Tiktok's viral move-to-Mexico series creator discusses her experience

Summary

Real Estate Without Borders: Tara’s Journey from Canada to Mexico

Episode Release Date: July 26, 2025

In this compelling episode of Real Estate Without Borders, host Dave welcomes Tara, a renowned influencer whose viral TikTok series chronicles her bold decision to leave Canada and relocate to Mexico. Tara shares her multifaceted journey, offering invaluable insights into international real estate investment, community building, and the personal challenges of uprooting one’s life. This detailed summary captures the essence of Tara’s experience, enriched with notable quotes and timestamps for reference.

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1. Introducing Tara and Her Background

[00:00 - 03:19]

Dave opens the episode by introducing Tara, highlighting her as a dynamic influencer who transitioned from Canada to Mexico. Tara delves into her upbringing in Toronto, her adventurous spirit, and her diverse international experiences, including time spent in Australia, backpacking across Central America, and a deep appreciation for Southeast Asia.

Tara [00:32]: "I backpacked all over in my 20s, including Mexico, which Costa Rica, Mexico, that whole region of Central America."

2. The Decision to Move to Mexico

[03:20 - 07:10]

The conversation shifts to the catalyst for Tara and her boyfriend Seb’s move to Mexico, triggered by the pandemic. Seb, a professional golfer, found it challenging to work in Canada during lockdowns, leading Tara to propose Mexico as an alternative. Despite initial skepticism, they decided to book a month-long stay in Playa del Carmen.

Tara [06:50]: "We drove from Toronto to Playa with Seb's car."

Seb’s immediate enthusiasm upon arriving in Mexico reaffirmed their decision, showcasing the allure of the region’s climate, community, and Seb’s access to multiple golf courses.

3. Building a Community in Mexico

[07:10 - 12:17]

Tara emphasizes the importance of community in their move. During COVID-19, the temporary residents in Playa del Carmen became long-term friends, fostering a tight-knit community that supported each other. The lack of transient visitors like bachelor parties during the pandemic allowed for meaningful connections among those living there for extended periods.

Tara [09:19]: "We made the best friends. Yeah, Community."

Dave echoes this sentiment, highlighting the supportive environment that helps expatriates feel at home and integrate seamlessly.

4. Navigating Safety and Misconceptions

[12:17 - 20:21]

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around safety and dispelling common misconceptions about living in Mexico. Tara and Seb recount their experiences with police interactions, emphasizing that negative headlines often overshadow the everyday safety and hospitality they encounter.

Tara [12:17]: "Never once have I felt like life threatened, right? Unsafe."

They share practical tips for dealing with traffic stops, such as carrying only necessary documents to avoid fines and understanding local dynamics with cartels, which Tara clarifies are not a direct threat to tourists in their region.

5. Raising Children in Mexico

[20:21 - 25:59]

Tara discusses the advantages and considerations of raising children in Mexico, particularly focusing on the immersive cultural and natural environment that benefits child development. She contrasts the proactive, personalized healthcare and educational experiences in Mexico with the often bureaucratic systems in Canada and the U.S.

Tara [17:35]: "I want her to grow up and think it's weird that nobody's been there or people."

Dave and other hosts share observations about the enriching experiences their children have had, such as unique educational opportunities like snorkeling excursions, underscoring the quality of life benefits.

6. Cost of Living and Financial Considerations

[25:59 - 33:00]

Addressing financial aspects, Tara highlights the significant cost-of-living savings in Mexico compared to Canada and the U.S., particularly in areas like childcare and housing. She critiques the high costs of childcare in North America and presents Mexico as a more affordable alternative without compromising quality.

Tara [19:43]: "Child care in Mexico is like $400 to $600 USD a month, compared to $50k a year in Toronto."

She also touches on real estate investments, explaining her strategy of owning properties in Canada while renting in Mexico, but expresses a strong belief in the growth potential of Mexican real estate for future full relocation.

7. Overcoming Online Negativity and Criticism

[33:00 - 40:22]

Tara candidly addresses the negative attention and online hate she receives for her lifestyle choices. Canadians and Americans often question her motives, accusing her of gentrification or betraying her roots. Tara remains resilient, emphasizing her autonomy and the genuine happiness derived from her decisions.

Tara [34:12]: "Why don't you do that too?"

She shares strategies for handling negativity, including employing assistants to manage her social media and maintaining a positive outlook despite unfounded criticisms.

8. Healthcare Insights and Comparisons

[40:22 - 48:32]

Tara provides a nuanced comparison between healthcare systems, particularly highlighting her positive experiences with Mexican healthcare during her fertility treatments and pregnancy. She contrasts the personalized and proactive care in Mexico with the often impersonal and delayed services in Canada and the U.S.

Tara [28:51]: "The doctor walked me through exactly what he saw."

Her anecdotes illustrate the tangible benefits of accessible and attentive healthcare, reinforcing the practical advantages of living in Mexico beyond just the scenic and cultural attractions.

9. Advice for Aspiring International Movers

[48:32 - End]

In the concluding segment, Tara offers empowering advice to listeners contemplating a similar move. She encourages taking proactive steps toward change, exploring various international opportunities, and not being deterred by fears or societal expectations. Tara emphasizes that improving one’s quality of life is a universal desire and achievable with determination.

Tara [42:34]: "If you are unhappy, there are changes that you can make, regardless of what that looks like for you."

Dave and Seb reinforce this message, highlighting the growing trend among younger generations to seek fulfillment beyond traditional high-cost living environments.

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Closing Thoughts

Tara’s journey encapsulates the blend of adventure, resilience, and strategic planning necessary for successful international relocation. Her honest reflections on community building, overcoming obstacles, and prioritizing personal happiness provide a roadmap for listeners considering similar paths. By sharing her experiences and insights, Tara not only inspires but also equips aspiring expatriates with practical knowledge to navigate their own cross-border endeavors.

For more insights and to follow Tara’s ongoing adventures, find her on:

• Instagram: Tara Marie Murphy
• TikTok: Team Marie Murphy

Remember to approach international relocation with thorough research and thoughtful consideration, ensuring it aligns with your personal and professional goals.

