As my search goes on for the place to semi-retire somewhat close to the border, I see that people are living in Rosarito. I have only been there to party like a rockstar back in the military days. Are there communities to retire in and what other information could I get? What would be a good example of "cost of living" be?

As a person who has retired in Rosarito (well, almost...9 mts. of the year), I say yes, it's worth checking out. We love being close enough to San Diego to cross the border for medical stuff (Medicare, of course, doesn't apply in Mexico), to go shopping for U.S. items we miss, etc. In some ways, the cost of living is very similar to the U.S.; in some ways, totally different. We have a 2000 sq. foot condo right on the water; the property taxes are about $300 a year. Some restaurants are priced like a medium priced restaurant in the U.S.; some are much less. We just returned from a fantastic evening: dinner, drinks, guitar player, mariachis, dancers, followed by a round of Mexican coffee and public dancing...$50.00 a couple. Ocean front property is much, much less than in the U.S., and if you "settle" for a house on the hillside with 180 degree view of the ocean, it's cheap, cheap, cheap. In my opinion, it's definitely worth your taking a look.

Thanks so much for your input

When we get there where should we go, neighborhoods, South side, North side, ect...

Email me (Pstreet1@aol.com), and I'll email you lots and lots of information on restaurants/lodging/etc.

For now, Rosarito has only one main street, Benito Juarez. Basically, your choices are to purchase in town, north of town, or south of town. We feel that south of town is the place to be, and so, of course, that's where we are. Many directions are given in terms of the location of the Rosarito Beach Hotel--about kilometer 26. That's the south end of "town," but the road continues to be lined with restaurants, curio shopps, art galleries, etc. We're at kilometer 38.5. We feel that north of town is too undeveloped, and there are many spots north of town that have sewage problems. For us, in town is too noisy and too much a part of the club scene. So, we're south of town. I'd say anything south of the Rosarito Beach Hotel is where you should be looking. There are developments dotting the hillside; there are lots of real estate agents; there are many condo developments; prices are down right now. For us, buying a condo was the way to go because we wanted 24/7 security (security is a very important factor here), and we wanted to be able to just lock the door and walk out.

One caution, we were told--and it's proved to be excellent advice--"In Mexico, buy what you see, not what is promised. If what you see right at that moment would please you, then buy. If the things that are promised come to pass, that's a bonus." There are many failed projects, and quite a few that are essentially shut down until......... Rosarito Beach is a wonderful place to be we think, but the beauty can rob you of your senses, and you can make some stupid decisions--keep your brain working.

Pstreet1@aol.com

Sorry, the beginning of that post wasn't clear. The "for now" was in regard to posting information here. Rosarito does, indeed, have only one main street, but there are other streets.

Pstreet1:
You were picking and choosing items when talking about the costs of living in Mexico. It's true that property taxes are cheap, but as a foreigner you pay many other costs that you would not incur if you lived in the US. For instance, you most likely pay a bank fee for your fideicomiso on your condo, at about $500 per year. And you have to renew your and your wife's FM3's each year for about $135 each, if you do it yourself, more if you pay somebody. You probably have to rent a US post office box, as the Mexican postal system is so inreliable.

Then, as you mentioned, there are all the time-consuming trips back across the border to get the things you cannot obtain in Mexico, like US medical care. Don't forget the constant inconveniences of the power and water and cable going on and off.

It is true that real estate is cheaper, but it also is cheaper when you go to sell it, not to mention the process takes months. And in Mexico there is a whopping 35% capital gains tax on the sale of your residence, whereas the first $500,000 of gain on the sale of your US residence is tax-free.

I guess, when you put it all in perspective, Mexico is not really that much cheaper than the US, especially if one is older and more appreciative of having all the creature comforts without a lot of hassles.

I believe I said some costs are the same; some aren't, and that I would "check it out" if I were he. We still own in the U.S., and so I am still aware of both sides of the cost issue.

If you are going to be looking south of Rosarito i have an oceanview lot i want to sell at a very reasonable price.call me 916-427-1681
I can email you some pictures.

In response to the costs of living in Mexico, the original poster is looking at Mexico; costs are no different in Rosarito than elsewhere in Mexico. Selling your primary home does not incur the 35% capital gains tax.

Well, I beg to differ. It is way too complex to discuss in a forum, I suggest you read this:

http://www.bajainsider.com/baja-business/taxes-mexico-real-estate.htm

I will add one more item to the mix. Most expats keep a home in the US. Under the Mexico-US Tax Treaty, one can have only one principle residence. If you manage to claim your Mexican home as your principle residence, then you lose the tax exemption on the first $500,000 gain on your US home. You cannot have your cake and eat it too.

