Retire in Baja for 900 – 1800 USD per couple!
Want to retire in Baja? Many people are asking me, especially these days! Maybe they just want to live in a place where there is lower density, lots of outdoor living, fresh air, organic fruits, vegetables and fresh seafood, sun and heat – and an overall healthier lifestyle.
Maybe they want to shelter in place in a healthier place. Or maybe they don’t have a big pension and their stock portfolio took a hit.
Regardless, retiring in Baja is a healthy and wise financial decision. Live better – spend less!
Your house is going to be your biggest expense. But once it is paid for, the rest of your expenses are very low.
We have lovely homes from 85k to 400k (and up) An average “expat style” home, perhaps in a gated community, with ocean views, shared or private pool is around 225k to 350k. Click here to see all available property on MLS.
Health Care
Health care is very reasonable in Baja as in all of Mexico. If you move here, buy a house and become a permanent resident you are entitled to (almost) free public health care.
There is an annual charge depending on income.. approx. 100 or 200 USD a year per couple. Yup it is socialized medicine and handy in a crunch! If you wish to supplement that with private health care you can.
There are several private hospitals and clinics in each of the towns in Baja California Sur and for $30.00 or 40.00 USD you can be seen by any of the specialists and usually right away. MRIs, Ultrasounds, tests, doctors visits and hospitalization are all available at the private facilities for prices much much lower than in the USA.
Most expats living here do a little of both. We are registered with the public health care system for ‘catastrophic’ illnesses and we use private health care facilities for occasional visits. Health insurance plans similar to USA plans are also available.
In La Paz, we have several private hospitals and clinics including the Fidepaz Hospital and Centro de Especialidades Medicas. The Salvatierra Hospital (public health care system) opened in 2010 by President Filipe Calderon and declared to be “one of the most advanced hospitals in Mexico” is also located in La Paz. Medical costs, like in the rest of Mexico, are a fraction of what they are in the USA. Doctor, dentist and medicines run somewhere between 15-30% of what they are in the USA.
I want to live there; but how much does it cost?
That’s the best part of all. It is incredibly reasonable in live in Baja. I did an estimate below where an expat couple can live for 900 USD – 1800 USD a month, depending on your lifestyle and live very WELL!
This estimate does not include rent (it assumes you own your house), travel or shopping sprees on Amazon.
All figures are in USD (and based on typical expat couple’s spending – so will vary per your lifestyle). These are approximate figures based on one expat couple’s expenses. Yours might be different.
Per Month:
- HOA (when applicable) $100.00 a month
- Property taxes $30.00 a month (360/yr)
- Electricity $35.00 a month (winter)
- Gas for cooking/dryer $12.00
- Water $7.00
- Part time cleaner $200.00 (twice a week)
- Gardener $150.00 (once a week)
- Pool maintenance $200.00 (once a week)
- Internet $10.00
- Cable TV Sky $25.00
- Groceries (supermarket) $400.00
- 2 cell phones $40.00 (long distance/data)
- Restaurants $400.00 (2 times a week)
- Gas for 1 car $200.00
- Car insur $30.00
Total: $1839.00
(Note that part time cleaner, gardener, pool maintenance and restaurants is discretionary – so you could easily live on much less).
Subtract gardener, cleaner, pool maintenance and restaurants and a couple can live easily and well on $889.00 USD a month!
Note that summer electricity costs can be double because of use of ACs.
Written by: Heather Bórquez.