Transcript

[Dave]

All right, welcome back to another episode of Real Estate Without Borders. Today we got a special guest, someone that I've been friends with virtually for a very long time. So we have Tara, and I'll let you introduce yourself, but Tara's cool and got a really interesting story, and she's probably one of the most well known influencers who left Canada to pursue something different. I'll leave it at that, maybe, and let you cover the rest.

[Tara]

Yeah. So thanks for having me. My name is Tara. I did leave Canada. Some people love it, some people hate it, some people are mad at me, some people aren't mad at me. Depends on the day. But I mean, I grew up always kind of doing things a little different. And even when I was younger, I always had bright eyes of like Toronto. And I went on exchange in Australia. I lived in Australia for a while. I backpacked all over in my 20s, including Mexico, which Costa Rica, Mexico, that whole region of Central America. I just fell in love with Asia too. Like, Southeast Asia is my. Is my jam. But that's so far that it's not feasible for work. And so when the pandemic happened and my boyfriend golfs for a living, so he can't work in Canada all year. He was doing Florida before. So one pandemic happened and I was forced to be remote with everything that I was doing in Canada. We had it worse than, you know, a lot of other places. I kind of hinted and would drop, hey, how about Mexico, right? And at first step thought I was nuts. I think really, he's like, no, we're going to Florida. What are you talking about? I'm like, well, you know, just call the golf courses. Let's see. I love it. We went right after 2020. So we went like January 2021. I had been before many times, so I knew kind of where we're going. I love Tulum personally, but with Golf for Sev, it was like five golf courses near Playa. So we booked for a month originally. And then of course, I was like, A month? What are you talking about?

[Dan]

Right.

[Tara]

We booked for a month in one building and set one.

[Dave]

Which building, if you don't mind me asking?

[Dan]

Go ahead.

[Tara]

It's called Anna. There's like Anna developers. I think there might be them in Tulum too. But okay, there's a few. But I booked Centro because I knew I wanted to walk everywhere. I knew the area. I worked remotely because Pandemic. And Seb went to the golf course. He came home that day and I you not. He walked in the Door and said, this was the best day of my life.

[Dave]

Wow.

[Tara]

I thought, he's messing with me, being like, oh, we gotta go back. He hates it here. Someone tried to extort him on the highway.

[Dan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Tara]

And probably someone did. But no, he came back and he said, the people are so kind. The weather is so beautiful. You know, as someone for him who didn't backpack and do all that stuff, maybe lived the resort type of life.

[Dan]

Right.

[Tara]

He didn't know what to expect. And, I mean, I guess I shoved him in there, but. But.

[Dave]

So you guys came from, like, it was from Toronto. You both lived in Toronto?

[Tara]

We both were in Toronto at the time because he was in Florida before, but pandemic kind of pushed him out of Florida, and we had all those rules. So we were both in Toronto at the time. And I had been making my great escape, you know, for years even. I work in investment banking in Toronto. They know. They're like, she's leaving anytime. We don't know how long she's gonna be here.

[Dave]

Got it.

[Tara]

I've always been just kind of off and doing my own thing, and that's why people online will hate. And they'll say, well, we can't all do this. Well, it must be nice. But, I mean, I set my systems in place so that I could. It's not exactly. You go into investment banking, you get to live in Mexico.

[Dan]

Right, Right.

[Tara]

Like, it's not as if you, you know, buy properties and you will go into real estate. They assume, well, you need to build your network here. You need to be here. Like, you have Airbnbs. I have Airbnbs. Everything's remotely. I pay someone on the ground. You know, you can set it up that way. That's what I had to do. So it's not as if someone said, oh, my God, would you love to live in Mexico and work? Like, no one hands it to you.

[Dave]

Exactly. It's funny. Like. Well, to preface this, too, actually, Tara said, hey, do you want to play golf with my partner? He's a professional. And I said, absolutely not. You know, this guy is like. Like, me and Dan. I told him about this. I'm like, me and Dan are both. Both very average golfers, you can say. And I was like, yeah, no, he's gonna hate that. No, I'm kidding. He would be awesome about it. But one day, I'm gonna play with him. Okay.

[Seb]

I have a quick question, actually. Sorry, Dave, to interrupt you, but you mentioned, like, getting a lot of hate online, but I imagine, like, a lot of People also reach out to you to be like. Like, for advice. Like, what, what seems to be like the sentiment that you're getting. Like, sure, from that side and you can happy to hear more about that. But also people who want to do what you did. Like, it seems like there's a growing community of people not just in Canada wanting to leave, but like the US Wanting to leave or other places wanting to leave. Like, can you tell me a little bit about. Seems like you've built like a pretty strong community of people who want to do what you did. Like, what is that look and sound like right now?

[Tara]

Yeah. People will DM me and be like, do you have a guide? Well, maybe I should sell one, because I don't. But I mean, everybody's life and situation looks different. I'm just a big believer in everything is solvable. So I don't really like the I can't vibe in professional life and personal life. I just really don't buy it. I understand there's like privilege and limitations and things that people have that other people don't. But in my case, particularly, like, I wasn't handed anything. So it's not like I came out of the womb being like, I'm going to travel the world and make money and, you know, so when it's how there's not a blueprint for everybody. But I think the number one question I do get from nice people online that aren't mean to me, they are asking, like, how did you do it? And I usually do send voice notes and I'm happy to share because for us it was like anything else. Like we dipped our toe into Mexico. I wanted to make sure Seb liked it and that we were comfy there. At first it was only a half and half sort of situation, similar to what you're doing, Dave. And then we just thought, like, we are so much happier. And if it means a pay cut, if it means Amazon, it doesn't deliver, if it means we don't have your car. Well, we drove Seb's car from Canada.

[Dave]

You drove from, from Canada to Mexico?

[Tara]

We drove from Toronto to Playa with Seb's car. Yeah.

[Dan]

Wow.

[Tara]

So eventually he's like, I want my car. I get it. And we thought, it's a Benz, it's an older Benz, but we thought that maybe we'd have issues, no issues. And we knocked that out in like four days.

