Querétaro, Mexico: Retirement, Cost of Living & Lifestyle Info

Mexico’s Colonial Highlands has long been a popular area with both expats and tourists. The expat havens of San Miguel de Allende and, to a lesser extent, Guanajuato—both located in the state of Guanajuato—have been attracting a foreign population for 60 years or more. They are easily among the best-known expat destinations in Mexico.

But they’re not the only options in the Colonial Highlands. For gracious, big-city living, Mexico style, it’s hard to beat Querétaro, capital of the neighboring state of Querétaro. This city—which has a population of about 1.1 million in the greater metropolitan area—has one of the highest qualities of life in Mexico. It’s also considered one of the safest cities in the country.

 Querétaro has it all: a lovely, well-preserved historic center (which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996); modern shops and malls; excellent medical facilities; concert halls, museums, and other cultural outlets; universities galore; and a strong local economy. If you’re looking for a sophisticated, yet genuinely Mexican destination, look no further than Querétaro.

Queretaro is one of the smallest Mexican states and offers a range of gorgeous landscapes, including valleys, vineyards, and charming architecture like churches, museums, and colonial buildings that preserve the area’s traditions.

The capital city is Santiago de Queretaro, known simply as Queretaro. Querétaro (official name: Santiago de Querétaro) is well known among Mexicans. Founded by the Spanish in 1531, it was one of the most important cities in Mexico during the colonial period. But for today’s Mexicans, Querétaro is one of their “cradles of liberty”: The city played an early role in Mexico’s fight for independence from Spain, it later served as Mexico’s capital at several points in the country’s history, and all of Mexico’s constitutions (including the current one, signed in 1917) were signed in Querétaro.

This history has left Querétaro with a wealth of beautiful, mostly baroque-style buildings that lend a grace and grandeur to the central city. Today these buildings house government offices, churches, museums, and other public services.

For all these reasons, as well as Querétaro’s many modern amenities, the city is a popular tourist destination among Mexicans. But relatively few foreigners know much about Querétaro. And that’s a shame.

The city’s beautiful, well-preserved historic center is home to restaurants, cafés, markets, and shops. Stroll the shady, tree-lined Plaza de Armas and the streets near it, and you could almost think you were in Europe.The centro’s wealth of Spanish-colonial buildings also includes many homes. Colorfully painted, flat-fronted buildings line the flagstone streets. Their front doors open to gracious halls and living rooms with high ceilings and ancient wooden beams…but often with modern furniture and amenities, as well. And all within easy walking distance of the centro’s shops.

Outside the center are modern neighborhoods, including a number on the outskirts that offer U.S.-style housing, with garages and front yards. They serve Querétaro’s large middle class and the many professionals who have moved here over the last 20 years. Querétaro has grown tremendously during that time, as many Mexico City companies moved their offices here. (The city is just a two-hours’ drive north of Mexico City.) Other industries have moved or grown up here, as well. Today Querétaro is important in the automotive industry, aerospace, food processing, and several other sectors.

To attract this growth, the city has invested in infrastructure, public services, park spaces, and cultural and sports facilities…all of which have helped make Querétaro a pleasant place to live. Major shopping malls on the outskirts, with stores from around the world, mean that you can find just about anything you’d want, whether its goodies from back home in Canada or the U.S., high-end electronics, first-run movies (in English, with Spanish subtitles), or gourmet food items from Europe and Asia.

For medical care, Querétaro offers a choice of numerous hospitals. These include both public and private hospitals, specialty units, and hospitals affiliated with the respected Angeles and Star Médica private hospital chains. You’ll also find many private clinics and doctors’ and dentists’ offices. (In fact, many expats in San Miguel de Allende, which is just an hour away, come to Querétaro for their specialty healthcare.) Medical services here—as elsewhere in Mexico—tend to run a quarter to a half of U.S. costs.

The FM-T visa, also called a standard tourist visa, is free and lasts for six months without further extensions. For stays longer than 90 days, seek permission to do so. In short, if you decide to move to or retire in Queretaro, Mexico, you’ll need to apply for a Mexican visa. To apply for a visa at a Mexican consulate or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, download and fill out an application form, submit passport photographs, and pay an administration fee.

As in any city you visit or call home, use common sense and you’ll be fine. For example, to be safe in Queretaro, keep personal items close and avoid attracting unwanted attention by dressing casually. Don’t carry more money than necessary.Queretaro has a low crime rate, but car robberies do happen. As a result, it has a strong police presence.