I presently live in Baja California, Mexico (south of San Diego), and I have been looking around for another place to live. I went to one place today that was on a hill in Puerto Nuevo (about 15 minutes south of Rosarito Beach) overseeing the pacific ocean. It was a small one bedroom apartment with free wi-fi internet and gated parking. It is on top of a hill, so when you walk onto the front porch you get a spectacular clear view of the Pacific Ocean. The price is $200 per month unfurnished or $250 per month furnished. To get there, the road is a little bumpy with potholes and you have to go through one military checkpoint (the guard just waved me through after about a 15 minute wait).

How does that compare to the Philippines?

Peabody -

That's the Gringo Price.

Try to find a friend to negotiate for you.

The locals pay about 750 to 1,500 MXN per month to rent an apartment or share a room. I paid 2,750 per month for a furnished corporate pad in the richest neighborhood in Hillo but that was for 3 months and I did not want to look around as I wanted to get a place asap.

That $250 per month is 3,000 MXN or Mexican (New) Pesos.

Way too expensive for Puerto Nuevo and that mostly empty lobster town.

Try and find a place for $100 a month. That is what a local pays.

Most locals in Baja make 2,500 to 3,000 MXN per month, the well off college grads get 10k and that's a very good living.

Accept that in this area, you have to pay for security. One of the problems with the place described above is there wasn't any security, so if you are a gringo, you have to hope you don't attract any bad guy's attention.

Here is a story that happened recently to someone who rented an apartment for $500 a month in a good area of Tijuana.

Filipino-American professor slain in Tijuana

29 December 2010
BY SANDRA DIBBLE


TIJUANA — Shortly before he was stabbed to death Dec. 18, a San Diego language professor was overheard calling for help from inside his apartment in Tijuana's Rio Zone where he had been living for a year.

The night Henry Acejo was killed, a watchman had seen him enter his ground-floor, two-bedroom apartment in the company of two other men, according to Marcos Leon, manager of the 16-unit complex located off of Paseo de los Heroes.

A bit after 9 p.m. a neighbor called police after hearing Acejo shout and pound on his window, the manager said Wednesday in an interview outside Acejo's apartment. But by the time officers arrived, the two men were gone and Acejo's body lay sprawled in a dining area, Leon said.

The Baja California Attorney General's Office, which confirmed Acejo's death, said Wednesday that it did not yet have results of Acejo's autopsy. A spokesman for the agency also said a motive for the killing hasn't been established.

More than 10 days after Acejo's death, the seals on the door of his apartment remained untouched. Neighbors and friends had placed several candles and a rosary outside the door. A string of small Christmas lights still flickered from a window; the manager said he hadn't shut off the electricity because there's an aquarium inside.

Leon said Acejo had stayed at the complex, where units rent for about $500 a month, for about a year. "He was a nice person," Leon added. "He never had any problems with the neighbors."

Acejo taught Filipino language and English as a second language classes at Southwestern College and San Diego State University. He also taught English as a second language at Mid-City Community College in San Diego.

Though born in the Philippines, Acejo was a U.S. citizen. The U.S. Consulate in Tijuana responded to queries about the case on Wednesday with a prepared statement. It read: "The U.S. Department of State is deeply saddened by the death of U.S. citizen Henry Acejo and extend our condolences to his family. We remain in contact with his family and are providing all appropriate consular assistance."

'The night Henry Acejo was killed, a watchman had seen him enter his ground-floor, two-bedroom apartment in the company of two other men, according to Marcos Leon, manager of the 16-unit complex located off of Paseo de los Heroes. '

Looks like he got mugged as he entered his apt or that he trusted the wrong guys.

I would never rent a ground floor apartment in Baja. Never.

I have also circled the block and walked away when I have been followed to my place in Mexico.

OK, so somebody tell me again what the attraction is in Mexico, even when you're not in the middle of trench warfare over drugs along the border. I thought the idea was a richer public life, more human connection, disengaging from the screen and re-entering life lived face-to-face. How does that mix with constantly looking over your shoulder to see who might be interested in kidnapping, robbing or killing you? I get that Baja, and other parts of Mexico, have great weather, a low cost of living and friendly people who take joy in the simple aspects of life, but isn't the crime problem over there right now prohibitive? What is life like when you leave the protection of the gated community?

I lot of people from the US live in Mexico because San Diego is too expensive. Even people who work every day in the US live in Mexico and commute. There are also a lot of retired gringos in Rosarito Beach and Ensenata. There are also plenty of gringos who live outside of gated communities. I work out in my gym in Tijuana and go to the mall there, and feel safe.