[Dave]

So that's the, that's the nice thing. I was actually gonna drive my car too, but I'm in.

[Seb]

So.

[Dave]

So you're in Playa del Carmen. Yeah, I'm in, I'm in Tulum. Just so everybody knows, if they, if they're not familiar with Mexico, we're about like realistically 30 minute drive apart up the road. It would be like Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Cancun. But yeah. What, what? I'm actually curious why, why Playa del Carmen? Was there anything about like that specific area that kind of drew. I know golf was a big thing, but was that the main driving factor?

[Tara]

So it was golf. It was proximity to the airport. Because I mean, you see, last year we were on 45 flights like last year alone.

[Dan]

Right.

[Tara]

Even I'm pregnant right now. This year we were been back and forth to the airport, myself included, like several times. So 45 minute drive to the airport, half hour if we want to go to Tulum. Five golf courses for Seb to go and train. Um, and then when we went in 20, 21, we thought, okay, let's do sometime in Playa, sometime in Tulum. And you know, Tulum, especially development, it's still being built out. You know, there is, there's kinks there that I would say like another five, 10 years and it's going to be the best place in the world. But for now, you know, just those kinks alone with the roads and infrastructure, it was just an easier place for us to land. And then we made the best friends. Yeah, Community. Because at that time, everybody was there for Covid, which meant they were there for a long time. They weren't there for a week vacation. There was no bachelor bachelorette party. So the people you met there at that time were living there for at least like month, six months. And so you really could establish a community. And we were all young because the snowbirds weren't really traveling during COVID Right. You know, with the health issues and everything, people over 50, 60 were staying put. So it was all 20s, 30s, off work or working remotely, getting stimulus.

[Dan]

Right.

[Tara]

Going to the. Everything was cheap back then.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Tara]

So we kind of just fell into. And I always tell my friends, like, well, we're gonna go to Tulum. And they're like, we will hunt you down.

[Dave]

Yeah, it's, it's that I think honestly the best thing about Mexico that I've experienced is the community. I had a friend of mine who travels a lot in the winter. She would go to Colombia, she would go to Florida, and she, she works in mortgages. And you know, there was some, like you said, there's, there's little minor issues in Tulum. As of right now. But she, she ended up staying a month longer than expected because of this like super tight knit community. Because exactly like you just said, a lot of the people that have moved there are around our age, you know, early mid-20s to like 30s, whatever. Some, a lot of my friends are having kids now in Mexico. So the kid community is growing. There's like run clubs, there's anytime you need help with anything, it's like you're a prime example. I think I reached out to you because I'm like, hey, what about, like, how do you do? What's this? Everybody's willing to give you help. Like everybody. It's such a cool community.

[Tara]

You don't understand really until you're in it. And you, I mean, same as when I lived in Australia or traveled a lot. Like, it's kind of like an underground system where you all understand each other because you're going through the same thing. And regardless of where you're from, you are like minded because why did you come to Mexico? It's different than what your family has done. It's different. So regardless of who you are, how you ended up there, whatever, you are similar because you're there together. So it really. We had. They've been our friends now, you know, and people come and go. Every season we get the same people who come back to Playa and we all met there, right? People met there. So it's really beautiful when we have our child here. We're in the US now, but like she'll be raised a big part in Mexico. The communities too. People don't understand and I don't know how to explain it to them more than what they see on the news, right? But even my own family, who knows, like she might be in Sudan tomorrow. We don't know. Like she, we don't know where she is. I was in Burma once for like three weeks and no one heard from me. And they were like, what? So they accept it from me, but people even, they still send me on the news. Cartel that cartel that you don't understand until you're living there. That maybe people online are mean to me or the news. They think it's scary. Seb and I have been to probably 19 cities in almost every region of Mexico with golf and travel and never once, and I'm saying this very clearly as a female as well, never once have I felt like life threatened, right? Unsafe. I don't put myself in dangerous situations. That's just like, you know, that has to be Asterix. I'm not like going down alleys and buying drugs, but when people ask me, do you feel safe? Like, I walk alone at night. I was pregnant there and like felt. No. The culture of the Mexican community and people is so hospitable.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Tara]

It's not, you know, such a capitalist society where it's like we're trying to be better than each other. And when we go to these golf tournaments and go and see all these other like Monterrey, Queretaro, Puebla, all these places across Mexico, we have been treated like family. Like more like family than Canadians treat or American street. So.

[Dave]

Agree.

[Seb]

I was, Yeah. I was gonna say I've been listening to my AirPods by the way, while I'm not in the studio, so. But no, I just was loving where the conversation was going. I apologize interrupt. But like, where a lot of the developed world is slowly, very slowly improving some of those. Those issues, the Western world or like the developed world is losing in those issues. And so the speed at which they get closer together is like, faster than we've ever seen before. And I think that when we talk about the context of like buying real estate, the vast majority of people think about their home as an investment. Regardless. We can't fix that. Right. You want to be buying in the. On that upswing, not on the downswing. Right. Like, I don't want to be buying get increasing my exposure to Canadian or US Real estate while those cities are crumbling.

[Dan]

Right.

[Seb]

I want to be buying in the countries that are and the cities that are building themselves up. So hearing what you're saying about community building, but also, like, it is very, you know, second world right now. And it's. But it's going to improve. The value of the property is going to grow so much in that process.

[Tara]

That time we've been there, like we could have bought a place and we have been paying rent there. So I own two properties in Canada and I bought my first property at 24 years old. I had a shit ton of student debt and everyone called me nuts. Like my family that, like, the trend is that everyone calls me nuts. Okay. So it's not new, it's not old. But I bought that property and it worked out well for me. I bought two more after that. And so I still own in Canada, but people find it interesting because we rent in Mexico.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Tara]

And that's because, you know, the Canadian properties are appreciating. I use the rental income. Great rental income. So until that, for me anyway, until that kind of shift expires and we know exactly what we want and where we want, but I'll flip those in Canada into my Mexico, like, any day. Like, name the day. I'll. I'll get rid of those in Canada and I'll buy in Mexico. So I do believe in Mexico real estate. I believe in the economy there, as I said, like, even as somebody who's having kids and if I'm confident enough to say, like, I'm gonna bring my child.