Also, if you actually travelled in Mexico, you would understand that costs up along the border with the US are significantly higher than most places in mainland Mexico, other than DF. You may not know this, but Mexico sets minimum wages by zones, based upon costs of living in these zone. Baja Calfornia is in the highest minimum wage zone.

I have been all around Northern Baja and have seen many different towns that have there own appeals about them. I just heard that there is some serious crime problems from Ensenada to TJ from the media. Is this effecting anybody?

There is serious crime because of the fight against drugs. However, it isn't directed at tourists,and both we and our friends feel safe. If we didn't, we wouldn't be there. I just spent last Wed. talking to a policeman from Orlando. We talked about the truly horrible crime rate in Orlando, and the fact that the American press doesn't publicise it because "it would be bad for tourism." They definitely don't feel that way about Mexico. In Orlando, according to that policeman, the really bad areas are a block from the main tourist areas. In Tijuana, they are in areas that you simply won't be in. There were several kidnappings and robberies almost a year a ago between Rosarito and Tijuana. Those same three or four incidents have played and replayed and replayed in the U.S., making it seem like it happens every day to at least one tourist party. That isn't the case. The criminals responsible for those incidents have been captured and are sitting in Mexican jails right now. There continue to be drug incidents, including beheadings of members of the factions, but these things--while certainly horrible--aren't factors those of us who aren't connected with that trade are worried about. It's rather like taking Compton, CA, as the proof of what is regularly happening in the U.S. It is true that what happens in Compton is real and horrible, but it isn't affecting most people in L.A. There are at least 20 major cities in the U.S. with a much higher murder rate per 100,000 people than Tijuana has--including New Orleans, Washington, D.C., and yes, Orlando.

quote:

There are at least 20 major cities in the U.S. with a much higher murder rate per 100,000 people than Tijuana has--including New Orleans, Washington, D.C., and yes, Orlando

Please list those cities and their murder rates. Thanks in advance.

The 2005 Murder Rate in American cities per 100,000 is staggering. This link will take you to the list for 2005 http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0934323.html
I have had the list for 2006/07, but haven't been able to locate it. No doubt, a thorough google search would yield it.

Compton, CA 67.1
Gary, Ind 58
Birmingham 44.3
Youngstown 43.7
Richmond, VA 43
Baltimore, MD 42
Camden, N.J. 41.2
Flint 40.1
Detroit 39.3
Richmond, CA 38.8
St. Louis, MO 37.9
Trenton, NJ 36.2
Washington DC 35.4
Newark, NJ 34.5
San Bernardino 29
Kansas City, MO 28.1
Reading, PA 27.2
Philadelphia 25.6
Kansas City,KA 25.4
Cincinnati 25.1
Rochester 24.9
Norfolk, VA 24.5
Cleveland 23.8

TIJUANA, MX 23.6
(At that time, Chicago was 15.6)

For 2007, there are some changes:
New Orleans, LA 48.3
St Louis, MO 37.9
Detroit, Michigan 37.6
Washington, D.C. 35.4
Newark, NJ 34.5
Kansas City, MO 28.1
Philadelphia, PA 25.6
Cincinnati, OH 25.1
Cleveland, OH 23.8
Orlando 22.6
Murder rate soars in Orlando (art, move, live) - Florida (FL ...May 26, 2008 ... Compare it to Miami @ 19.6 murders/100000 people, Orlando: 22.6 murders/100000 people. Overall Orlando has 50% higher crime per capita than ...


(The FBI notes that crime statistics appear higher in the Northeast because cities have been confined in their growth, whereas in the western states, cities have expanded to include "non-crime" areas and, thus, bring down the rate, for example, Oakland is "merely" 23.2.)

On these figures, I included only the murder rate because only the murder rate is required to be reported to the FBI; other violent crimes are not consistently reported from city to city so rape, kidnapping, etc. aren't in these statistics.

I certainly think it is appropriate for the State Department and the American press to warn travelers of potential dangers when traveling abroad, but who is in charge of telling travelers about their risks when they travel to Washington D.C.?

There wasn't any figures for Tijuana in your reference, so I did some digging. According to this article, there was one murder per day in TJ in 2006, for a population of 1.2 million. That works out to a murder rate of 30.4 per 100,000.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-02-05-border-crime_x.htm

But then I saw an article in the Los Angele Times that says murders in TJ for the first half of of 2008 were 206, which puts the current murder rate at 43.3 per 100,000.

That makes TJ the second most dangerous city on your list.

