Which is best for an American to live in, Tijuana or Mexicali?

Question

Next year I have plans to move to Mexico temporarily. As an American, I enjoy living overseas, since I can do my freelance work via the Internet. I would like to hear from American and other expats who reside/have resided in Tijuana and/or Mexicali, Mexico, to hear their recommendations.

After reading the first 5 answers, I have got to ask: people, please be less cryptic. What is trashy, horrible, trouble for you? Also, what other communities down south would you recommend and why? I'm no mind reader, you know.

Another thing: from what I've read from some of you about Mexicali, sounds like an interesting place with a big DOWNSIDE: the searing heat between May-Nov. That's a downer alright.

Answer 1

Let me go ahead an give the the best answer. Fisrt let me tell you that I grew up my whole life in San Diego which I hope you know is across the border from Tijuana. I've also lived in the Imperial Valley for 6 months which is across the border from Mexicali and during that time I visited Mexicali numerous times. I have also lived in TIjuana for 6 months as well.

Let me get the easy part out of the way for you. Mexicali is the worst choice you have. Yes it is not as bad as Tijuana in terms of crime or pollution or poverty which is probably why you considered it. However it's a HOT DUSTBOWL! Yes it's a big metropolitan area with a large population and even the capital of BCN. HOwever it's like a bakersfield,ca type of place. Big and boring. And yes the heat is unbearable. If you are going to live in Mexicali live there for a few months in the winter, the weather will be nice. After that get out of town the other 3/4 of the year will be HAUWGHTT. Temperatures will be above one hundred everyday from mid spring to mid fall. Imagine summertime afternoons reaching 115 to 120 some days, and on those days when the sun goes down it will still be sweaty and hot above 90 degrees for a good part of the night. No thank you. Not to mention that you will be living across the border from the Imperial Valley which is adequate but with less to offer than living across from San Diego.

Now that that is taken care of that leaves us with Tijuana. But I would add Rosarito and Ensenada as options as well. Mainly it depends on what you commute situation will be. This includes how often you will be crossing and how far you are willing to drive.

I was a daily commuter when I lived there and that's why I chose to live in Playas De Tijuana. I drove a motorcycle which is the very very best way to cross the border. An hour and a half wait at the border to cross turns into 10 minutes. On my motorcycle it took me 10-15 minutes just to get to the border during the morning rush hour, however if you are in a car it will take longer because you deal with traffic. If you drive to the border from Playas de Tijuana during any other time of day it will be 10- 15 min. if you don't need to cross in the morning. Playas de tijuana is the best part of Tijuana to live in as far as what I've been told. It's acually very secluded from the rest of Tijuana because there's only one way in and one way out. Next year I'll be moving back to TJ but I will most likely move to an area called Zona Rio which is not quite as good as Playas but still a middle or upper middle class area and very close to the border.

Rosarito is nicer than Tijuana and it's just down the coast. Also there are more Americans. A bigger percentage of the costal proberty here is owned by americans compared with the overall population in the area of americans verses Mexicans. With no traffic it takes 30plus minutes to get to the border from Rosarito and i have known some people that made a daily commute, but it's very taxing. The daily commute from Tijuana alone is very taxing. There are some very nice (translate, very expensive) housing developements between playas de tijuana and Rosarito. But the down side is that there's no stores or anything there it's just houses, so you have to go into Rosarito or Tijuana to go shopping or anything. THere's also a nice little town called Puerto Nuevo just pasted Rosarito that's known for it's good sea food. One other note. There is a toll on the highway once you pass playas de tijuana which can add up if you are traveling frequently past Tijuana. There is an old road you can take that is free but it goes right through tijuana instead of around it and it is very very time consuming.