[Dave]

Yeah, there, you know, what a lifestyle for kids, though, you know, like, yeah, it's great. I have two buddies down there that have families and like, multiple kids that are, you know, under 5 years old. And I think that's another. Well, I'm glad you touched on safety because safety is. Is a huge thing. And it's like. It's funny you. What you said, you know, I'll get people that have bought and, you know, clients of mine that have bought and they're in like, the building process, so they don't have the property yet. And, you know, there'll be like 10 articles that come out of positive news, you know, and then one about something bad. And I'm like, you just actively chose to ignore the good stuff, though. And I had a post about it on TikTok the other day. Some guy literally, from New York sent me the. The one shooting that happened like six months ago in Tulum.

[Tara]

Yeah.

[Dave]

I was like, I just literally went New York shooting, And there was 42 shootings that previous day.

[Tara]

Yeah.

[Dave]

And I was like, brother, what? But so safety, you touched on the community. Touched on, which I love. What about, like, the. The, like. Like you're going to raise your kid there. And I think a lot of people are worried about, you know, the schooling systems. I don't know what your plan is, and it's maybe too personal, but, like, what are your thoughts on that in terms of raising a kid in Mexico?

[Tara]

Yeah. So, I mean, we talk about that a lot because we tried to have kids for a long time. But congrats, by the way, especially. Thank you. Especially when they're young, like 0 to 5, 0, even to 10. I feel like the exposure that we can give them in Mexico, I mean, their classroom is the beach, Their classroom is the jungle, the ocean, the communities there, whether it's Mexican, local people or expats, regardless, I feel like my child would be taken care of, safe, loved in the way that Canada. I felt like I grew up in where we were going outside to play. And like, there was. I didn't know and maybe sorry, mom, about this, but I didn't know that TV worked. She told me when I was younger, this lying. She told me that the. And my brother, that the TV is only for Disney movies. It doesn't work unless you watch Disney movies. Until I was like 10 years old.

[Dave]

You'Re telling all your buddies.

[Tara]

I didn't realize. And her MO was go play outside. Like, go in the backyard. Go play. Go do this. And at that time, like, you could leave doors unlocked. You could do. So I grew up in that Canada, and I know things have changed a lot since then, but I feel like in Mexico, you know, even now, being in Austin in the US Sometimes I'll hear a noise and be like, do I. Am I supposed to have. Be armed here? Like, do I need an alarm? Like in Mexico? I know people don't believe it, but I didn't feel like that. So.

[Dave]

So I. Two different occasions in one week, I would. I. I would go boxing in the morning, like, really early. So I would, like, tiptoe out the house not to wake up Kendall. And I'd be looking for the keys for the. For my. I just have a little dirt bike. I'd be looking for the keys, and they were in my front door. Like on the outside.

[Tara]

Yeah.

[Dave]

You know, and like, I think people. It's just different. And. And to touch on the. The kids thing, my. My buddy put his kid into school, and so I got my cat. This is my kid. But my. My buddy put his kid into school there. And on Saturdays, the kids would go into the coral reef and like, like, snorkel. And I was like, how cool is that? Like, what an opportunity for these kids, you know? Like, I don't know.

[Tara]

I mean, in schooling, there's a lot. There's a lot of schooling. There's a lot of places like Mexico City and Monterrey and Merida near us. Like, they have some of the best. And that's the safest place. You know, it's rated, like, one of the safest. It's two and a half hours away. They have amazing schools. So I don't know that we would do like a high school situation only in Playa because it's beach town. So I don't know if the infrastructure will be there by then, but, you know, for sure, Mexico will always be a part of my life, my child's life. I want her to grow up and think it's weird that nobody's been there or people.

[Dan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Tara]

You know, I want her to be bilingual. I want her to have the. She's going to speak Spanish better than I do probably by the time she's 2 years old. Also if we can touch on the cost of living and I'm just going.

[Dave]

To touch on that. You got me. Beat me to it.

[Tara]

I know people think this is crazy, but I'm in Austin now and I don't get mat leave because I'm technically self employed with everything I do. So yay for Canada that I've been paying taxes for 20 years and you're giving me zero. Zero. Not even like a little here's for your diapers.

[Dan]

Nothing crazy.

[Tara]

So. And my family is also like, I can't believe that. What do you do you mean you can't believe that?

[Dave]

Yeah, like for real.

[Tara]

If I didn't work, they'd give me money. But I am working. So anyways, moral of the story, I get zero. Like paid Matt leave. I'm gonna take some unpaid leave, but that means that I will be back to work. And Seb travels a lot. So for his schedule and we don't know like he don't doesn't know exactly what tournaments he's going to be playing until sometimes week before. So our lifestyle people think, how could you have kids? We're going to figure it out. But what I'm. My point is in Austin I looked up child care. Just even like a few hours a day or whatever. Toronto, I don't even want to talk about Toronto. Child care, it's like a second mortgage and then some. And there's.

[Dave]

I'm sure Dan can touch on that.

[Tara]

How can I put my kid on a wait list when she's not here yet? And I don't know like wait, crazy.

[Dave]

What crazy? Are you gonna. Are you looking to maybe get like a live in nanny or or.

[Tara]

So we're exploring options here in Austin and my family's here, so my mom's like, I'll come over. But again, part of my M.O. is like, you were a mom. I don't want to use you as like be grandma, don't be nanny. So I'm really conscious of like not putting her in that position. But anyways, even part time in Austin was I think $2,000 for like four hours a day where it's off site at a daycare. Crazy us, okay. We're talking us in Mexico. When we were leaving, Seb's friend at the golf course was like, oh, we're going back to the States with our kids. They're older. Please let me give you the contact of our child's caregiver nanny. She comes five days a week. She's there? I think she was there. Eight to four or nine to five. Cooks and cleans and like, does the stuff like in your home with your kid. Doesn't take them. Okay, can I just ask you how much you think the cost is for that?

[Dave]

I'm gonna. So five days a week, eight to.

