The coolest businesses to make everyday life in Mexico easier — A guide for foreigners

A couple of weeks ago I presented a list of businesses I wished people would start in Mexico. A few people took it more seriously than it was meant, but I had a good laugh, and that’s the important thing, right? Writing to entertain myself?

Anyway, while I wait for someone to re-invent or franchise the apparently toxic Yankee Candle Company, I thought I’d take some time to talk about cool businesses that are already here. Most of these are places that you might not hear about until you’re actually here. They don’t have websites, though some might have Facebook or Instagram if they’re fancy.

But when it comes to serving the masses, you don’t need to be fancy; you just need to be good, accessible and reliable. Hit that trifecta, and you’ll always have work!

Without further ado, here are a few of the businesses that I really appreciate in Mexico:

The best businesses in Mexico

Copy shops-cum-internet cafes

When I first came to Mexico in 2002, it was rare for people to have internet access in their homes, and home computers weren’t all that common. But instant messaging and e-mail were also all the rage, so if you wanted to use it, the internet café was the place. Per hour rates were cheap, and you could have cheap copies made and things printed, too! Nowadays the computer-use side of these businesses is no longer booming.

Thankfully for them, the copious amount of copies and printed-out documents one needs to get things done around here are keeping them in business. There’s a copy shop around the corner from where I live, and I use them at least once a month! Related to this business are places that make lonas, or those vinyl plastic signs. They can help with designs or you can take your own, and they’re relatively cheap.

Beauty services

If you like manicures, pedicures, hair and facial treatments and “reductive massages,” then you’re in luck in Mexico! Prices for these services are in accordance with the local economy, so they’ll vary from place to place. Depending on where you are, there’s quite a lot to do — or have done! In my city of Xalapa, you can practically throw a rock and hit a nail salon. There are plenty of places too to get mink lashes and even botox and similar services. Having a lot to choose from is certainly nice for customers, but the market isn’t as oversaturated as you’d think. Every places seems to have a pretty good, stable business!

Really fresh food

If you’ve lived in a Mexican town or city, you’ve no doubt noticed all the chicken. When I first arrived, it struck me as odd and unsanitary, but now it seems unnatural to buy it refrigerated at the store.

Do not ask me about the logistics here; I really don’t know how they do it, but I’m impressed. All I know is that for the first several hours of daylight, you can find people selling chicken on the sidewalk. In my own city, they typically just have a little table, a chair and an umbrella. People arrive and buy their chicken parts for lunch, nice and fresh!

Grocery store chicken, at least around here, is considered far inferior in quality and taste.
Another thing you can get fresh? Well, just about anything: Fresh cut fruit, freshly baked bread, homemade ice cream. While freshness is considered a premium where I’m from, here it’s par for the course.

Meal delivery systems with dieticians 

Now, this is a premium service, but it deserves to be. It is not uncommon in Mexico for people to visit nutritionists to get specialized meal plans. In bigger cities, you can also find meal delivery systems attached! I’ve used these services before, and while they’re not cheap, they’re also not a great deal more than one might spend on groceries to prepare food for yourself. Since I personally hate cooking and food preparation, these have been a godsend to me. Whether you want to adjust your weight or simply hate to cook, they’re great!

Private trash and recycling pickup 

Trash is one of those things that you don’t really think about until you have to think about it. The most organized municipalities handle it seamlessly and predictably: It becomes as certain as the rising sun.

For the rest of us, private trash collectors fill in the blanks. For a few pesos — well, depending on how much trash you have — they’ll cart it away. What do they do with it? The answer varies from place to place. They do recycle what they can, though, so if you’re able, separate the recyclables into different bags.

Construction, gardening, painting, electricity and plumbing 

These essential services mostly fall under the “I know a guy” category. Unfortunately, they’re not always that easy to find if they’ve got no online presence. In any case, most Mexicans aren’t comfortable inviting someone into their homes without a reference. If you need any type of service done, the place to start is with your friend group. Who do they recommend? Who does good work and what were their experiences? Once you’ve got some good personal recommendations, shoot off a WhatsApp message. So fast, so simple.

These are all obviously only a fraction of some of the great businesses out there. What else would you add? Let us know in the comments!

Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website, sarahedevries.substack.com.