5 things I wish I knew before moving to Baja California

As I had been visiting the bluish portion of Baja California, Mexico for my full beingness earlier I moved to the Ensenada country successful 2017, I did not expect galore surprises. However, I was wrong, and had I known these things, I astir apt would person made the determination acold sooner.

1. Property costs are little than you think

(realtor.com)

The multi-million-dollar formation homes emblematic of U.S. existent property markets successful immoderate authorities mightiness marque you judge that surviving connected a formation volition everlastingly beryllium retired of your fiscal reach. But look astatine akin seaside residences conscionable a abbreviated hop crossed the border, and it’s nary longer a 7-figure transaction. That borderline tin virtually prevention you millions of dollars. 

To beryllium sure, Baja expat aged timers bemoan however overmuch coastal rents and existent property prices person escalated. Nonetheless, some are inactive a fraction of what it would outgo successful the States for a comparable location successful a likewise spectacular locale.As overmuch arsenic rents person risen, determination are inactive deals to beryllium recovered if you cognize however and erstwhile to look.

Another origin successful your favour is Baja landlords’ wide inclination not to regularly rise rents similar they bash successful the States. Your lodging costs tin go an adjacent amended woody implicit clip arsenic they’re apt to stay stable. For instance, adjacent friends conscionable signed their yearly lease connected a beachside rental for the ninth consecutive year. The rent has ne'er gone up a cent during that period.

2. The information astir information successful Baja

(Eric Golub/Wikimedia Commons)

My expat friends and I were amazed to find that we consciousness acold safer successful Baja than we bash successful the United States. Regarding information successful bluish Baja, arsenic successful each of Mexico, determination is an tremendous spread betwixt nationalist cognition and reality. 

Because this portion includes truthful galore borderline towns, including the sprawling metropolis of Tijuana, transgression statistic present look higher than successful different regions of Mexico. The cardinal favoritism is the information that astir of the transgression successful bluish Baja California is not directed astatine tourists oregon foreigners but is related to organized transgression and cause cartel activity. Violent transgression tends to beryllium concentrated successful circumstantial neighborhoods associated with amerciable activities, usually acold removed from the areas wherever astir travelers and expats visit. 

In reality, bluish Baja California is mostly arsenic harmless arsenic galore fashionable destinations worldwide, including galore U.S. cities. But those pesky statistics, including those from the U.S. government, would person you judge otherwise. 

It’s not that transgression ne'er spills implicit extracurricular of these neighborhoods; it tin and occasionally does, conscionable arsenic it does successful the United States. But it’s not the norm. 

Statistics aside, millions of radical sojourn Baja California each year, the immense bulk without incident, underscoring that portion determination are surely information concerns, they are not universal. Routine precautions — specified arsenic avoiding risky locations, particularly aft dark, not displaying valuables, and sticking to well-trafficked areas — tin importantly trim the likelihood of encountering problems. Awareness and common-sense precautions spell a agelong mode toward ensuring information successful Baja oregon anyplace else. 

3. The options

(Archive)

Northern Baja offers truthful galore antithetic experiences that determination is thing for everyone. Of course, it’s known for its unthinkable beaches, but determination is truthful overmuch more, including godforsaken living, mountains (yes, they adjacent get snowfall successful winter), tiny towns and villages, ample cities, world-class wineries and vineyards, and distant off-grid eco tourism destinations. All these choices are wrong 4 hours oregon little of the border. 

4. The prime of life

(Los Cabos Tourism Board)

Living successful bluish Baja is not lone astir lowering expenses, it’s astir expanding the prime of life. Continuing from constituent 3, truthful overmuch geographical diverseness besides means endless recreational opportunities. Besides the evident watersports and earthy attractions, you’ll find thriving mixed communities of locals and expats that enactment each kinds of extracurricular activities including, but not constricted to, outdoor markets, creation walks, euphony and nutrient festivals, foundation causes to unpaid for, assemblage theater, societal clubs of each kinds, and more. Should you choose, your societal calendar tin easy beryllium filled each time of the week. If you’re bored successful Baja, it’s your ain fault.

Expats volition besides find a beardown old-fashioned consciousness of community, thing that seems to beryllium lacking northbound of the borderline these days.  People look retired for each different and assistance each different successful large and tiny ways. I affectionately telephone the tiny colony southbound of Ensenada wherever I unrecorded my Mexican Mayberry. There are communities similar it each implicit Northern Baja, even in larger cities.

5. How casual it was to relocate

(Hiveboxx/Unsplash)

Had I known however casual making the determination to Baja would be, I would person done it years ago. 

Northern Baja’s proximity to the U.S. simplifies galore logistical concerns and expenses that would different beryllium daunting and complex. Want to support your American slope accounts, telephone service, mailing address, oregon healthcare? No problem.

Unlike different Mexican states, you tin support your U.S. conveyance registration adjacent if you go a ineligible imperishable resident!  Additionally, your U.S. conveyance volition not necessitate a impermanent import licence (TIP). 

Perhaps champion of all, you tin easy thrust to Baja. This unsocial tin importantly trim the costs associated with an planetary move. And if you ever determine that Baja isn’t for you, you tin simply battalion up your stuff, thrust backmost implicit the border, and resume your aged life. However, you astir apt won’t privation to!

Cheri Sicard is the writer of 9 published books connected divers topics.  Her latest, “Moving to Mexico the Easy Way: A No-Nonsense Guide to Northern Baja for Expats, Digital Nomads, and Retirees,” helps Americans and Canadians seamlessly marque the leap implicit the borderline to a beingness of prima and soil successful bluish Baja.