance fee is included in our rent. Note that on listings, it is sometimes listed separately. In Celaya, the fee was higher, presumably because they needed a lot more security due to the problems in the state of Guanajuato.

If you want luxury, you can find it. We decided to have a smaller house with a smaller price (a decision I have regretted a little bit during the shut down!)  Larger houses will start around $28,000 pesos ($1,405 USD) and go up from there.

Utilities

Electric:  1486 pesos average for two months ($74.56)

There is no grace period for bills. If you pay past the date listed on your bill, your power will be cut off. It doesn’t matter if you’ve received the bill or not, they will cut it. Ask me how I know.

Water: 660 pesos monthly average ($33  USD)

Some neighborhoods have water included in their maintenance fee. This is not your drinking water, by the way.

Drinking Water:  86-129 pesos weekly ($4.40- 6.60 USD), though dependent on how much your household drinks

We pay this price for delivery of two garafones, just over 5 gallons each. Sometimes, we only need one per week, though usually we need three weekly.

Internet: 499 pesos ($25 USD)

Always a set price for the plan you choose.

Gas: 1100 pesos per fill up average ($55 USD)

The house gas tank needs to be filled every month to two months, depending on its size. In Celaya, we had a very large tank, so it was $2000 pesos every 6-8 weeks ($100 USD).

Total: around 3,825 pesos monthly or $191.92 USD

Groceries and Restaurants

We tend to spend more than the average American for groceries because of some of our dietary restrictions. I have celiac disease, so we do purchase a lot of gluten free foods. These are expensive in Mexico, too, though there are some local brands that have less expensive items. We probably spend between $500 USD to $600 USD on groceries for a family of four.

If you want to eat out regularly, there are so many options at many price points. We order 4-5 orders of flautas from a local restaurant for around 600 pesos (or $30 USD) and a 20 peso delivery charge through Uber Eats ($1 and that will vary). However, Uber Eats and Rappi have since added service charges to their delivery fees that make ordering far more expensive than it used to be. If possible, check if the restaurant has its own delivery service and use that instead for a better price.

Street food will cost less and there are restaurants that will cost more.

School Costs and Tips

If you have school aged children and choose to send them to school here, school costs will vary greatly. You have to send them to private schools, so this should be included in your budget. You can pay upfront or pay monthly. Higher end prices will be 7000-8000 pesos  ($350 USD to $400 USD) for primary grades and will go up from there. There are also registration fees that are usually around the same amount as one month. Our current school has a lower cost around 5100 pesos per month ($256 USD).

Additionally, many schools in Mexico require uniforms, which will have additional costs. Every school we have attended, barring our current school, has three uniforms. Regular, sports, and Friday or Gala (our first school was religious so there was a special uniform for certain religious functions). I recommend purchasing enough to get you through one week initially. We had to replace pants frequently, so I recommend buying the correct color of pants for boys at a cheaper store and foregoing the pants sold at the uniform store.

In Queretaro, we happily chose a school that didn’t require a uniform, other than a Monday shirt (for the Mexican Flag Ceremony).

About Schools in Queretaro

My children already spoke Spanish by the time I was checking out schools in Queretaro and I did prefer to look for a school with more Spanish instruction that English. However, the advantage of a bilingual school is if the parents don’t speak great Spanish, they will still be able to converse with some or most of the teachers. My current school doesn’t have many bilingual teachers, so I struggle a little with communicating.

Schools I visited and liked

Insituto Thomas Jefferson – located near El Companario

I visited this school and I have a friend who is sending her three children there. She’s very happy with it. I liked the school, but I ultimately decided on a different school that is much smaller. They are about half and half with English and Spanish instruction.

Montessori Alberi – located near El Refugio

This school was my top choice, but as they didn’t have any immediate openings, I chose a different school. I believe they had mostly Spanish instruction, which I appreciate.

Canadian School Queretaro – located near El Refugio

This was a nice school and I have a friend who sends her son there and likes it. Incidentally, her son speaks awesome English. The Candian School has a beautiful campus, plus it’s an easy drive from El Refugio. If you want a school with a lot of English instruction, it’s a good choice.

