Things to know when moving to Cabo in 2023

I was living in Long Beach working for PwC as a business consultant after the pandemic. My wife, Denise, was looking for her next career opportunity and together we agreed she should open her search to anywhere in the world that sounded fun. She applied all over the place with the majority of positions being situated in the US. One opportunity, however, was in Mexico. Although I had liked the idea of us hypothetically moving to Mexico, when she said she had an interview there it became a little more real. The interview turned into a job offer and I was left with some serious thinking to do. Where will we live? What will I do for work? How much Spanish do I know? What about my friends? Is it safe?

Making the decision to move to Mexico

I was uncertain and my mind was clouded with ideas of what I thought living in Mexico would be like. The uncertainty initially got the best of me and I told Denise it wasn’t the right move for us. In my mind I thought finding an apartment would be difficult, I’d only be able to work remotely, I won’t be able to have full conversations with anyone, I’d be lonely, and there was a high possibility of being involved in crime or violence. She was bummed but understood it was a big decision and gave me time to process.

We’re moving to Mexico!

We flew down to Los Cabos to spend the week exploring the area and getting a feel for where we would want to live. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of food options, apartments, beaches and activities available. We strolled through the cobblestone streets of downtown San Jose del Cabo and fell in love with its beauty, calmness, and charm. We had enjoyable interactions with hospitable locals and noticed familiar brands and stores that made us feel like we had access to anything we may need. Our uncertainty was growing into a desire to move to this beautiful place.

I spent the next couple days completely distracted from work. My search history contained everything related to Mexico and living in Los Cabos. I remembered my first time seeing the Big Sur coastline of California, my favorite Hot Pot dinner in Huntington Beach, the warm summer night motorcycle rides through Laguna Canyon, and the great trips I’d taken with the friends I’d made. None of those things would exist in my life if I hadn’t left my comfort zone and pushed myself into uncertainty. With the desire to live a life of creating new amazing memories, I walked into the living room and proclaimed to Denise that we were moving to Cabo! 

Moving your belongings to Mexico

We used MexPat Movers based out of San Diego, CA to ship our Jeep, furniture, clothing, and kitchen stuff. We packed everything up and they had a crew to load their truck. The next time we saw our stuff was 7 days later at our door in Cabo. The total price for the move was $2,900 USD including pickup, transport, customs service, and delivery. We also transported our Jeep for an additional $2,500. The only thing we had on the plane was a suitcase with a week’s worth of clothes and our two cats.

We read on multiple forums selling everything and buying it new in Mexico was the easiest method. We sold mostly everything except the couch, TV, clothes, and kitchenware. We brought the TV because we had just bought it and heard electronics in Cabo were more expensive. We also heard the kitchenware selection in the US was much better than in Cabo. We had some things we really liked so we decided to bring them with us. Six months in our air fryer fried its last meal. We used it all the time and so I promptly went out to buy a new one. After looking around Wal-Mart and La Comer (large grocery store), I felt the prices were quite high. I confirmed my suspicions by comparing the prices in the store to the same models on Amazon. The store models were on average 30% higher. After looking into this further, I learned imported items are charged a 30% government tariff. So if you love your air fryer, bring it with you!

Moving your car to Mexico

You have a few options when it comes to bringing a vehicle down with you. You can ship it, drive it, or pay for someone else to drive it and cover their hotel, gas, and food. Since relocation costs were covered by her employer, we opted for the most convenient of the three options, the shipping method. It required the least amount of work on our end and it could be added to the bill of the moving company already helping us. You’ll need to have both US and Mexican insurance on your vehicle before the move. This was a requirement of the mover. Don’t leave anything in your vehicle if you have it shipped. My Ray-Bans were lost on the journey.

Once in Los Cabos, I recommend applying for a title transfer and registration with South Dakota. Yes, South Dakota. They allow out of state titles and registration and don’t require a smog check or inspection to renew. You just send the payment. Initially you’ll have to send the original title, a copy of your driver’s license, social security card, and a few completed forms you can find on the Clay County, SD website. They’re responsive to emails and very helpful if you want to run anything about the process by them. 

4X4 comes in handy!

Finding an apartment in Cabo

From the research we did, finding and securing an apartment relies heavily on word of mouth and referrals. We received assistance from my wife’s employer so didn’t have to put in much effort on this front. I’d recommend joining some Facebook groups to see what spots are available and contacting whoever is posting them. The apartment we moved into is in San Jose del Cabo, which we preferred over San Lucas for its quieter, more artsy vibe. It’s a 5 minute walk to the beach, a 15 minute walk to the town plaza, 20 minutes to downtown SJ, and has a view of the ecological reserve across the street which is a protected wetland with year round greenery from the palm trees and other natural vegetation. If you’re unsure where you want to rent or buy, send me a message and we can chat about the different areas and their unique characteristics.

Getting a temporary resident visa in Mexico

Once you’re all moved in, it’s time to get started on your temporary residency. Your tourist visa lasts for 180 days (the stamp on your passport). After that 180 days you’ll have to leave the country and then return. There is no set time limit for how long you need to be out of the country before returning. I recommend paying the legal fees for the assistance of an immigration specialist. I used Immigration Solutions and it sped up the process, took away the guesswork, and gave me a contact for any questions I had related to the processes. If you’re planning to work here you’ll also have to get a work visa. This process involves getting an RFC (individual tax number), a job offer, and paying legal fees. You’ll spend a good chunk of your day at the SAT building in San Lucas. Think of it like your experiences at the DMV. 

Once you get your temporary resident card, you’ll be able to enter through the citizen side of the airport line anytime you return. Not only does this feel cool, the line is much shorter (no tourists) and they don’t ask you as many questions.

None of my blog posts or their content are sponsored, these are simply my experiences and recommendations.