Why You Should Consider Tlaquepaque (Near Guadalajara) as an Aspiring Expat
A moment of grace on a bus to Tlaquepaque: Two students sing “Lobo Hombre en Paris” by La Union (link).
Last updated October, 2023
To understand the viability of Tlaquepaque as a place to launch your exploration of Mexico from, you need to understand a little about Guadalajara, as Tlaquepaque has been folded in to its greater metropolitan area. Tlaquepaque lies between urban Guadalajara and nearby towns such as Lake Chapala and Ajijic.
Check out any expat forum on Guadalajara, and you will find little other than rave reviews from Mexicans and foreigners alike. Safe, buzzing, affordable, and a perfect mix of the modern and traditional Mexico, Guadalajara is a dream come true for the urban expat/foreign resident. If you are a big city person thinking about moving to Mexico to save money, Guadalajara is your only choice. Mexico City has become expensive. Monterrey caters more to commerce, and frankly isn’t a pretty city.
Many American expats eventually choose to live in nearby Ajijic and Lake Chapala where they can easily find the company of fellow expats, usually in gated communities. No doubt, these areas are lovely for those seeking tranquility and the linguistic fellowship that most expats needs to some degree.
If you’re not sure if you’re ready to give up city life, but are intimidated by the prospect of living in a city as large as Guadalajara (eight million people), a great option might be Tlaquepaque, which lies about only half-hour south of downtown Guadalajara in the direction of Guadalajara International airport and further to the south, but nearer to Guadalajara than Lake Chapala/Ajijic.
From Tlaquepaque you can springboard between Guadalajara and the more expat-dominated communities around Lake Chapala. A rental house or apartment near Tlaquepaque’s El Centro area could be the ideal place to spend few months while determining what type of Mexico experience you really want; big city or expat community. Rents in Tlaquepaque are less than Guadalajara proper and the local language school can often assist in finding lodging.
The Moovit app gives bus, walking and public transportation. I took a bus from the Zapopan neighborhood of Guadalajara to Tlaquepaque and it took about 30 minutes. Of course Uber and taxis will get you there too.
Features of Tlaquepaque
Fascinating performance art - the haunted look of a Mexican peasant.
Downtown Tlaquepaque is a crisscross of streets and plazas, crowded with bars, restaurants, and art stores. The main street is Independencia. The Prolongación 20 de Noviembre Avenue is the city’s main axis point.
A major landmark of Tlaquepaque is the Jardin Hidalgo, the largest plaza flanked by two churches on Independencia, and the Parian, 199 Calle Juarez, which is a block of restaurants and bars known for mariachi music.
You could easily pass whole days just people watching from these plazas, festooned with multi-colored bunting flags. Street performances, mariachi bands, and row after row of artisanal vendors (pottery and artisanal glass are its best-known) line the cobbled streets. Save your appetite for the roasted corn and street food (especially the sopapillas!)
I was struck by the level of safety I felt roaming the plazas of Tlaquepaque. Families, single women, and older people don’t hesitate walking around El Centro at night (like the señoras who helped redirect me to the appropriate bus stop for my return to the city one night). The biggest danger you’ll encounter in Centro Histórico is stumbling from gawking. The biggest challenge will be pronouncing the name of the town you’re staying in (tuh-lah-keh-pah-keh) to Uber drivers.
How much Spanish do you need?
One of the first things I noticed in Guadalajara and its surrounding areas was the absence of people who were obviously American. Among the throngs of thousands upon thousands of people I have seen living here while visiting its tourist attractions, restaurants, fraccionamientos, and malls, I have picked out only a handful of my brethren, unlike smaller cities that cater to foreigners.
While that might lead you to think you need fluent Spanish to live here, you don’t. You will hear plenty of English spoken by young Mexican professionals. In Guadalajara most of them are required in their jobs to be proficient in ”the language of business”.
My AirBnB host in the city, an Irishman who has lived Guadalajara with his Mexican partner for six years, is only now taking Spanish lessons. A young graphic designer, he claims that his Mexican friends even speak English among themselves when they are out socially, to practice and he’s never really needed it.
Try out different lifestyles in Mexico
When it comes to trying out any city in Mexico, rent a room in a house through AirBnB or Home Away for a month or before renting a place on your own. Sharing a home costs a fraction of the cost of renting your own place (probably between $300-600 a month). It will be better furnished and you have someone to go to if you don’t have hot water or want to know quickly where the pharmacy is.
Americans often operate from a position of fear when deciding where to live in Mexico and end up sacrificing what they really want for the greater sense of security that communities made up largely of expats provide.
If you are now a happy big city person, don’t expect to become a happy small town person because you’re in Mexico. Spend a little time in exploring both Guadalajara and its smaller surrounding cities like Tlaquepaque before you compromise.
Related links:
Cost of living in Tlaquepaque according to Expatistan
Only 15 minutes away from Tlaquepaque you will find Tonalá, a center for glass making, pottery, and paper maché art - YouTube
Most recent:
If you are more into modern than traditional Mexican style house, take a look at these in one of Guadalajara's most affluent neighborhoods.
About the author:
Hola, I'm Kerry Baker and a partner with Ventanas Mexico and author of three books. My second book is "If Only I Had a Place.” Live luxuriously for less and learn a system of securing the best places year after year.
My third book is The Mexico Solution: Saving your money, sanity and quality of life through part-time life in Mexico.” Most recently I released a cookbook, The Lazy Expat: Healthy Recipes That Translate in Mexico, a cookbook of 150 recipes for travelers, snowbirds, and expats. In Mexico, you must cook to maintain a healthy diet. This book shows you how.