Retired U.S. Professor Moves to Mexico, Learns Roosters Are Expensive Alarm Clocks
KEY POINTS
- â˘In 2023, Sherry Epley left her professor job in San Francisco to retire early in Ajijic, Mexico.
- â˘She found that living costs, including rent and healthcare, were dramatically lower in Ajijic compared to San Francisco.
- â˘With her savings, Sherry is pursuing artistic dreams, from mural painting to acting and technical writing, while enjoying local cultural festivals.
Sherry Epley, a US-based professor from San Francisco, bravely quit her job in 2023 and escaped to Ajijic, Mexico, where two-bedroom rentals cost just $1,000 a monthâa third of SF's astronomical rents. She traded her $350 monthly utilities down to $110, and eating out dropped from $60 to $20, proving tacos trump avocado toast in her budget. Despite limited Spanish skills, she survived thanks to Ajijicâs widespread English speakers and got her smile fixed with $2,600 dental implants vs. $12,000 in her hometown. For medical emergencies, a $150 ER trip replaced SF's equivalent triple cost. Now Sherry spends time painting murals, writing novels, acting in plays, and attending quirky local festivals, proving financial freedom and roosters are just part of the cost of early retirement abroad.
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Moving to Mexico for early retirement sounds dreamy until you realize your emergency room visit costs less than a night out in San Francisco but comes with roosters as your new alarm system.
Who knew quitting a SF professor job and packing only two suitcases could unlock not just cheaper living but a free subscription to morning rooster concerts?
San Francisco: Come for the tech scene, stay for $12,000 dental bills. Ajijic: Where your implants cost less than Starbucks trips and roosters gossip next door.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 1/8/2026 | Author: Ivy Ge
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