>If you are in such position, have you considered it?
Yes. I actually broke into software development while living in Mexico.
Prior to that, in a tent. I realized the cost of living would be cheaper in Mexico while I worked on a full stack app (the app's ultimate purpose was simply to demo my skill during interviews). Once the app was almost done, I moved back to the US, and a couple months later landed my first 100% programming job.
>If so, what is stopping you right now?
I've spent 1.5 years now, living in Mexico-- Playa Rosarito, Bucerias, Tepic, CDMX, Tulum.
I am strongly considering moving back to the Bucerias area to explore more of the West Coast-- Mazatlan to Huatulco, for example, by scooter, since I was recently laid off.
I'm on the fence about committing to Mexico or any of Latin America for the rest of my life.
Mainly due to:
- Inconveniences: Not having drinking water available in houses-- every few days, I'd estimate 90% of people in Mexico take water jugs to fill up at a public tap-- Much as you'd see in a textbook documentary about a refugee village in rural Africa. Though perhaps with a good filtration system it's possible to purify water at home.
- The culture around Noise: People advertise in the street by shouting or playing annoying loud announcements from loudspeakers
- The culture around Pollution: using chemicals without protection or with disregard about potential impact on human health. Examples: airbnb host using pesticide (RAID brand) indoors. construction worker friends applying pesticide outside without any protective gear and without warning anyone to close their windows for 15-30 mins to avoid inhaling the airborne pesticide mist. Plus lack of waste system infrastructure means you find a lot of trash in the urban and even rural environment (people dump trash into holes in the ground along rural roads, for example, due to no landfills or trash-pickup service existing in many areas).
- Low interest in education & industriousness (though I am sure this is changing). Especially if compared to the culture around achievement in South Asia & East Asia. It makes it a bit challenging to make friends with people at similar education & career attainment levels that I'd have if I stayed in the US.
- Crime & lack of justice: the vast majority of crime goes unpunished. Vigilante justice happens. There's a general sense of lawlessness, especially when police officers & judges can be bribed.
That said, I'm still on the fence.
I prefer a society which is quiet, industrious, conscientious and well educated.
Mexico isn't quite there yet, but hopefully it'll be significantly closer to the US levels of those things in the next 2-5 decades.
It does offer: A friendly culture. Great food. Adventures.