XPATIC/Mexico
Marketing to English-speaking residents in Mexico
Mexico holds the largest American expat population anywhere, by a very wide margin. Around a quarter of all US citizens living abroad are here, alongside a substantial Canadian population.
The biggest expat market, and the least contested
United Nations migration data puts the US-born population of Mexico at over 800,000, comfortably the largest concentration of American expatriates in the world and roughly a quarter of the global total. Canadian numbers are substantial on top of that, and rising.
It is also clustered, which makes it reachable. Lake Chapala and Ajijic, San Miguel de Allende, Puerto Vallarta, Playa del Carmen, Merida, Los Cabos and the Baja peninsula each carry dense, established English-speaking communities.
What is almost entirely absent is anyone advertising to them with nationality targeting. The local market advertises in Spanish to Mexicans, and the expat market runs on Facebook groups and word of mouth.
US-born residents, the largest expat population anywhere
Concentrated in a handful of well-defined communities
Almost no organised paid competition for this audience
Where the communities are
Mexico's expat population is not spread evenly. It sits in specific places, which makes targeting unusually efficient.
Ajijic and Chapala
One of the oldest and densest American and Canadian retiree communities in the world.
San Miguel de Allende
Affluent, cultural, long-established, with high disposable income and strong service demand.
Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos
Large seasonal and permanent populations, heavy property ownership.
Playa del Carmen and Tulum
Younger, more international, growing fast and more transient.
Mérida and the coast
Rapid recent growth, particularly among Americans relocating permanently.
Ensenada to La Paz
Heavily Californian, much of it cross-border and part-year.
What this audience actually needs
Americans abroad face a tax situation almost no other nationality does: the United States taxes its citizens on worldwide income regardless of where they live. That creates a permanent, unavoidable demand for cross-border tax help that does not exist for British or Canadian expats to the same degree.
On top of that sits the standard expat list. Property purchase under Mexican rules, healthcare decisions, residency and visa status, estate planning across two countries, currency, and insurance written for a foreign national.
Healthcare is worth calling out separately. A significant share of this population moved partly because of US healthcare costs, which makes private medical and dental unusually strong verticals here.
How a Mexico campaign gets built
- Community by communityAjijic and Playa del Carmen are different audiences with different ages, budgets and needs. National targeting wastes most of the budget.
- English-language creativeThe separation from the domestic Mexican market is largely done by the language of the ad itself, which is unusually clean here.
- Nationality layered on topAmerican and Canadian audiences respond differently and face different tax and healthcare situations.
- Qualifying before contact detailsResidency status and whether they own or rent asked early, because tourists are a large share of traffic in these areas.
- Checked and delivered fastNumbers and emails checked as the lead comes in, repeat enquiries flagged and never charged twice, delivered in seconds.
Questions businesses in Mexico ask
Is the expat market really that large?
Larger than most people expect. UN migration data puts US-born residents at over 800,000, about a quarter of all Americans living abroad, and Canadian numbers add significantly on top. It is the biggest expat market we work in by population.
How do you separate expats from tourists?
Partly through targeting, partly through the funnel. Residency and whether someone owns or rents are among the first qualifying questions, which matters a great deal in places like Playa del Carmen where tourist traffic is enormous.
Do I need Spanish-language advertising too?
Only if you also want the domestic Mexican market, which is a separate campaign. For the expat audience, English-language creative is itself most of the targeting.
Which community should I start with?
Depends on what you sell. Lake Chapala and San Miguel skew older, settled and affluent, which suits healthcare, legal and financial services. The Riviera Maya skews younger and more transient, which suits property, relocation and lifestyle services.
Is anyone else advertising to this audience?
Very little in any organised way. Most of this market still runs on Facebook groups and personal recommendation, which means paid acquisition faces unusually little competition.
See what Mexico looks like for your business
A few questions about what you do and which communities you serve, then a call to work through the audience and what leads are likely to cost.
hello@xpatic.com