Mexico or Florida: Which One Lets You Retire at 62 on $2,500 a Month?

The retirement question posed is whether $2,500 per month at age 62 stretches further in Mexico or in Florida, with the biggest differences tied to housing, insurance, healthcare before Medicare, and residency rules. Using an exchange rate of about 17.5 pesos per $1, the article estimates $2,500 equals roughly 43,750 pesos. In mid-tier expat areas such as Mérida, Querétaro, or non-prime parts of Puerto Vallarta, a furnished one-bedroom is estimated at $685 to $1,030 monthly, with groceries around $340 and utilities near $170. That would leave roughly $900 to $1,300 for healthcare, transport, dining, and reserves. Florida’s profile is helped by having no state income tax and ranking fifth in the 2026 State Tax Competitiveness Index, but housing, rent and especially homeowners insurance are cited as budget pressures, with the pre-Medicare ACA “bridge” depending on subsidies.