Should You Move Back Home After Latin America: A Realistic Perspective

Around age 35-38, many expats face a critical decision: stay in Latin America or return home. The answer depends on 5 factors, quality of life, community depth, professional growth, family obligations, and cultural fit, not just cost of living or sunk time invested abroad.

The viral tweet is starting to appear in my feed: "moved to Mexico at 25, now I'm 38 and honestly considering moving back home." It captures a real tension that surfaces around age 35, when the novelty of abroad living fades and practical considerations emerge.

The decision to return home after building a life abroad isn't simple. It requires honest assessment of what you've gained, what you've lost, and whether the original reasons you left still matter.

The Age 35 Inflection Point

Most people don't acknowledge this, but there's a real psychological shift that happens around mid-to-late 30s. The adventure narrative that sustained you at 25 loses power. You start caring more about stability, community, and long-term positioning than about optimizing your experience day-to-day.

By 35, you've either built something meaningful abroad or you haven't. You've either integrated into local culture or you're still in the foreigner bubble. You've either found a partner or you're wondering if the dating dynamics abroad were actually working in your favor.

Many expats in Mexico City and other Latin American hubs face this exact crossroads.

Quality of Life: Honest Comparison

The decision hinges on one question: Is my quality of life better here than it would be back home?

Many expats move abroad for cost-of-living arbitrage. If you're earning US income and living in Mexico, the math is straightforward: you're winning on financial flexibility. But "better quality of life" involves factors beyond money:

• Healthcare: Can you access the medical care you need? Is it reliable?
• Community: Do you have a genuine friend group or are you still trading contact info at tourist bars?
• Professional Growth: Are you building skills and network, or optimizing for comfort?
• Cultural Fit: Do you actually like living here, or are you just tolerating it for the financial advantage?
• Family: Do you have aging parents who need you? Is that factoring into your decision?

The Sunk Cost Fallacy

Don't stay abroad just because you've already invested years here. That's the sunk cost fallacy. The question isn't "I've already been here 10 years, so I should stay." The question is "Given where I am today, what decision maximizes my next 20 years?"

It's okay to change your mind. Circumstances evolve. Your priorities shift. The fact that you moved here at 25 doesn't obligate you to stay until 65.

Practical Factors to Consider

Income and Work: Can you maintain your income stream if you move back? Remote work changes the calculus significantly. If you're location-dependent for income, that's a major constraint.

Relationship Status: Moving back with a local partner is fundamentally different than moving back alone. A marriage or serious commitment might anchor you here. Being single might make the decision easier, fewer complications to untangle.

Visa and Residency: If you have permanent residency or citizenship, you can always return. If you're on a temporary visa that requires renewal, that's another consideration. Some people stay just because they've invested in the residency process and don't want to abandon it.

Lifestyle Costs: Maybe you saved money on rent, but you're spending it on travel back home every year. Maybe healthcare is cheaper but unpredictable. Run the real numbers, not the fantasy numbers.

The Honest Reason Most People Move Back

They miss their people. They miss their parents aging. They miss having a social circle that doesn't turn over every six months. They miss stability.

If that's you, moving back makes sense. Don't dress it up in other reasons. Proximity to people you love matters.

If You Decide to Stay

Own that decision. Stop romanticizing "living abroad" and start building real life here. Get involved in your community. Stop treating your location as temporary. Invest in relationships that aren't transactional.

Explore deeper integration in cities like Tulum, Playa del Carmen, or Cancun where established expat communities exist.

If You Decide to Move Back

You won't be a failure. You'll have a unique perspective and skills that only come from extended time abroad. The adventure wasn't wasted, it was your education.

The decision to move abroad was brave. The decision to move back, when that's what serves you, is also brave.

Looking for more perspective on expat life decisions? Browse our complete expat resource library or connect with communities across Mexico and Latin America.