[Tara]

Four comes to your house like 8ish hours a day. So full time?

[Dave]

I would say maybe like 2,000 Canadian a week.

[Tara]

A week?

[Dave]

A month. A month.

[Seb]

That would cost me like 50k a year in Toronto.

[Tara]

Okay, so do you want me to tell you?

[Dan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Tara]

400 U.S. a month. A month.

[Dave]

That's crazy.

[Tara]

400. So probably six. 600 Canadian for a month.

[Dave]

See, this is, this is like the.

[Seb]

Hamster wheel of the. Of. Of the Western world though, right? Like in. You're saying Austin, Toronto. Like they're wondering why people aren't having kids. Mexico's got the highest birth rate in North America. Wonder why. Well, because people can afford to. People do stuff when they can afford to. Everyone's like, why can't people? Why aren't people buying houses? Oh, because they can't afford it. Why aren't people having kids? Oh, because they can't afford it. Pretty simple stuff.

[Tara]

And I know, I know the gentrification conversation will come up. I know, you know, people will say, well, that's Mexican wage, even if I loved my nanny. And I was like, you know what? I'm going to pay you double. You deserve double. It's your job. You're part of this family. I'm going to pay you $800 USD Canadian just to give you extra for your family. And I'm going to give back to your community and you take whatever days off you want. Like if you treat people even better. And point is, even if you're overpaying.

[Dan]

Right.

[Tara]

What their normal wage would be. Because I understand that. I do understand when people come at me online and they say, must be nice and bl. I do understand that we have Canadian passports or US Passports. So life looks different. We have the opportunities to go. I acknowledge that. What I don't like is Canadians and US People who have those passports bitching and complaining about must be nice, blah, blah, blah. You grew up with the same passport and privilege.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Tara]

That I did. I didn't come from handouts or money or this or that. Like, I chose. I love that I get picky about that because I know that people are like, well, we're not all the same.

[Dave]

But I know I. On the, on the child care thing before we go into the gentrification thing because I obviously get the same stuff too. It's like, I. I talked to a close friend of mine who develops in Bacalar, and he's got a beautiful daughter. She's. She's like maybe three, maybe four. And ask him, like, you know what? Because, like, eventually, like, you just talked about high school, you know, once you get into, like an age where it's kind of very important to have, like, really good education. He was like, man, I. I've had my. My daughter here from birth to now. And he's like, until she's like, in grade, like, I don't know, two, three. He's like, it's not that she's not learning revolutionary things, you know, like, I can get her the best education here. So she's like, developmentally extremely sound and extremely intelligent. And when the day comes where she has to go to high school, then we can figure that out. But, like, what an amazing opportunity to raise a child in Mexico and be able to do all those crazy things and give your kid that experience and have the help so that you can live your life. Like, what an opportunity.

[Tara]

Quality of life to me is if we're not even talking cost of living. Quality of life to me is so important. And after I traveled, like, I'm on 45 countries now and being in places like a Burma or Mexico or wherever, where people have nothing, literally nothing, and they are so happy to see, like, you could take everything that I had and everything I worked on. I don't care. As long as he said the baby were happy. I would start, like, like, on God, I would start over tomorrow just to make sure, like, the three of us and people in my life are happy. And so when people come at me online or say, you know, must be nice or that kind of stuff, to me, it always says, or they say, like, well, you're gentrifying or you're doing this, or, oh, yeah, you're. You're making this income, but paying this. In my head, I always, I'm like, if someone asked you point blank, do you want a better quality of life? Your answer is yes. Would you pay less for a better quality of life? The answer, Dave, is yes. There is not one person in this world I don't care where you come from that's going to tell me that you would sit on a high horse and say, no, I will pay more for a lower quality of life by choice because I'm prideful to be not one person. Every person would want to have A happier, healthier life. And if you can pay less for that, I have no idea what you're mad at me for. Like, why don't you do that too?

[Dave]

I, I get that a lot too. It's like my response to people that said to me, it's like, look, I can get, I can actually teach you how to get your real estate license and I can teach you how I make money if you want. And they're like, it's like, you can do it. You know, I'm not like a rocket scientist. You know, I'm doing it. You can do it. It's just about taking that, that first step. I want to ask you about health care. I not, I mean, like, people ask this question too, a lot to me. Hey, like, what's health care? Like, is it, you know, what happens? Blah, blah, blah. From my personal experience, I haven't had any. Knock on wood, I haven't had any serious injuries in Mexico. I've used the health care system there in terms of like, private doctors, and it's been great. But what's like, your experience with any sort of, like, health care stuff?

[Tara]

Yeah. So this one is also, I get, as a woman, I get safety questions, how to do it, and I get health care a lot. And a lot on my social media is like, please stop telling me, oh, my God, free Canadian house. Like, please, I will mouth shut and I won't feel bad about it because it is not free. Hello. Do you see what you pay on every item? 13% tax. Like, do you see what you pay 50% of your income? Like, that's not free. And when do you get there? In two years from now?

[Dave]

Like, exactly.

[Tara]

Where is your, your family doctor? Oh, you can't find one. You know, so when people say that to me, I'm like, like, you and I aren't going to connect on any level. But so Canada, I grew up. And also now being pregnant and going through that situation, I, I would harp on this all day long because I did fertility treatments. 7 I did. Which I'm not shy to talk about. And, and we were one of those cases where it was like, your tests are all great. There's nothing wrong. We don't know. I'm going to tell you, Dave, if I was in the US Or Canada during that process, they would have put me on a list. They would have, you know.

[Dave]

Mexico.

[Tara]

Yeah, I did all the treatments in Mexico.

[Dave]

Wow. I didn't know that.

[Tara]

Yeah. I didn't do one fertility screening test. Anything from two years for us trying to the point where I was pregnant to six months pregnant, I did every single. And I have girlfriends and couple friends that are going through the same thing. In Canada and the U.S. i would have been put on a list. I would have been told to do more testing. I would have been told, go IVF route here, wait till next summer. My doctor in Mexico told me, you are not a candidate for IUI or ivf. You guys don't show any signs of needing to do that. There's no like, issue we can pinpoint. What I want you to do is I want you to come in more often, I want to see you, and I want to track things closer to your body. That's what the doctor told me versus.