Actually, I did include one at the bottom of the first list.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_population_of_Tijuana says

"2006 Census shows approximately 1.5 million. Mexican Census does not reflect reality. Tijuana has an approximate population of 3.5 million habitants"

http://www.seetijuana.com/english/about-tijuana.php?sec...istory&id_gallery=25 says:
"Estimating that the current population is of over 2.5 million citizens, in which there is a wide student population in more than 25 universities and institutions. There is as well as a great concentration of assembly plants that makes Tijuana one of the main television assembly cities in the world and the fourth place in population, after Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey."

http://www.sandiego.edu/tijuana/tjtimeline.html
says,
"1985 - Population over 1.1 million; Tijuana larger than San Diego"

The point is Tijuana is a work in progress. Most authorities say the 1.5 figure does not begin to represent reality. Tijuana is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in North America. I picked a middle of the road figure for the population. If the 3.5 figure is anywhere near correct, the murder rate drops dramatically. I think it is safe to assume that 3.5 million is too many, but 1.5 million is too few. The fact remains that Tijuana's murder rate is below that of many U.S. cities, including those with a heavy tourist visitation rate: Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Atlantic City, Orlando, etc., and in my opinion, the U.S. press makes too little of the problem in U.S. cities and too much of the problem in Tijuana.

quote:

The point is Tijuana is a work in progress. Most authorities say the 1.5 figure does not begin to represent reality

Well, the reality is that Mexico has a census bureau with bean counters, just like the US. They have a website that shows the numbers. The population at the end of 2005 was 1,410,687.

http://www.inegi.org.mx/inegi/default.aspx

The population is not a wild guess. As you probably know, Mexico has internal identification cards that are required for almost everything, getting telephone, water, bank accounts, putting kids in schools, medical treatment, etc. They know how many people they have to a faily close number. You're trying to downplay the numbers by exagerating the population.

By the way, I want to point out something about Compton, the number one city on yorr list. It is a primarily hispanic town, 57%. The high homicide rate you see is an export item from our Mexican neighbors.

I'm not sure what your agenda is; I don't have one. The original poster simply asked if Rosarito were worth taking a look at. As a mostly full time resident, I said yes. From there, you launched into the cost of living there. I had previously said I would gladly provide information on our experiences there, but as a beginning, I presented a couple of items. When the original poster asked about crime, I said that we and our friends feel safe and pointed out that many U.S. cities have high crime rates, about 20 of them being higher than Tijuana's murder rate (I chose the murder rate because that is the only crime which must be reported to the FBI in the U.S.). You asked me to post the cities, which I did. You said I didn't include Tijuana, but I had. The figure I gave for Tijuana was 23.6. Then you said that was not correct. Using the population figure given for Tijuana in 2004 (1,462,000) and the annual growth rate, given conservatively, of 4.9%,[http://www.miurbal.net/focus_tijuana.html] that makes Tijuana's population in 2005, 1,533,638. One murder per day divided by 15 (15 units of 100,000 each) gives a figure of 24.3, slightly higher than the one I gave. The figures I quoted were for 2005, so the Tijuana figure I have was for Tijuana, but I did add slightly to the population because it is generally felt that Tijuana's population is underestimated, but I didn't add much. (See reference below.)

"A huge number of Tijuana's inhabitants are undocumented. If fortunate, they live as transients in one of the many cheap hotels. If not so fortunate, they may live in a cardboard box in the city dump. Usual estimates of the undercount in Tijuana's population range from 15-25%." Another source, sdsu.edu, states
" Most analysts agree that this figure is too low, citing significant technical problems in the last two national censuses in Mexico and reported manipulation of the figures on the part of the federal government to reflect lower populations in the border states for political and fiscal reasons."
[http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~irsc/tjreport/tj3.htm]

I said that drug violence has increased significantly in the past year or two, since President Calderon declared war on the drug gangs. Is it dangerous for police officers? Absolutely. Does that war extend to American tourists? No, unless they are looking for drugs. There have been kidnappings. They aren't directed at tourists. The Americans involved have been Mexican Americans who have a lot of money and make regular, predictable visits to Tijuana for business or to see family. These people are very, very wealthy: they can raise a million dollars in cash within a few days. That, obviously, doesn't apply to American tourists. They have no research on typical tourists; in short, we aren't worth the trouble--and we don't have enough money to make it worthwhile. Is it a deplorable activity carried on by the criminal/drug community? Absolutely.

As I said, I don't know what your agenda is; I don't have one, and I'm through posting. I did not try to distort any figures; I tried to be honest about my experiences and perceptions. This will be my last post on this subject.

Thanks for every bodies input. I didn't want a debate about the approximate facts just if anybody has been affected by the recent media scare on drug crimes.

We are a large family of 5 wanting to relocate to Mexico next summer. So far our choice is San Felipe because we have been there so many times on vacation and love it. What we are trying to do is research other Northern Baja areas for possible places to live, that's is why we have inquiries about others experiences South of the border.

Just for the record, Compton is not now a mostly Hispanic town. It is now a mostly African American city with a high crime rate because of all of the gangs. True some Hispanics who can't afford to get out of the town are still there. The low income housing harbors lots of undesirables, along with the people that need the housing. It is a sad and dangerous situation.