Moving to La Paz, Baja California Sur: A Guide for Expats and Retirees

• Retirees who want a waterfront city with hospitals, a university, and government offices, without resort-town prices. See retiring in Mexico and permanent residency for retirees.
• Boaters, divers, and kayakers, drawn by marinas, the islands of Espíritu Santo, and seasonal whale sharks in the bay.
• Remote workers who want a calmer, more affordable base. See digital nomads.
• Families have public and private schools and the state university. See schools.

Summers are very hot, and La Paz has less nightlife and fewer English-language services than Los Cabos. The Malecón, a long waterfront promenade, is the center of social life, with families walking and cycling there most evenings.

• Centro and the Malecón. Walkable streets near the waterfront promenade, with restaurants, shops, and older homes.
• Palmira and CostaBaja. Marina areas north of downtown along the road to the ferry port, with condos and gated homes.
• El Centenario. A quieter community across the bay to the west, with larger lots.
• Nearby towns. Some residents live in Todos Santos (about an hour southwest) or La Ventana and El Sargento (about an hour southeast) and come to La Paz for shopping and paperwork.

La Paz is usually noticeably cheaper than Los Cabos, with more prices set for local residents. Some groceries and goods cost more than on the mainland because they are shipped in, and air conditioning makes summer electricity bills high.

Check the residency income or savings test with the solvency calculator, and read temporary residency, renting, and cost of living.

As the state capital, La Paz has public hospitals and several private hospitals and clinics. For some specialties, residents travel to Los Cabos, the mainland, or the US. See IMSS health insurance and private health insurance.

La Paz International Airport (LAP) is about 15 to 20 minutes from downtown. It has mostly domestic flights and some international routes; many travelers use Los Cabos (SJD), about two hours away by road. Baja Ferries sails from the Pichilingue port near La Paz to Mazatlán and Topolobampo on the mainland. You do not need a vehicle import permit on the peninsula, but you do if you take a foreign-plated car across on the ferry; see temporary vehicle import permits.

INM lists a La Paz office on Boulevard Agustín Olachea in Colonia Las Garzas. The state's main office is in Cabo San Lucas. Start the canje within 30 days of entering Mexico with a residency visa, and return for renewals. Ask the La Paz office whether your procedure is decided locally or sent to Cabo San Lucas.

La Paz has a steady foreign community, many of them sailors and retirees, with clubs and volunteer groups. Spanish is more important here than in Los Cabos.

• Property: La Paz is in the coastal restricted zone, so foreigners buy through a fideicomiso; see buying property with a fideicomiso.
• Hurricanes: the season runs May 15 to November 30.
• Wind: evening coromuel breezes cool the city in summer, and strong northerly winds in winter can affect boating and beach days.
• Water: supply can be interrupted in dry periods; ask whether a home has a storage tank.
• Safety: read the Baja California Sur entries in the US and Canadian advisories, linked on the Baja California Sur page, and our safety guide.