The Waldorf School – located in/near Juriquilla

This school is probably considered alternative for many people. I visited it and I thought it was very interesting. I did strongly consider it, but ultimately decided on a different school.

Schools that were recommended to me

Schools on this list are some additional options that can be checked out. I either received a recommendation about it or know someone who sends their child there. They are schools I haven’t visited, so I can’t provide my opinion.

NWL – located between Jurquilla and El Refugio

NWL is a school a friend recommended, based on recommendations from her relative about the good schools in Queretaro that are on this side of town. I ended up finding a different school I loved and thus did not pursue a visit.

International School of Queretaro – located in/near Juriquilla

This is a huge school and came well recommended. One of my friends chose this school for her son and is happy there. Another friend changed out of this school during the pandemic because the online learning wasn’t working for her children. The latter situation being unusual, of course. Getting ahold of this school was a bit challenging and by the time they responded to our inquiries, I’d already decided to go somewhere else. It’s a huge school, which gives extra options and it may work well for you.

Colegio Carol Baur – located in Juriquilla

This school has a nice sized campus and an easy drop off and pick up area. I actually drive by it regularly. I didn’t visit because once I found two schools I liked, I figured I didn’t need to add additional ones to my list.

Colegio Sunhills Valley – located in Juriquilla

Sunhills Valley is next door to Carol Bauer. Though it was one that was recommended to me, I didn’t visit for the same reason I didn’t visit Carol Bauer. Again, there is a really easy drop off and pick up area. That’s important to me, since during normal times, it’s something you do twice a day, five times per week.

Montessori Americano – located in Juriquilla

At the time that I was looking for schools, this school only went up to Kinder 3. Since my children were already in first grade, I didn’t check out this school. In 2020, they opened their 1-3 grades and I think they actually go up to grade 6. I’ve heard good things in passing, but I don’t have personal experience with it. I do believe they have more bilingual instruction, as well.

Cell Phone

I kept my US cell phone and number and that worked well for quite awhile. We are on an US based plan that covers the North American continent. I can call and text numbers in the US and Mexico (and Canada, but I currently don’t need that) without additional charges. Nearly everyone uses Whatsapp* or Telegram here (and I recommend using one of those services here in Mexico) and you can use it for to make and receive phone calls from anywhere in the world.

We use AT&T and pay around $140 per month for two phone lines. I used this exclusively for our first three years here. We did contact them before we left and told them we’d be living in Mexico for at least 3 years. We had heard of some US-based cell services that would cancel plans once they realized that the customer spent so much time out of the USA. Other expats I know have had Verizon with a similar plan, but I cannot speak to the cost or quality.

However, my kids’ new school doesn’t use Whatsapp, so I recently got a cell phone here so they can contact me if needed. I chose a pretty cheap phone that cost around 1000 pesos ($50 USD) to purchase. I use Telcel. All I need to do is go to Oxxo (a local convenience store) and recharge the phone as needed. It’s easy!

* I am personally trying to move away from Whatsapp, but it’s so widely used here that I haven’t been able to delete it yet. Telegram has become popular recently in Mexico, too, and I recommend it over Whatsapp at this point.

Water Delivery

We use the tap water here to brush our teeth and wash our vegetables (more about that a little further down). However, we don’t drink it. One wonderful thing about Mexico is water delivery! Water is delivered in 5 gallon jugs called garrafones. We currently pay 43 pesos ($2.20) per garrafon and we go through at least 2 per week (prices as of June, 2022). That’s 86 pesos ($4.40) weekly for water to be delivered right to the house. Initially, you pay a little extra to purchase the plastic part of the garrafon and this price is the weekly price after the initial cost. The garrafones are reused.

We keep 5 garrafones in our house, in case of emergency. I highly recommend keeping extra just in case, because water is so important. While in Mexico, we have lived through a gas shortage (January and February, 2019) and a lockdown due to pandemic (March and on, 2020). It is prudent to be prepared.