[Dave]

You know, pills, medication.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Tara]

Yes. And every time. I don't know how much experience you have in Canada with doctors, but in Canada and the U.S. because now I've gone to a baby appointment in the U.S. which is also really different, but Canada and the U.S. like, you see, you go to the doctor, you give them the forms, you see technicians, you don't see the doctor. Always the doctor will review the results with the technician and then kind of give you a follow up later. In Mexico, every single appointment we went to, everyone was me and the doctor who was a specialist, who was a fertility specialist. And every time every ultrasound doctor did it, doctor walked me through exactly what he saw, what he. English, Spanish, whatever. I sent my girlfriends, who's a practicing general doctor in Canada. I have a dental surgery friend. I would send them pictures of the equipment and stuff to just be like, is this good? Yeah. Is this good? What it's. They were like, oh, Even the imaging, 3D imaging in Canada, you don't get that unless you have a special referral or like once in your pregnancy, oh, that machine that you're doing that test, you don't get that unless you ask for it or you go through.

[Dave]

So, so interesting. This is super cool. I didn't know that.

[Tara]

Yeah. And I only know that because of, you know, the baby journey. And I know, you know, women who are going through in Canada and they were put on lists of like, something's wrong with you. So, you know, so for us, like, we loved our doctor even when we just got to the States here, which is also interesting. The woman who's our doctor here said, do you want us to redo all the testing? Thinking, like, in Mexico it's not good. Right. She was asked us, do you want us to redo your anatomy and your this and that and Seb and I Were, like, no, like, we are. We were, like, blown away by our doctors in Mexico, every step. I went for ultrasounds every two weeks as much as I want. In Canada, you don't see your baby till, like, nine weeks.

[Dave]

Wow.

[Tara]

Ten weeks. They. They just don't do them.

[Dave]

I've heard this actually. I heard from, actually, multiple friends of ours that had babies that they're obg.

[Tara]

Yeah, yeah, whatever.

[Dave]

Okay. That they're, like, incredible. That's actually really cool. That's interesting. I think, like, I don't have much experience, to be honest, in the. With the healthcare system other than just the fact of, like, being sick and having a doctor come to my house for, like, 20 bucks, you know, like an actual doctor.

[Tara]

Yeah.

[Dave]

Which is amazing. So, like, for me, that's great. And honestly, coming from a female's perspective, I think that's huge because I get that question a lot, too, you know, of safety healthcare from females. And I know that it's different, obviously, from my perspective, but that's really interesting. Okay, so I want to ask you a couple things about, like, you're getting all this tension online, which is great. And you're doing good things with it. You said that some of the attention you're getting is negative. I'm guessing that negative attention is just from people being angry that you're doing a cool thing. Is that, like, the majority of the negative attention?

[Tara]

Yeah, it's very weird because it will be literally like a picture in a car with palm trees. And it's. And it's. And, Dave, I'm not saying, like, these say one. I'm saying it's like hundreds of people to the point where I have assistants that are in my social media, so sometimes it's not even me. Whatever.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Tara]

And, like, thank God for them. That's a conversation for another day. Couldn't function without them. But they go in, and I've asked them now, please, like, screen and delete, because I'm sensitive right now, and I don't want to see. They. Canadians get mean because they say, where is your Canadian pride, you traitor? You this, you that you're not grateful for. So Canadians get mean like that. People will say, now that I'm in US they'll call me a Trumper and say, so, like, Florida girl. Or they say that. So Canadians are get mean. Americans get mean sometimes. Very rarely, though, Mexicans will do the gentrification. Get out of our country. But they're. I feel like they're mean for just whatever they can be mean about. Before I was pregnant, it would be very geared toward. Well, we can't all, like, strip online or. We can't.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Tara]

Only fans or, you know, it must be nice to have, like, your man support you. And even men would say, like, well, if someone brought me there and it's like, I owned my homes before I met him. I worked in investment banking before I met him. I made my first six figures before I met him. Like, he's amazing. He does his. But, like, I. This. Literally, the car with the palm trees has nothing to do with a man taking me to Mexico. So for me, I just feel like whatever misconception people can find, they. And I find it interesting because I have other friends who post travel content, and they don't get that. Or a lot of, like, my male counterparts that also are. They don't get that because I feel like, inherently, if I was a dude with, like, my watch and I had, like, my hot girl and I was in, I feel like people would be like, yes. Like, how do I. Let's go. So, like, Seb never gets it. Seb would never get like. They're like, yeah, you're a pro golfer. Like, awesome. You and your girlfriend. It's so.

[Dave]

It's crazy.

[Tara]

It's very bizarre. I don't take it personally. I'm like, whoa. Like, whoa. Are you mad at me?

[Dave]

Like, wow, you handle it really well, especially online. I like watching, like, your responses. It's good.

[Tara]

Yeah. I don't take it personally. Like, I can't. But I cannot. I can never pinpoint why people are angry at me. Because they're either angry that I left or they're angry that I'm there. They're angry that now I'm here.

[Dave]

People are angry.

[Tara]

Yeah. So to me, I just. I kind of take it with a grain of salt. I don't pay too much attention. But some of them get really. They get really nasty or they get really. You know, like, sometimes people talk about my job and say, how did you get your job? Like, at the investment bank or. And I can't talk about that a lot because I have licensing requirements, whatever. But, like, they'll. Some people will ask me. I've had people say, well, what would the OSC think of, like, the securities Commission? Or. People have said to me, I found you online. Like, how did you get that job? Investment banking.

[Dave]

It's, like, interesting.

[Tara]

Literally the same way. What do you mean? I wrote my exams.

[Dave]

People just are angry. I think, like, in general, honestly, I. I do get a lot, too, to be honest. Maybe not as much as you, but I do get a lot of it.

[Tara]

Do.

[Dave]

Do you speak Spanish? Are you taking. Do you, like, speak full of Spanish or, like, enough.

