Photo courtesy of Bill MacKenzie
- Bill MacKenzie is retired and lives between Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and Omaha, Nebraska.
- MacKenzie said the cost of living between Mexico and Nebraska is similar.
- He added there is a lively American and LGBTQ+ community in Puerto Vallarta.
Bill MacKenzie said he gets the best of both worlds in his retirement: time in Mexico and time in the US.
MacKenzie, 67, owns a condo in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, with his husband, Darin Templeton. Together they spend about half of the year in Puerto Vallarta and the other half in Omaha, where they also own a house.
MacKenzie, who retired in 2018 after a 36-year career as a lawyer, said retirement in Mexico is fantastic: He loves the climate, food, vibrant retirement scene, and local community.
He said life in Puerto Vallarta is like having San Diego-type climate but with Omaha real estate prices, where the typical home value is $279,760, according to Zillow.
MacKenzie and his husband are among many Americans who have flocked to Mexico for retirement. According to data from the Social Security Administration, 34,000 retired American workers lived in Mexico as of December.
"We maintain legal residency in Omaha, though I feel my heart belongs to Mexico," MacKenzie said, adding that he and Templeton are considering applying to become Mexican residents.
Following a dream of retiring outside Nebraska
MacKenzie said he always had dreams of retiring outside Nebraska.
He was born and raised in Omaha, where he earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Creighton University.
"It was always a consideration, and always at the back of my head that I'd like to move somewhere with better weather," MacKenzie said. "I don't like shoveling snow and scraping ice."
After law school, MacKenzie worked as an attorney for the Sarpy County Attorney's Office, a small county neighboring Omaha.
He said retiring outside the state was more of a dream than a reality. That was until he met Templeton — similarly from Nebraska — who shared aspirations of retiring out of the state.
MacKenzie and Templeton married in 2010 in Council Bluffs, Iowa, just east of their home in Omaha. Iowa enacted same-sex marriage in 2009, while Nebraska didn't allow same-sex marriage until the 2015 Supreme Court ruling.
Courtesy of Bill MacKenzie
MacKenzie had a high school friend who lived in Puerto Vallarta and had been asking him to visit. In 2011, the couple visited and fell in love with life near the Pacific Ocean.
"That was our first visit, and we just loved it," MacKenzie said. "We made immediate plans to go back for another vacation."
MacKenzie said he thought carefully about the prospects of moving outside the US and also considered other states for retirement. He and Templeton visited California, Florida, Texas, and Arizona but couldn't find a neighborhood that suited their tastes and budget.
For example, parts of Florida did not feel safe and accepting enough for them, while parts of Southern California felt too expensive.
MacKenzie said it was important to visit Mexico and become accustomed to the lifestyle before committing to buying a condo there.
In fact, they vacationed in Puerto Vallarta multiple times over six years before purchasing a condo in 2017. MacKenzie said they would tour properties each visit, trying to find the ideal spot.
Courtesy of Bill MacKenzie
MacKenzie retired from the Sarpy County Attorney's Office at age 60. Since he worked for the state of Nebraska for over 30 years, he said his retirement pension was stable and invested well over time.
He began collecting Social Security at 62, the earliest age possible.
Navigating healthcare in Mexico
MacKenzie said the climate and cultural scene were the main factors driving his and his husband's decision to retire part-time in Mexico.
Mackenzie also said there is a lively American and LGBTQ+ community.
He said it feels like "there are more gay bars and clubs" in Puerto Vallarta than in Manhattan, adding that Puerto Vallarta is considered a top LGBTQ+ destination in Latin America.
"Most of all, we fell for the warm and generous people who make the city what it is," MacKenzie said.
Courtesy of Bill MacKenzie
MacKenzie said the cost of living between Mexico and Nebraska is surprisingly similar, but he does notice some differences.
For example, he said products like shampoo, soap, and toothpaste are half the cost in Mexico compared to the US. Additionally, he said the quality and freshness of produce in Mexico are better than in Nebraska.
MacKenzie said they decided not to have a car in Puerto Vallarta and wanted to live within walking distance of grocery stores and restaurants, which reduces their expenses.
Courtesy of Bill MacKenzie
MacKenzie said Puerto Vallarta has an active foreign population, and his condo complex has residents from Canada, Australia, Panama, and more.
Beyond the social retirement scene, MacKenzie said he has been pleased with healthcare options in Mexico. He has Medicare but can only use it in the US, so he purchases travel insurance to have coverage while in Mexico.
MacKenzie said he and his husband have both had gallbladder flare-ups that required emergency surgery in Puerto Vallarta. He said he paid upfront with credit cards and was reimbursed for about two-thirds of the costs through travel insurance.
He said the essential part is being prepared with insurance.
"It's lots of paperwork, but it works," MacKenzie said. "Like any insurance, you are purchasing peace of mind."
MacKenzie and Templeton frequently travel between the US and Mexico, making airplane tickets their largest expense. Yet, MacKenzie said they strategize and buy tickets in advance, mitigating costs.
He said having a foot in American suburbia and a foot in Mexico gives him a happy retirement.
Are you an American who retired abroad? Reach out at jtowfighi@businessinsider.com