Other Expenses

Housekeepers/Nannies

Though it seems like an incredible dream when living in the US, it’s very common to hire a cleaning lady in Mexico. When we arrived with two kids and two big dogs, this was heavenly. Many Mexicans have their cleaning people come 6 days a week. There are still live in housekeepers available and a majority of houses had a maid’s quarters. There are always ladies looking for work and these women are absolutely amazing.

In Queretaro, I pay 400 pesos per day ($20 USD) and my cleaning lady comes twice a week. She does laundry, dishes, the floors, bathrooms, and even cleans things I wouldn’t think to do but yearly. I think this makes her more of a housekeeper. Yes, it’s as amazing as it sounds and I’m so grateful. Whenever my kids have grown out of something, I make sure to ask my housekeeper first if she wants it before I find another way to give it away. It’s also customary to give a bonus at Christmas time of at least 2 weeks salary.

Some cleaning ladies are way more than just cleaning ladies. They do all of the things listed above, help care for children, and even cook. Some families also employ multiple people.

Gardeners

Though we have had smaller yards in both of my Mexico houses, I’ve needed help maintaining the yard (typically called garden here, similar to the Spanish word jardin). In Celaya, I paid 200 pesos ($10 USD) for my yard because it had to be mowed. I really enjoyed conversing with my gardener, whom I saw weekly most of the year and biweekly in the winter.

In Queretaro, I do not have grass that needs to be mowed because most of our small yard is paved. I do have plants that need to be trimmed, so I hired a gardener. I pay my current gardener 200 pesos to do both the front and back trimming. Occasionally, I’ll ask him to come trim the front and for that, I’ve been paying him $100 pesos. The advantage is that he works as my neighborhood’s landscaper, so he isn’t making a special trip.

Other Help

It is possible to hire drivers who are in your employ and basically anyone to do services that you need. In our old neighborhood, someone had a person who washed cars and I believe drove them around as needed.

We are also fortunate to be here with my husband’s company because they provide a liaison who can help us with things we need or problems we face. It’s possible to hire them on an individual basis, as well. The company we use offers relocation services for private people, too.

Spanish Classes

If you don’t speak Spanish, you should take classes while you are here. I have been taking classes since right after we moved. My Spanish is still terrible, but I am determined to keep on trying to become fluent. My Spanish teacher charges 250 pesos  ($12.50 USD) per hour for adults and I’m going to continue my classes with her via Skype until I can find a short immersion program available in Queretaro.

Here’s a great list of the best headsets to use with online learning!

Other Things You Need to Know

Brushing Teeth

From our first trip here, we have used the water for brushing our teeth. We’ve had absolutely no problems with this. We use tap water whenever we travel, too.

Washing Fruits and Vegetables

Here’s the video on how I wash my fruits and veggies here in Mexico.

When we arrived, we were advised to use Microdyn (or a similar product, pictured above) for washing fruits and veggies before consuming. Depending on the amount of produce I have, I put it all in a bowl or the sink. Then, I add water and the Microdyn while it’s filling. I soak them for 10 minutes (follow the directions on the product you purchase) and let them air dry on a clean towel. I find it is easiest to do this step as soon as I return from the grocery store. Everything is ready to eat or cook, and I have less produce going bad for want of washing. I do plan to continue this practice upon returning to the USA.

I use regular tap water, since the product is supposed to kill 99% of germs. So far, we haven’t had any adverse reactions from this. However, I knew expats who used their water delivery water for washing produce.

Washing Dishes

I just recently got a dishwasher after three years of being without. It has changed my LIFE in a good way. However, just to note that I just use regular water and dish soap when hand washing dishes.

Washing and Drying Clothes

We have had a washer and a dryer since we moved here. However, our old house didn’t have a vent for the gas dryer, so we didn’t use it. Our previous house had a wonderful set up for hanging clothes out to dry. Given the dry climate in Queretaro, they usually dried within a few hours.

Our current house does have the gas vent, so we have switched back to using the dryer. I like having it during the rainy season (typically late May-October), but I miss my clotheslines. Clothes came out “crispy” and smelling great.

I also recommend getting Zote or Vanish bar soaps for stains and for white clothes. They really work!

