Moving to Los Cabos: Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo for Expats

• Retirees and second-home owners who want golf, marinas, beaches, and services in English, with direct flights to many US and Canadian cities. See retiring in Mexico and permanent residency for retirees.
• Remote workers with a larger budget. Fiber internet is available in many developments. See digital nomads.
• Families have private bilingual schools, mostly in San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas. See schools.

It suits people less well who want low costs or a traditional Mexican town; La Paz or Todos Santos may fit better.

Cabo San Lucas is the busier, more tourist-focused town:

• Pedregal. Hillside homes above the marina, with views and steep roads.
• El Tezal. Condos and houses on the hills east of town, popular with full-time residents.
• Marina and downtown. Convenient but noisy and crowded with visitors.

The Tourist Corridor (about 30 km between the two towns) has gated resort communities, golf courses, and beachfront condos. A car is essential.

San José del Cabo is quieter, with a historic center, an art district, and a more local feel:

• Centro. Walkable streets, galleries, and restaurants.
• Costa Azul. Beach condos near a popular surf spot.
• Puerto Los Cabos and nearby developments. Newer gated communities with a marina and golf.

Los Cabos is one of the most expensive places to live in Mexico. Many rents and home prices are in US dollars, and association fees in gated communities can be high. Groceries and goods shipped to the peninsula often cost more than on the mainland, and summer electricity bills can be large. Workers' neighborhoods inland are much cheaper but have fewer services aimed at foreigners.

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

Los Cabos has private hospitals such as H+ Los Cabos and Hospiten, plus clinics and IMSS facilities. Some complex cases are transferred to larger cities, and many residents carry insurance with air evacuation. See IMSS health insurance and private health insurance.

Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) is just north of San José del Cabo, about 15 to 20 minutes from San José and roughly 40 to 50 minutes from Cabo San Lucas. It has many direct flights to US and Canadian cities. Buses run along the corridor, but most residents drive. You do not need a temporary vehicle import permit on the Baja peninsula; see temporary vehicle import permits for mainland travel.

INM's main Baja California Sur office is on Boulevard Lázaro Cárdenas in central Cabo San Lucas, open weekdays 9:00 to 15:00. Residents of both towns and the corridor usually use it. Start the canje within 30 days of entering Mexico with a residency visa, and return for renewals.

The foreign community is large, mostly from the US and Canada, with many seasonal residents. Charities, fishing clubs, and golf communities are common ways to meet people. English is widely spoken in tourist areas.

• Property: Los Cabos is in the coastal restricted zone, so foreigners buy through a fideicomiso; see buying property with a fideicomiso. Beachfront use of the 20-meter federal zone needs a concession.
• Hurricanes: the season runs May 15 to November 30. Prepare water, power backup, and supplies.
• Water: supply can be interrupted; ask about storage tanks.
• Safety: read the Baja California Sur entries in the US and Canadian advisories, linked on the Baja California Sur page, and our safety guide.