[Tara]

I can understand everything. And I am, like, when I'm not pregnant and I'm drunk, I'm way better.

[Dave]

Oh, yeah, of course.

[Tara]

I get, like, confident and I can speak it. But yeah, between Seb and I, we can understand every word, every conversation, but I'm not as confident replying.

[Dan]

Yeah, I'm the same.

[Dave]

I usually say that to them because I think, like, there's actually a few times that I've been in, like, Shadrawi and there'd be like, a group of young dudes, like, typical tulum bros, you know, and there was one time specific where the guy, this group of, like, dudes from, like, they're like, UK were given the, like, bread section girl a hard time because she didn't speak English. And I was like, brother, why. Why would they speak English to you like that? Imagine she came up to you in the UK and started speaking Spanish. Like, get wrap your. You're in their country, you know, so I'm the same as you. Me and Kendall, we can get by. We can have the conversations lightly. But I. I'll say to them, I can understand you. Just be mindful. Like, I'm a little bit nervous to speak because I know I sound stupid. And they're usually like, no problem. Give it a whirl, you know, and they're very, like, friendly about it.

[Tara]

People think. I mean, Seb is darker skin, light eyes. They think he's Argentinian. So immediately. And with our accents now with what we've said, they immediately speak Spanish to us first. And that might be. Which is good because sometimes we get by and they don't have any idea which I prefer. And like, in playa, I don't know how much you know about playa, but walking down fifth, it's like, if you're sunburnt and white, a monster hat on, wristband on, like, you're gonna be, you.

[Dave]

Know, white sunglasses with a monster energy.

[Tara]

Kind of all of Mexico, actually. We kind of go. And they think either we're Argentinian or Mexican. So we're lucky in the way that we blend in enough that they speak Spanish directly to us and we understand and we just move on. So cool. We don't really get with too much in the gringo.

[Dave]

Nice.

[Tara]

The only two times we've ever had, like, police pull us over in the car in Mexico, which. This is another thing that I can talk about. And people would Be like, scary. But it's five. Cost me $5, so leave me alone. I know only two times we've ever been pulled over and, like, get out of the car. Have you been drinking? It's a million pesos. Whatever they're trying to do, their thing has been when my brother's been there and he was sunburnt to and looks like a white dude, or when my friend. I think my friend Chloe, who's blonde, right. Was in the car, and they see her in the car leaving Tulum and they're like, you must have been only two times. We had white people. Like, very white people.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Tara]

So we don't police.

[Dave]

Maybe your experience. For me, I'm the same. I've been pulled over a few times. Tulum is super small, so I think now they know. They knew that I wasn't a tourist.

[Tara]

Yeah.

[Dave]

If you ever get, like, pulled over by the police in. In Mexico, it's like, for me, I just give them, like, you know, my money and say, you know, sorry, be on my way. But like, some people make such a big deal about it. It's like, just pay them the money, the little bit of money. It is what it is, and then be on your way. You know, I think people try to fight it for whatever reason, but you.

[Tara]

Know what we do now? Dave, tell me, can you hear me? Yeah, Yeah, I can hear you.

[Dave]

Sorry, is that might be me.

[Tara]

If you're in Mexico and please pull you over, you can actually rent a car in Mexico with a picture of your driver's license. You don't actually have your license. So what seven I would do. Which has worked. And it was. It's really funny because it kind of the whole scam of whatever in Mexico is. They'll pull you over, they'll say, we're going to take your ID to the police station. You have to come and get it. And it's 500 US to pick it up if you want your driver's license back. And then you say, oh, my God, I don't have 500. And they'll say, come to the back of the vehicle with me. Open your wallet. And they'll just take what you have, whether it's five. So what Seb and I started doing at first is he would give me all the money, and I would put it. And one time he's like, do you want me to ask my girlfriend? And they're like, oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Yeah, we started doing that where he would give me all the money. And then we started just not driving with real. Like, our real licenses, or we'd put them in the glove box and we had the printout in the car. So when they pulled us over, they're like, can I see your license? We handed a piece of paper to them, and they were like, you know, so then they can't say. They're like, oh, we're gonna take your piece of paper to the.

[Dave]

Like, take it.

[Tara]

Yeah. So then they were just. So we've done that in Mexico City. We've done that in Sayulita on the other side, anyways. But people get scared because they're like, well, we're getting pulled over. You don't have to pay them anything. They don't want to touch you. What. What people also don't understand is in the region where we live in Mexico, the cartel is not with you because they need you there.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Tara]

They will not. If anything happens to a tourist, it's an issue for the cartel.

[Dave]

Exactly.

[Tara]

They are not paid or trying to come after resort. People are. People don't understand that they have beef with each other.

[Dave]

Not exactly.

[Seb]

I've always felt that, like, I mean, most, like, people who are anti government, like, really what they're advocating. Advocating for is a system of government that's like anarchy, and that's like an anarchist government system. Like, they are running the country by my many metrics, better than other countries are run, frankly. So, you know, I don't like that. I've never really understood the beef there, per se. I mean, obviously, like, the violence, etc. But I think for the most part, people elect to be involved in that for sure.

[Tara]

Yeah. Or they're causing. There was one time there was an election going on, and in our region, Dave, we were in Bacalar coming back through Tulum, and. And the region wasn't voting the way the cartel wanted them to vote.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Tara]

So they stopped all the gas. I don't know if you were down. Down there for that, but they turned off and stopped delivering gas. So we were driving from Bacalar back to Playa and we needed gas, and none of the gas stations had gas. So there was a lineup. So there's no violence, but they're like, oh, you don't want to vote the way that we want.

[Dan]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Tara]

This week we were all pulled over on the side of the road for hours and hours and hours waiting, and there's nothing you can do. So it wasn't like, these are the funny things.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Tara]

People in Canada would be like, well, I never Want to experience that, but it's like no one got hurt.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Dave]

Or you can pay a 50% tax then if you want.

[Tara]

So, yeah, like, it's not. Yeah, my cash in my pockets. I'll sit in that car, wait for a while.

[Dan]

Yeah.