Buying Clothes and Shoes in Mexico

Malls are still really popular in Mexico, so going to the mall is a regular thing to do. There are great stores to buy clothing. In addition to American brand stores, there are also several European brand stores, like Sfera (from Spain). I also love the clothing in Costco and Walmart. It can be difficult finding clothes that fit bigger bodies, even for kids. Both Walmart and Costco carry a wide range of sizes.

I have large feet that are also wide, so it’s actually difficult for me to find nice shoes in my size. I’ve only seen women’s sizes up to size 9. I typically order shoes online to be delivered just before I arrive to the USA, so I can return them if they don’t fit. I also purchased several pairs of shoes before moving. If you have feet that are a bit large, wider, or narrower than the norm, I recommend buying a few extra pairs of shoes before moving just in case you can’t find any that fit properly.

For the kids, I have been able to find shoes to fit them. Sometimes, they will be a bit wonky. One pair of my son’s shoes had really short velcro straps. They fit, but they looked strange. Luckily, little kids don’t care. They just want comfortable shoes.

Kids Are Welcome

One of my favorite general things about Mexico is that kids are generally welcome everywhere. Malls have play areas, as well as party/play venues to take kids. Many restaurants also have a play area for kids and usually, they have a few people on staff to watch them (please tip when you leave!) If your kids are acting like, well, human beings with feelings that may come out at inappropriate times, people don’t typically give you The Look. You know the one. The one where they expect you to keep your children acting more perfect than any adult could ever act.

Driving In Mexico: Driver’s License

Mexico and the USA have reciprocity for driver’s licenses. That means that you can go to the equivalent of the DMV here with your US license and get a Mexico driver’s license without taking an additional written or driving test. My translator helped me through the process, which took about 2 hours (mostly waiting), and I left with my driver’s license.

You have the option of leaving off your home address and that’s a good idea here.

Please note: I’ve seen this topic touched in online expat groups and sometimes, people have to take a driver’s test in order to receive their license here in Mexico. Be prepared to have to take the test, as it has happened to several expats.

Driving in Mexico: Always Take the Cuotas (Tollroads)

I advise when traveling outside of the city of Queretaro that expats always take the cuotas (toll roads). Within the city and even the state of Queretaro, the libres (freeways) are okay, but they aren’t usually a good idea in other states. This means that road trips will cost more and it’s well worth it. Additionally, expats should always plan to do day driving. In the US, I’ve done plenty of overnight road trips or very early morning driving. I do recommend against it in Mexico. Most likely nothing is going to happen, but highway robberies are actually a thing here and these two small steps can further minimize the risk.

Additionally, we try to avoid longer trips in the dark whenever possible. One of our expat friends was driving to work early one more while it was still dark. He ran almost full speed into a parked semi truck who was stopped on the highway and in a driving lane without any lights on. Our expat friend was okay, thankfully, though his car was totaled. The truck took off quickly after the impact. After this incident, my husband bought a dashcam at his own expense.

Doctor’s Visits

A doctor’s visit will run between 600 and 1000 pesos on average (accurate as of 2022). It will be paid in cash and they don’t accept insurance. You can ask for a receipt (specify that it’s not for tax purposes or there is an additional charge) and you can send it in to your insurance company yourself.

Hospitals work the same way. You’ll pay out of pocket for your expenses and your insurance company will reimburse you. It is a good idea to have savings on hand for emergencies. You will be expected to pay your entire bill before leaving the hospital.

Most doctor’s offices have later hours than you’ll find in the USA. They will start seeing patients in their offices around 10 or 11 am until 7 pm. There will be a lunch break around 1 or 2 pm. This is because any surgeries they have are scheduled in the mornings. Alternatively, I’ve popped into Walmart to see the doctor there early in the mornings. It costs around 40-50 pesos for this visit. You can pick up any medications you need at the pharmacy right away.

Weather

Central Mexico has one of the most agreeable climates I’ve experienced. The humidity is always low and I think there are 360 days of sunshine yearly. The hot season is in April and May, when daytime temperatures will be around 93° F (33° to 34° C). Nighttime temperatures will stay in the 70° F range (21° C).

