Living in Baja California Sur as a Foreigner: Los Cabos, La Paz, Todos Santos and Loreto

Baja California Sur combines desert, mountains, and two coastlines: the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California). It offers fishing, diving, surfing, whale watching, and a strong connection to the western US, with many direct flights from US and Canadian cities to Los Cabos. Foreign residents range from full-time retirees to people who spend winters here.

Retirees often qualify for permanent residency (see retiring in Mexico); remote workers and others usually start with temporary residency. Winter visitors who stay less than 180 days may only need tourist entry.

Outside Los Cabos and La Paz the state is thinly populated, with long stretches of desert between towns along the Transpeninsular Highway (Highway 1). Life in the smaller towns is quiet and self-reliant: shopping, hospitals, and government offices can be hours away. Remote workers should confirm internet service before signing a lease; fiber is common in the larger towns, while rural homes may depend on wireless or satellite service. See digital nomads.

Baja California Sur is a desert state:

• Winters (about November to April) are sunny and mild, which is the high season.
• Summers are very hot, and humid near the coast, especially from July to October.
• Hurricanes: the Eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15 to November 30, and major storms have hit Los Cabos and La Paz in the past. Buy or rent in buildings designed for storms.
• Water: fresh water is scarce. Some areas rely on desalination, wells, or tank deliveries (pipas), and supply can be interrupted.

Los Cabos is one of the most expensive places in Mexico, with many prices in US dollars. Todos Santos and the East Cape have also become expensive as demand grew. La Paz is usually noticeably cheaper, and the remote northern towns cheaper still. Because much food and many goods are shipped to the peninsula, some groceries cost more than on the mainland. Air conditioning in summer raises electricity bills. Annual property tax (predial) is usually low compared with the US and Canada, but association fees in gated resort communities can be high.

See the cost of living guide and renting in Mexico. We do not list prices because they change quickly.

Los Cabos has several private hospitals serving residents and tourists, including H+ Los Cabos and Hospiten. La Paz, as the capital, has public hospitals and private hospitals and clinics. Smaller towns have clinics only, and serious cases may need transfer to Los Cabos, La Paz, or the mainland. Many residents carry insurance with air evacuation coverage.

Legal residents can apply for voluntary IMSS enrollment, and many also buy private health insurance.

Check both governments' state-level advice before you move:

• US State Department travel advisory for Mexico: read the Baja California Sur entry.
• Government of Canada travel advice for Mexico: the country-wide level is "exercise a high degree of caution." As of its September 17, 2026 update, Canada has no separate regional warning for Baja California Sur.

Advisories change, so check the current wording. See our safety guide.

Most people get a residency visa at a Mexican consulate first; check the income or savings test with the solvency calculator. After you arrive, start the canje within 30 days at the INM office that covers your address.

Use the same office for renewals and changes of status.

Yes. Almost all populated areas are within 50 km of the coast, which is Mexico's restricted zone, so foreigners buy residential property through a bank trust (fideicomiso); see buying property with a fideicomiso.

Other points to check with a notary public:

• The first 20 meters of land above the high-tide line is a federal zone. Beachfront owners who use it need a federal concession.
• Some land, especially outside towns, is communal ejido land that cannot be sold to you unless it has been converted.
• Confirm water and electricity service before you buy land to build on.

The Baja California peninsula is a free zone for vehicles: you do not need a temporary vehicle import permit to drive a US- or Canadian-plated car here. You do need one if you take the car to mainland Mexico, for example on the ferries from La Paz to Mazatlán or Topolobampo. See temporary vehicle import permits, Mexican plates, and driver's licenses. Mexican auto insurance is required; US and Canadian policies generally do not cover you in Mexico.