[Dave]

It's just a simpler life, I think, like, if there's, if there's any like, last piece of advice. Because I think the, the, you hit the, the nail on the head there. It's like people think it's like this. And the whole reason, honestly we made this podcast and the reason we wanted to have you on here specifically is because, like, now more than ever, it's becoming super common that this is something that it's becoming more like, not normal, but it's definitely becoming more obtainable and more searched. And we want to be that, like, provider of information to people. Like, hey, look, this is not that crazy, you know. So any, like, last pieces of advice for people that are like, how do I even. Where do I begin? What? Like, any advice for people that are just trying to do what you're doing?

[Tara]

Yeah. And I think it doesn't have to be just Mexico.

[Dan]

Like, right.

[Tara]

Like I said, I love Southeast Asia. If I could go there. I have girlfriends who are in Italy right now or Spain on work visas. And the same thing is said there. It's a lower cost of living for a higher quality of life. Like rent. I was in Barcelona and I asked the bartender, like, okay, for a two bedroom, what could I get here? Like, how much? And he's like €900. So I mean, there's so many places in the world. I'm not sitting here advocating go to Mexico. My MO is and go gentrify countries. That's not ever what I'm saying. What I am always saying is to people is if you are unhappy, there are changes that you can make, regardless of what that looks like for you, whether that's like three months a year and you rent your place in Toronto or Vancouver or, or it's half a year somewhere or it's, you know, Tex Mex or whatever it is my whole, I guess, advice to somebody is it is possible. Panama, Costa Rica, Italy, wherever you want to go. There's visas, there's opportunities. We are privileged with a Canadian or US Passport where you can access these countries. So my biggest advice for anybody is if this is something you want to do and you are unhappy, there's millions of remote work jobs out there, websites, I can send you some if people reach out to me and you can do whatever you want to do. It doesn't have to copy paste what you do, Dave. It doesn't have to copy paste what I do or what Dan does. It just means that there are people like us that wouldn't take note or scared for an answer. And, you know, we're not scared to say, I'd like to do this, I'm going to do this. There's no room for fear in your own life. Like, you live one life. So my advice would just be do it. Look into it. Try it. Like, don't knock it if you are unhappy, if you're perfectly happy, Toronto, Muskoka, doing your thing, like, stay there. It's amazing. I wasn't happy.

[Seb]

So I feel like, I feel like Canada especially is really good at convincing people to feel guilty about being unhappy because, you know, it's like, we have such a good quality of life and blah, blah, blah, and how could you want something else? But a lot of young Canadians don't. That, that, that perspective doesn't resonate with them. Like, a lot of most people feel trapped on a hamster wheel and the cost of living is just bleeding them out and they're. And, and they look forward to the remainder of their life. And it feels bleak to spend the, the rest of your life, like, suffering and stuck on this hamster wheel. And I think that, and, and I think that many places, especially high cost of living CITIES in the U.S. people feel the same way. And, and I think our generation is finally, like, starting to make that change. I really do empathize for the people who, who don't ever make that attempt. It makes me sad to see that. But otherwise, like, I would, I would say the same. I think that's really, really sage advice. Like, you can do the thing that's like the thing on Twitter right now, right? It's like, you know, you can just do things like just, just, just do that. Right? I've been saying it for like 40 years.

[Tara]

Yeah.

[Dan]

Yeah, I love that.

[Tara]

I understand guilt that comes with family and friends and, you know, another question I do get a lot is, have you. Do you have people there like, what about your family? And it's like, my family in particular is like, Tara, if that makes you happy and you are happier and you come to visit us and you're like, my mom said right when we got to Austin, you guys are happy. Like, you guys are. Are you always happy because you guys are? Just because we have created and changed our life so that we ask ourselves, are you happy day to day? And if the Answer is no. You know, what do we need to change? And it's not going to be overnight, but, I mean, this is your life. So I understand the guilt that comes with it a lot, and having to change is hard and people are afraid. But, you know, another big lesson I would say is you can't be afraid. Whether it was someone telling me I was dumb for buying a property at 24, that wasn't dumb. I sold it for twice as much two years later, you know, but I wasn't afraid to put everything I had into that investment. I wasn't afraid to go to Mexico and let people send me articles about, you just have to trust what your direction is without the noise. And I always have found that when I've trusted that for myself, not others, then you know, it works out because you're happier. So no one can tell you that was a wrong choice to make.

[Dave]

I love that. Terry, honestly, you're one of my favorite people to watch on social media. So for the listeners. No, no, no. For the listeners, can you tell them, like, where to find you on Social so they can check out your stuff? Because if you don't follow, Tara, highly recommend it. Even if you're not, like you said, not exploring Mexico. It's really cool to see her perspective from a very successful female who's crushing it and living an incredible life. So where can they find you on social?

[Tara]

Yeah, it's just my name. So, Tara Marie Murphy is Instagram Team. Marie Murphy is TikTok. And please be nice. Yeah, I'm pretty pregnant and, you know, my assistants have to blame block and delete you if you're mean, but I'm. I'm. I just want, like, all listeners also to know I'm not here trying to sell you a life. I'm not here trying to convince you to do what I do. I'm not. My whole MO ever is not telling people what to do or, like, cult leading. I'm just sharing what I do genuinely, authentically. And if it vibes with people, I'm always happy to talk to new people and to tell people about what I've been through, whether it's like, fertility stuff or moving or what about work? Can I set up remotely? Or the Airbnb? Whatever it is, I'm always just open to connect with other people because if more people are interested and afraid to talk about it in their circles, then they're not going to do it. So.

[Dave]

Nice. That's a good person. Overall, we appreciate you.

[Dan]

Cool.

[Dave]

On that note, honestly, Tara, it was amazing. Having you. I think this is going to be super beneficial to a lot of people. Again, like, the whole point of this podcast is just to open people's eyes to different opportunities. And I think your perspective is very unique from a lot of the different people we've had on this podcast. So this is going to be a really good one. We appreciate you. Look, if you, if you like this podcast, please share with any friends or family. It means a lot to us. And leave us a review. Check us out on Apple, Spotify, YouTube. And that's a wrap.

[Seb]

Amazing.