BajaNomad

Moving to Tijuana, work in SD

Studentoftruth89 - 9-12-2016 at 07:05 PM

Hi, new here. Have a few questions about moving. First a bit about myself. I currently live in Wisconsin and have graduated school for Massage Therapy here. I'm looking to get licensed in California and work in San Diego but live in Tijuana. How do I go about getting my employer to pay me if I live in a different country? Or will it not be an issue? Also to get the Sentri Pass must I be in California for the interview part of can that be done locally before I move. I have my own vehicle and am looking to stay at least six months possibly longer. But I love to see new things and experience cultures different from my own so I don't want this to be a permanent move. However I hear the California pay rate for my profession is significantly higher so I figure I can save a little money and go from there. About how much money would you recommend moving down with? Just enough to last me until I can hopefully get a job relatively quickly. I'd be willing to even take a fast food or serving job on either side of the border if I'd be able to survive. I don't expect to get rich and my material wants are very few. Is craigslist a good place to search for a roommate(s)? I'm a 27 year old male if that helps any. Thank you and any other advice or things I need to consider would be helpful. I'm sure I'll think of more questions as time goes on but looking to move in a few months at max because getting restless up in Green Bay.

BajaBlanca - 9-12-2016 at 09:06 PM

craigslist is a great location to search for roomies or furniture or whatever.

I recommend having job interviews lined up before you even come - this is a hard economy now.

having a sentry card will be your saving grace to be able to go to san diego to work. your bank will be in san diego and pay will come in dollars so no issue at all.

good luck with everything.

SlyOnce - 9-13-2016 at 09:25 AM

Hi I live in Playas de TJ and work in San Diego. With SENTRI I cross every morning very early. I have a PMB or Private Mail Box in the US at a Postal Annex. This is your official US address. To your employer, CA Tax and IRS, CBP on your SENTRI application, US Voter Registration, everything appears as if you live in the US. All US mail is sent to this address as is anything you order on the Internet.

My apartment is on a hill overlooking the beach and is $350/month and that includes electric and gas. Water is extra as is Cable TV and Internet. You get secure parking for 2 cars. At this price you probably don't need a roommate (this is for a small studio apartment).

I like living in Baja, it's an adventure. Playas is closest place to the US border (I can see the border fence from my patio). There are lots of restaurants, music, art, festivals and so on. Playas is totally a blend of both cultures with Starbucks, KFC, Carls Jr, homemade tamales and a taco shop with birria all on the same corner.

Security is good, although we had some incidents in the last few months at our apartment and now have fences, and night watchmen with dogs. At least the management stepped up security for all of us. In the past 3 years these have been the only incidents.

This plan will not work well without SENTRI, a PMB on the US side close to your place to work and a flexible schedule or at least an early one (or a later one - avoid the morning rush hour even in SENTRI lanes).

Its highly debatable - some on here will say you must have at least a temporary residence visa in MX, others will say you must have at least a 6 month tourist visa. I have no MX visa and have never been asked for one. I have MX car insurance via Baja Bound.

Born in Milwaukee, PM me for any more info.

sancho - 9-13-2016 at 11:53 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Studentoftruth89  

However I hear the California pay rate for my profession is significantly higher so I figure I can save a little money and go from there.
I'd be willing to even take a fast food or serving job on either side of the border if I'd be able to survive.











Glad to see Cali still has the draw, more $ in you're line of
work, perhaps. For all pracital purposess, you can't work in
Mex, you wouldn't want to, at approx. $2 dlls an hr, maybe
less. Don't let something stand in your way though, it would
be a bit of a grind, coming back and forth, but Sly does it.
It may well work out for you, just have a realistic approach,
as you said it is temporary, bueno suerte
edit: you may be correct involving pay, the wife said
her sister pays $100 hr. for in house massage therapy





[Edited on 9-13-2016 by sancho]

[Edited on 9-13-2016 by sancho]

Alm - 9-13-2016 at 03:52 PM

Daily border crossing sucks. Sentri pass is a must in this case, but I suspect that a car-Sentri (as opposed to ped-Sentri and trolley) won't make it "much" easier because SD rush hour traffic sucks too - though it's not as bad as in LA where it both lasts longer and may happen at ANY time of the day. Additionally, there is a significant delay in Southbound traffic to TJ border during 5 pm rush hour - from 20 minutes on weekdays to 30-40 on Fridays or holiday eve, you can't avoid this with Sentri pass because congestion begins way before the border.
Unless really-really necessary for survival, I would rather not commute across the border when working in San Diego.

