Like every city Durango has its good points and bad points. Since some of the people reading this site are considering moving to Durango I though I'd list out some of the advantages and disadvantages of living in Durango Mexico.

Disadvantages:

• Scorpions – If you live near the mountain or in the downtown area you are going to have scorpions. In a newer house this is likely to be less of an issue, but it is always something you are going to have to deal with.
• Food costs – Durango imports most of their food from other states, so the cost of the food is generally the same as the US and many times more. Shopping at the market can help, but even there the costs usually aren't below what they would be in the United States.
• No Language Schools – There don't seem to be any Spanish language schools available. Most of the schools are there to teach you English. In some ways this can be a benefit because it means that there aren't a whole bunch of people around who speak English so you'll won't have as much opportunity to speak English.
• Pollution – Although it doesn't have the smog and bad pollution of Mexico City, Durango does have it share of pollution. The city is big enough that the many trucks and buses place a heavy toll on the quality of air. This can be minimized by picking a house way from the heavily traveled roads.

Advantages:

• Few Tourists – Durango doesn't have a bunch of tourists from the U.S. This is beneficial because there isn't an economy built around charging northerners high tourist prices.
• Inexpensive Housing – The housing prices are very reasonable especially if you can find something that is being offered for rent by the owner.
• Beef – Durango grows its own beef, so the prices are reasonable and the quality is high.
• Walmart – It is nice to have a familiar store nearby even though the inventory is different from the U.S.
• Healthcare – The doctors we worked with were very good, highly skilled, extremely nice and very inexpensive.
• Elevation – The elevation of Durango helps keep the summers from getting too warm and the fact it is in Mexico helps keep it from getting to cold in the winter.
• Internet – Durango has two cable companies that provide internet as well as DSL through Telmex. The cable modem prices are very reasonable and comparable (sometimes even cheaper) than similar service in the U.S.
• Safe Taxis – The taxi service is safe compared with the issues in Mexico City.

There are other advantages and disadvantages of living in Durango, but hopefully that will be a useful starting point for people looking at a possible move to the city.