Here in Merida, many native locals speak a combination of Spanish and Mayan, peppered with other influences, that we call Yucateco, so if it’s hot outside, and you want to express yourself in Yucateco, it’s “Hay Calor!” For more on Yucateco see the bottom of our article, http://www.yucatanliving.com/culture/modern-yucatan-culture.htm and the Mayan Xic website.

A rough estimate is $1000 to $1500 US installed. There are much cheaper units and cheaper installations. Without knowing the specifics of the house, it is impossible to second-guess. If you can get by with a 110 v and the electrical system in the house is up to it, then that would be the cheapest. But if you need a 220 v unit and you have to have electrical upgrades all the way from front to back of the house, you’d be in the higher price range.

Some say older homes seem cooler because of the higher ceilings. But a friend insists comfort is simply a matter of shade and circulation. It is a matter of personal sensitivities, I guess.

Generally speaking, the more pavement and construction, the hotter it is. So Centro may be warmer than an neighborhood with lots of trees. And downtown Merida is factually about 10 degrees (F) warmer than a house in the country, day or night.

Anyway, the heat really isn’t the problem for sleeping (say many/most), it is the humidity. If you buy a large AC unit, it will cool a room quickly, but leave the moisture. If you buy a smaller AC unit, it will cool the room more slowly, while removing more of the moisture. That’s what you want. Look for advice from a reliable store, plus recommendations from friends and neighbors.

(Personally, I feel window units are the worst: noisy, inefficient, dusty, etc. Because they are installed in a hole in the wall, there is constant exposure to outside humidity through the unit itself. They are by far the cheapest initial outlay, however.)