Image of male nurse pushing senior woman in a wheelchair in nursing facility

Warm weather and lower costs are luring many U.S. residents south of the border for long-term care, according to a report.

An estimated 40,000 to 80,000 American retirees already live in Mexico, many of them in enclaves such as San Miguel de Allende or the Chapala area, according to an expert quoted in USA Today. At least five nursing homes are on Lake Chapala alone.

While nursing homes are still relatively new in Mexico, the difference in the price of care and labor between the countries is vast. In Lake Chapala, a private room in a nursing home costs $18 to $50 per day compared with an average of $206 in the U.S. In addition, residents often get free medical treatments from medical providers in the area.