[Edited on 9-13-2016 by Alm]

mtgoat666 - 9-13-2016 at 04:14 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Studentoftruth89  
Hi, new here. Have a few questions about moving. First a bit about myself. I currently live in Wisconsin and have graduated school for Massage Therapy here. I'm looking to get licensed in California and work in San Diego but live in Tijuana. How do I go about getting my employer to pay me if I live in a different country? Or will it not be an issue? Also to get the Sentri Pass must I be in California for the interview part of can that be done locally before I move. I have my own vehicle and am looking to stay at least six months possibly longer. But I love to see new things and experience cultures different from my own so I don't want this to be a permanent move. However I hear the California pay rate for my profession is significantly higher so I figure I can save a little money and go from there. About how much money would you recommend moving down with? Just enough to last me until I can hopefully get a job relatively quickly. I'd be willing to even take a fast food or serving job on either side of the border if I'd be able to survive. I don't expect to get rich and my material wants are very few. Is craigslist a good place to search for a roommate(s)? I'm a 27 year old male if that helps any. Thank you and any other advice or things I need to consider would be helpful. I'm sure I'll think of more questions as time goes on but looking to move in a few months at max because getting restless up in Green Bay.


Commuting across the border takes significant time, and is unpleasant.
I think you should visit (holiday) and do the commute for 7 days. The experience will be informative. I think youll decide against it after 2 days.

SFandH - 9-13-2016 at 04:20 PM

I cross the border regularly and doing so at morning and afternoon rush hours is stressful, even with Sentri. But of course having Sentri is a million times better northbound than not. As Alm said, afternoon southbound is CROWDED and Sentri is no help.

But besides the border, driving in TJ during heavy traffic hours is hectic, especially near the border crossing. Much more so than in the US where more money is spent in building safe intersections, traffic signals, and signage, and where most drivers abide by the rules. TJ at rush hours is wild.

As far as TJ neighborhoods, I agree with Sly. Playas de Tijuana is your best bet. There are more expensive areas but paying a lot to live in TJ and working in San Diego doesn't make any sense.

Security is a huge issue. The main problems are home burglaries and car theft. Lots of thieves who never get caught. If you drive around TJ neighborhoods you'll see that the homes in the nicer areas are all walled in and cars are parked off the street, behind locked gates.

Private gated communities with guards at the gates 7/24 are your best bet.


[Edited on 9-14-2016 by SFandH]

SlyOnce - 9-14-2016 at 01:46 PM

Living in Playas is very good because

- you cross the border, turn right and get on the freeway and get off in Playas (never drive in TJ)

- I live in a private gated and guarded community

- Playas is relatively safe, the rest of TJ is certainly seeing an uptic in Narco violence and crime.

- nice beach town with lots of activities

- great shopping and dining.


All that said, this works for me for a couple of reasons

- my job is 6:30 to 3:30
- I cross the border northbound every morning at 3 AM
- I cross southbound every day at 4 PM
- I have a place to stay on the US side
- I stay on the US side Thursday and Friday to avoid the horrible traffic southbound those nights
- although I've done this for 3 years I have only 6 months to go until retirement and I won't have to cross anymore!!!
- and of course reason #1 is I have a beautiful MX wife who works here in TJ and is a delight to come home to every night. She has SENTRI too and we spend most weekends in the US

Joselito - 9-15-2016 at 10:14 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  
craigslist is a great location to search for roomies or furniture or whatever.













Criag's List + TJ, What could possibly go wrong?

tjsue - 9-16-2016 at 10:46 AM

I doubt if this first time poster will be back.

But, I wouldn't even consider living in Tijuana and crossing the border often without a Sentri pass. I had to do it for six months, and moved back to San Diego after I got my Sentri. And I don't regret moving back, either.

bajaguy - 9-16-2016 at 10:51 AM

People have different pain tolerance levels
Quote: Originally posted by tjsue  
I had to do it for six months, and moved back to San Diego after I got my Sentri. And I don't regret moving back, either.

tjsue - 9-16-2016 at 11:42 AM

With the wear and tear on my van, all the gas it used, plus the time, I was losing money living in Tijuana, because it prevented me from working most of the time.