Moving to Tijuana and Rosarito: A Guide for Cross-Border Commuters and Retirees

• Cross-border commuters with the right to work or study in the US who want lower housing costs. You still need Mexican residency to live in Mexico long term: see temporary residency.
• Remote workers paid in US dollars who want to stay close to California. See digital nomads.
• Retirees, especially in Rosarito, who want the coast near US family and doctors. See retiring in Mexico and permanent residency for retirees.

Daily border crossings can take a long time, so commuters should factor wait times into where they live and work.

• Zona Río. The business district along the river, with offices, restaurants, malls, and apartment towers, close to the San Ysidro crossing.
• Chapultepec and Hipódromo. Established, hilly residential neighborhoods with larger homes, near shopping and hospitals.
• Cacho. An older central neighborhood with a growing food and cafe scene.
• Playas de Tijuana. A beach district on the west side, next to the border fence, with a cooler, quieter feel.
• Otay. Near the Otay Mesa crossing, the airport, and many factories.
• Rosarito (Playas de Rosarito). A separate municipality about 30 minutes south, with beach condos and gated communities popular with US retirees.

Housing costs are far below San Diego, but Tijuana is not cheap by Mexican standards, and rents in Zona Río, Playas, and Rosarito have risen with demand from US residents. Some coastal rentals are priced in US dollars. Many residents shop on both sides of the border.

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

Tijuana has many private hospitals and clinics, such as Hospital Ángeles Tijuana, and a large medical and dental tourism industry. US insurance and Medicare generally do not pay for care in Mexico, so many residents keep separate coverage in each country. See IMSS health insurance and private health insurance.

The San Ysidro and Otay Mesa crossings connect Tijuana with San Diego. Frequent crossers often apply for SENTRI, a US trusted traveler program, to shorten northbound waits. Cross Border Xpress (CBX) is a pedestrian bridge from the US side directly into Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) for passengers with a TIJ flight. San Diego International Airport (SAN) handles most US flights. In Tijuana, buses, shared route taxis, and ride-hailing apps are common; many residents drive. No vehicle import permit is needed on the Baja peninsula; see temporary vehicle import permits.

INM lists two offices in Tijuana: the main office on Calle Diamante in Fraccionamiento La Esmeralda and a processing office on Boulevard Insurgentes in Fraccionamiento Los Álamos. Rosarito has its own office in the Palacio Municipal. Use the office that covers your address. When you enter by land on a residency visa, stop at the border immigration point so your entry is recorded, then start the canje within 30 days. Return for renewals. Many people apply for their visa at the Mexican consulate in San Diego.

Tijuana's foreign community is diverse: US citizens of all backgrounds, deportees and returning migrants, and people from across Latin America and beyond. Rosarito has an older retiree community with clubs and volunteer groups. Spanish helps a lot in Tijuana; English is common in Rosarito.

• Property: the whole area is in the restricted zone, so foreigners buy through a fideicomiso; see buying property with a fideicomiso. Check title carefully and avoid ejido land.
• Green card holders living in Mexico should read about reentry permits and the US rules on keeping permanent residence.
• Safety: read the Baja California entries in the US and Canadian advisories, linked on the Baja California page, and our safety guide.