The winter tends to be December and January, with a little bit extending from mid-late November to mid-February. In wintertime, the  daytime temperatures will still often get up to 80° F (26° to 27° C), but the night time temperatures can drop into the upper-30s (around 3° C), though it’s usually warmed up to at least 50° F by the time the sun rises (10° C). The rest of the year varies tends to to be somewhere between those extremes.

Rainy season starts as early as May and continues as late as October. The most rain comes between June and August. Be aware that driving during and after heavy rain is especially dangerous here because the roads aren’t designed for the rainfall to run off the roads. There can be dangerous conditions that cause hydroplaning where you shouldn’t and giant puddles that last for a day or two after a rainfall. Storms can be quite intense. However, the humidity seems to stay low even while it’s actually raining. It’s quite amazing.

What Advice Would I Give to Someone Moving to Queretaro?

What advice would I give to someone moving to Queretaro, Mexico? Start learning Spanish before moving here. I didn’t have any background in Spanish on which to draw and I wasn’t able to formally start learning until I arrived. While I initially picked it up quickly, as I progressed, my fluency stalled quite a bit. I think it would’ve been better to have some language before arriving and then work on fluency. My biggest problem is being able to understand what is said to me. Duolingo is great once you have some basics. I also recommend listening to Spanish language music as much as possible.

Another piece of advice I’d give to someone planning to move to Queretaro is to join online expat groups before arriving. You can ask questions and get resources before you even move here. I was dropped into the middle of a small expat group made up mostly of the families of people from my husband’s company and their guidance helped immensely. They were also all people I’d very likely never have met even having come from the same general area, because we were all so different. I wasn’t expecting that community but having those initial contacts even before we moved helped our transition. As Queretaro is much bigger, there is a larger expat community.

However, in Queretaro, I haven’t had the need to seek out expats as much since I am not brand new to Mexico. It hasn’t been as easy to meet other expats, given that Queretaro is huge and everyone is spread all over, even the remaining expats from my husband’s company.

Questions I Asked Before Arriving

Before I came, I emailed a few other female expats who were here through my husband’s company. One question I asked them all was, “What do I need to know about life in Mexico but I wouldn’t know to ask?” The answers were varied and interesting.

One woman wished she had brought more of her normal baking tools (like her kitchen aid mixer, because she used it a lot at home). Her husband wished he’d brought tools, because he couldn’t fix anything without hiring someone. Another woman told me to bring lamps because she couldn’t find them here. Which is odd, because that is one thing I haven’t had a problem finding. The same woman said that if you see something you want, you should buy it right away because often once it’s gone, it’s gone. I have found the latter statement to be true on some items.

Even though getting clothing fixed (like sewing holes and such), I wish I’d brought a sewing machine. I haven’t found a person who sews in Queretaro yet and I have been hand sewing all the ripped seams we have.

Check out some of the quirky things about living in Mexico if you are considering moving here.

Queretaro House Tour (Video)

I made a house tour video so you can see what my house in Queretaro is like!

Final Thoughts

We are able to keep our regular monthly expenditures around $2000 USD. As I mentioned above, the exchange rate always fluctuates, so sometimes it’s favorable and other times, it isn’t. This amount doesn’t include clothing or vacations. Currently, we choose to travel to the US twice a year, which is quite costly. However, one advantage is that we can drive to the beaches in Puerto Vallarta in around 9 hours or fly to Cancun and spend a week at an all inclusive resort for an affordable price. Beach destinations Troncones and Ixtapa are around 5 to 5.5 hours driving from Queretaro (though use common sense due to the violence levels of the states of Guerrero and Michoacan).

You can live comfortably in Mexico with an average budget for an American family. It’s also possible to live quite luxuriously for only a little bit extra. Another huge advantage is that even while living in a large city, we are able to save money. We chose a less expensive house to rent, so that we could save more money for vacations and other things.

Do you have feedback or questions about living in Queretaro, Mexico? The best feedback comes from readers. Please leave a comment. Thank you!

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