Mexico

Mexico answers several needs at once: Mexico City for work and doctors, Guadalajara and Mérida for a calmer version, the coasts for year-round holiday weather. Living costs less than in the United States next door, though rent in tourist towns has long been quoted in dollars. The central highlands keep a mild spring all year, while the coasts bring heat and a rainy season from summer into autumn. Visa-free entry and a long permitted stay make the start easy; the harder parts are Spanish, uneven neighbourhoods and the paperwork of legalising a stay.