The old adage in real estate holds true in so many ways - the three most important things are location, location, and location. Not just which city and country, but where in that city would you like to live.

For those coming from wealthy countries, life in a tropical, often somewhat less wealthy, country can be a huge adjustment. It isn’t always the things you think of before that you end up struggling with. If you don’t speak the local language, for example, you always feel like a foreigner. Sure, most of the time you can get by with English, but after a while it gets exhausting feeling like a stranger in a strange land.

Where will you go to feel a little bit of home when you need it? For me, I like the electronics section as Costco or the local Best Buy. That is partly why we winter in Cancun - both are available. It might seem like a silly thing, but walking around familiar stores, looking at the same products I would look at back home, it just makes me feel comfortable. It is a relief.

There is also the issue of safety. I sigh every time a well meaning friend back home asks “isn’t that dangerous living there?” Are there dangerous parts of Cancun - yes, for sure. Is the overall crime rate higher in Cancun than back home? Yes again, at least for me. There are several cities in the US that are more dangerous, but my rural home outside of a relatively safe city in Canada is pretty quiet, for sure. But it isn’t like the whole city is under siege. There are bad parts of town, and getting local help to identify them is important. But there are also very peaceful, quiet areas. Taking reasonable steps to ensure your safety is prudent in modern times, regardless of where you live.

When it comes to choosing a location for long term travel, I strongly recommend taking your time to choose. We stayed in several cities for a few weeks to a couple of months, making sure it was right for us.

So if you are considering living abroad, think carefully on the location. When you are back home, is there something that is part of your routine that would be difficult to leave behind? Maybe you live near a lake, and need to see the water every day. Or maybe you like a lively night life or can’t imagine life without museums and culture. Maybe you need quiet. There are enough challenges to living abroad without adding to the stress by giving up a cherished routine.