Now, I saved the best for last. If you plan on crossing the border 1,2, or maybe even 3 times or less a week or anything less than that I'd say Ensenada is the way to go. Let me tell you why:

Most importantly is the furthest from the border. That means it has less polution, less poverty, less crime?, and I'd even say less police corruption. Not to mention the huge population of Americans living there. I've seen estimates that 20% of the Ensenada population is American. It's a much bigger city than Rosarito as well which in fact used to be part of the Tijuana greater area. However the best thing about is is also the worst thing about it. The trip to the border from Ensenada is an hour plus.

You can search the web for Baja Relocation and there's a company that specializes in helping Americans move to baja and find all the things they need. They offer all kinds of services and can even get you a San Diego phone number that will ring at you house in Mexico among other things.

Hope this info was helpful :)

Answer 2

Moving To Tijuana

Answer 3

Ummm...if I was you I would steer clear from Tijuana - it's horrible there and very trashy. It's very poor and when the people see an American they often send their kids after you to hound you for cash. Not to mention the fact that when the sun goes down, the police vanish and it can become very dangerous.
You might wanna try living somewhere a bit further off from the main city and more by the beach or something. If I was you I would go for Mexicali.

Answer 4

I would pick Mexicali. Tijuana is very much a transient town. You would have to live Las Playas to feel any sense of normalcy. The pluses are the proximity to beaches, and to San Diego.

Mexicali on the other hand, is a place where you can really immerse yourself in the Mexican culture. This is because even though you can get across the border to Calexico and the rest of the Imperial Valley, those places are pretty much Hispanic. The joke is that Calexico is the richest neighbourhood in Mexicali (even though it's on the US side).
The downside is the searing heat. It gets to be 120degrees in the shade in Mexicali and that's from May to Nov. The it gets dead cold in the remaining months.

But, since I don't know if you are there just to live, or to soak up the way of life, it is up to you how much you want to separate yourself from the US. There is more of a gap while in Mexicali. Most Mexicans don't really see TJ as "real Mexico." You would have to drive a bit south to Rosarito and even Ensenada.

Disclosure: I have lived on the border my entire life and I was born a raised in Mexicali. I have spent enough time in TJ/San Diego to know my way around and know people that have lived in TJ for extensive period of time and even they left.

Good luck in your search, and I hope that you are able to at least visit Mexicali. It is worth seeing once.

El Dude. Which is spanish for: The Dude.

Answer 5

Both of those towns are border towns and really not very nice at all. High crime, dirty, congested, just a mess. Not many Americans would choose to live in either place. Not many great places to stay at all either. And really not safe. You would be better off a little further South in the Ensenada areas.

If you want to see the real Mexico and a better Mexico, then go way way South to Baja or Mexico City or just outside of there.

If you want resorts and a cushy life style try the resorts, La Paz, Cabo and Vallarta. Really beautiful there.

Make sure you have your Visa and a good supply of Mexican currency and be a very "wise" and aware traveler there. If you have spent time in third world countries, you will know what I mean by that.

********NOTE: From your further questions you added I cannot understand why you either don't believe people who have been to these cities many times, like myself or you do not comprehend the situation there are what the towns are like. YOU asked for the info. You were given it, then you argue and challenge people on the answers. Just go live in TJ then and see what a cesspool it is and quit asking questions if you do not want to hear the truth. Gee, we were all pretty specific and you still didn't get it. Pretty obtuse.

And we did reccomend other communities, I guess you can't read either. Nice way to treat people who came on here to actually help you and take the time to do it. Go live anywhere there, I do not care! Screw it! Find out for yourself then!

Answer 6

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Answer 7

As an American, I don't think you would want to live in either place
Even though this is not a permanent move, I don't find either area
to be safe or comfortable enough for me to stay more than 2 hours.
Why not look into living in a safer place, like Rosarita Beach ?

Answer 8

None.
Mazatlan, Cauncun, Mexico city etc....

But if you have to choose from one of those cities.
Mexicali
(those cities are horrible)

Answer 9

America

Answer 10

~*~ Stay away from the border towns. You are just looking for trouble there.. Trust me I know.. Go a bit more south.. There are nicer places that you could live.. ~*~