Pros & Cons of Living in San Miguel
Pros: Weather; architecture; activities; people; cost of living; availability of Costco, Home Depot, Office Depot; healthcare; cultural differences to explore
Cons: Language; cultural differences to deal with
For an objective view of San Miguel try en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Miguel_de_Allende
Travel + Leisure's 2010 World's Best Awards
San Miguel de Allende, Voted Best City in Mexico/Latin America & 4th Best City in the World
Condé Nast Traveler 2010 Reader´s Choice
San Miguel de Allende, Voted 5th Best City in the Americas
VOGUE
Vogue Travel Destination of the Month
Setting your Objectives
There are many web and print sources to help you set your objectives for living in San Miguel. Here are some questions to think about and some references to help you find your answers.
Q 1. Do you want to live outside your country…part time or full time?
Expert Expat Revised
See: expat-blog.com/en/destination/north-america/mexico/san-miguel-de-allende/
Q 2. Do you want to live in Mexico?
Live Better South of the Border
The Plain Truth about Living in Mexico
Q. 3 Do you want to live in San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende: A Place in the Heart: Expatriates Find Themselves Living in Mexico (2010)
Living in San Miguel (2005)
amazon.com/Living-in-San-Miguel/dp/0976580519/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1297462142&sr=1-3
Falling….in Love with San Miguel
Check our full list of Books about San Miguel
Check the local websites listed at San Miguel Websites and the national and international at National or International Websites
Activities
There is plenty to do in San Miguel
Careers
There is a growing number of residents in the 20-40 range who have established careers in San Miguel, either starting a business here or working for a US company via telecommuting. In general finding a job here is difficult, especially if one is not bilingual. For most paying jobs you will need to get a work visa added to your FM2 or FM3. Many retirees keep busy with their participation in the many NGOs and Charities that operate here.
For learning, see littleschoolssma.com
Legal, Immigration & Moving
Legal Guides: igib.com, mexicanlaws.com
For immigration, check out mexperience.com/liveandwork/immigration-mexico.php
For moving your household, try smaeyes.com/movers.htm or movers.com.mx/international/international-moving-san-miguel-de-allende.php
Taxes
US Citizens are subject to Federal Income Taxes on global income, with some exclusions for non-residents meeting some specific conditions. See irs.gov/publications/p54/index.html (Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad) and Form 2555 (Foreign Earned Income). If you rent your home here in SMA refer to Publication 527 (Residential Rental property). If you pay taxes in Mexico see Publication 514 (Foreign Tax Credit for Individuals).
If you own or have authority over a foreign financial account, including a bank account, brokerage account, mutual fund, unit trust, or other types of financial accounts, you may be required to report the account yearly to the Internal Revenue Service. See irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=148849,00.html
For Mexican taxes see your local accountant or financial advisor. See Accountants in San Miguel