I heard that Jesse Ventura lives in Mexico too, or at least did before his TV show "Conspiracy Theory" started.

Mexico has pretty girls that are approachable and sweet, cheaper cost of living, great Mexican food, and warm weather year round. Sounds nice to me.


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MrPeabody wrote:

I presently live in Baja California, Mexico (south of San Diego), and I have been looking around for another place to live. I went to one place today that was on a hill in Puerto Nuevo (about 15 minutes south of Rosarito Beach) overseeing the pacific ocean. It was a small one bedroom apartment with free wi-fi internet and gated parking. It is on top of a hill, so when you walk onto the front porch you get a spectacular clear view of the Pacific Ocean. The price is $200 per month unfurnished or $250 per month furnished. To get there, the road is a little bumpy with potholes and you have to go through one military checkpoint (the guard just waved me through after about a 15 minute wait).

Just a thought, look around to see if there are any house sitting opportunities. Search house sitter web sites, advertise locally, or target nice gringo neighborhoods with direct mailing. Be prepared with resume & references for home owner's review.

gsjackson wrote:

OK, so somebody tell me again what the attraction is in Mexico, even when you're not in the middle of trench warfare over drugs along the border. I thought the idea was a richer public life, more human connection, disengaging from the screen and re-entering life lived face-to-face. How does that mix with constantly looking over your shoulder to see who might be interested in kidnapping, robbing or killing you? I get that Baja, and other parts of Mexico, have great weather, a low cost of living and friendly people who take joy in the simple aspects of life, but isn't the crime problem over there right now prohibitive? What is life like when you leave the protection of the gated community?

1) Almost all of California has gated communities, too.

2) These problems occur only right on the border. TJ is within sight of San Diego. a few hundred yards or fewer. Once you get into Mexico 50 km, this changes and the violence goes away unless you go to the deep south, into the mountains, etc.

3) All countries have positive and negative aspects.

Then I guess if a man owns a BMW, he shouldnt bring it down to Baja Mexico while renting?

I moved and now I am living in a large two bedroom, fully furnished townhouse. I have a clear view of the Pacific ocean from my bedroom window. And it is gated with 24/7 guards. Price - $500 per month (utilities included).

Winston wrote:

I heard that Jesse Ventura lives in Mexico too, or at least did before his TV show "Conspiracy Theory" started.

Mexico has pretty girls that are approachable and sweet, cheaper cost of living, great Mexican food, and warm weather year round. Sounds nice to me.

I have heard that he lives somewhere in the vicinity of Los Cabos, probably past the East Cape area in a more remote area. He has also stated that he plans to get Mexican citizenship.

MrPeabody wrote:

Winston wrote:

I heard that Jesse Ventura lives in Mexico too, or at least did before his TV show "Conspiracy Theory" started.

Mexico has pretty girls that are approachable and sweet, cheaper cost of living, great Mexican food, and warm weather year round. Sounds nice to me.

I have heard that he lives somewhere in the vicinity of Los Cabos, probably past the East Cape area in a more remote area. He has also stated that he plans to get Mexican citizenship.

Why would he bother doing that when they are part of the North American Union?

For a brief moment I thought of living in Mexico and commuting back into the States for work. As long as the Peso remains almost reasonable vs the Dollar it would make sense if you don't cave in to fears of personal safety.

I think I could do it. There was (is?) a regular poster on ISG that married a working girl about 12-15 years younger than himself and they live in Mexico. If I remember he was born in Britain, became a US citizen and lives in Mexico and still hobbies with his wife's approval as she is somewhat bi-sexual and often visits her parents South of where they live which is inland and near Mexicali I believe. She no longer works, they live off his retirement...

djfourmoney wrote:

For a brief moment I thought of living in Mexico and commuting back into the States for work. As long as the Peso remains almost reasonable vs the Dollar it would make sense if you don't cave in to fears of personal safety.

I think I could do it. There was (is?) a regular poster on ISG that married a working girl about 12-15 years younger than himself and they live in Mexico. If I remember he was born in Britain, became a US citizen and lives in Mexico and still hobbies with his wife's approval as she is somewhat bi-sexual and often visits her parents South of where they live which is inland and near Mexicali I believe. She no longer works, they live off his retirement...

Many people live in Tijuana and commute to San Diego for work. I can get to the border in 40 minutes from where I am. The key is to get a Sentri Pass. With a Sentri Pass, you use the special sentri lanes and get across the border by car in about 20 minutes. Without the pass it will take you 2 hours. You will actually have less of a commute then many people living on the east coast.