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Mexico · Baja California Sur

Todos Santos

A laid-back Pacific Pueblo Mágico and art town with mild winters and Cabo nearby — but tiny, with only a local clinic, real serious-care drives, and an unswimmable surf coast.

For an American couple, Todos Santos runs about $2,600 a month — with straightforward flights back to the US.

Data quality: researchedConfidence mediumVisa & advisory re-checked 2026-07-15
A destination scene in Todos Santos, Mexico

At a glance

Couple budget
$2,600/mo
Healthcare
2/5
Safety
4/5
US advisory
Level 2
Climate
Arid
English
4/5
Close to US
4/5
Expat community
3/5

Visa & residency for Americans

AS OF 2026
Temporary Resident Visa (passive income / "rentista") — from ~$4,571/mo income

As of 2026, the Temporary Resident (passive-income) route requires roughly US$4,400/month in stable income (pension, Social Security, dividends) over ~6 months, OR an average ~US$74,000 in savings/investments over 12 months. Thresholds moved to UMA-pegging in 2025 (2026 UMA MXN 117.31), keeping the bar roughly flat. Add ~25% (~$925/mo) for a spouse/dependent. You apply at a Mexican consulate abroad, then finalize the canje in Mexico within 30 days; renewable up to 4 years before converting to permanent residency. Consular fees rose for 2026 and interpretation varies by consulate. Note for tiny Todos Santos: in-country immigration steps run through the INM office in La Paz (~1h away). Many part-timers instead use the 180-day tourist permit, though border-granted stays have been shrinking.

Healthcare. Limited in town — this is a small Pueblo Mágico, not a medical hub. Todos Santos has a respected bilingual private clinic, Saint Jude's Medical Center (on-site X-ray, lab, pharmacy, doctor referrals, air-ambulance coordination), plus a public Centro de Salud and a few small clinics — fine for routine care and stabilization. Anything serious means a drive: La Paz (~1h+) has the public Hospital General Juan María Salvatierra and private options like Fidepaz; the bigger US-standard hospitals — H+ Los Cabos, AmeriMed, BlueNet — are in the Los Cabos corridor ~1h+ south. Carry private insurance with air-evac; nearest world-class care is a flight to San Diego/LA/Phoenix (~2-2.5h from SJD).
Climate. Arid Pacific-Baja climate, milder than Cabo thanks to ocean breezes and slightly higher ground. Winters (Nov-Apr) are close to ideal — ~68-79°F days, low humidity, lots of sun. Summers (Jul-Oct) are hot (~86-100°F) and notably more humid, with Jun-Nov hurricane-season risk (peak Aug-Sep). Runs roughly 10-15°F cooler than nearby La Paz in summer. A/C wanted in the hot months.
Safety. Quiet, small-town safety within a relatively safe state. Baja California Sur carries a US State Dept Level 2 advisory and one of Mexico's lowest homicide rates (~2.2 per 100,000), and BCS was pointedly not in the Feb 2026 US Embassy security alert. In Todos Santos the most common risks to foreigners are mundane — alcohol, unsafe ocean swimming (the Pacific surf has dangerous rip currents, largely unsafe for casual swimming), and highway driving accidents — rather than violent crime, which is rare. Petty theft and opportunistic break-ins happen, especially at unoccupied second homes. Women generally report the town as relaxed and comfortable; standard rural precautions apply after dark.
US taxes abroad. Mexican tax residents are technically taxed on worldwide income, but in practice it's territorial-leaning for retirees: the US-Mexico tax treaty (in force 1994) generally assigns US Social Security and government pensions to the US, and US-source private pensions/IRA/401(k) withdrawals are typically not taxed by Mexico for US citizens. US citizens still file and owe US tax (treaty saving clause). No US-Mexico Social Security totalization agreement. We're not tax advisors — confirm specifics with a cross-border professional.
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What's good

+Charming Pueblo Mágico with a real arts scene (galleries, weekly art walk)
+Mild, sunny winters and cooler summers than nearby La Paz
+Among the safest regions in Mexico (low homicide rate; excluded from Feb 2026 alert)
+Close to Los Cabos' airport and US-standard hospitals (~1h)
+Tight-knit, welcoming American/Canadian community; very workable in English
+Treaty-protected US pensions/Social Security generally not taxed by Mexico
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Worth weighing

–Tiny — only a local clinic; serious care means a ~1h drive to La Paz or Los Cabos
–Pacific surf is largely unsafe for swimming (strong rip currents)
–Hot, humid summers with Jun-Nov hurricane-season risk
–Small, seasonal community that quiets down in summer; limited services/nightlife
–Car effectively required; sparse public transport and patchy internet in spots
–Pricier than mainland interior towns (Baja real estate has climbed)
–Immigration/admin errands require trips to La Paz (~1h)
Best for

Artsy, laid-back retirees who want a small Pacific beach town with character · Snowbirds seeking mild, sunny Nov-Apr winters near Cabo · Couples who value a close-knit community over big-city amenities · Western US-based retirees wanting reasonable flights via Los Cabos

Not for

Anyone with significant or chronic health needs wanting hospitals nearby · Beachgoers who want safe, swimmable water · Retirees needing lots of services, nightlife, or year-round buzz · Those who don't want to depend on a car

Sources, methodology & recent updates · visa & advisory re-checked 2026-07-15SHOW
Recent updates
  • Jul 22, 2026
    We flagged a possible change in Todos Santos's data and are holding the current figures until an official source confirms it.
Sources
Cost figures are the softest in this batch — Todos Santos is too small for robust Numbeo data, so estimates lean on Baja/Mexico expat guides (International Living, Expat Exchange, MyLatinLife) and comparison to La Paz/Cabo. A single retiree is cited at ~$1,200-2,200/mo for Mexico broadly; here, Baja pricing and imported goods push costs above mainland interior towns. Our ~$2,600/mo couple assumes a modest-to-nice rental, a car, private insurance, and summer A/C; costTier=3 reflects 'cheaper than Cabo, pricier than the interior.' Rents have risen with Baja's popularity [VERIFY current local rents — thin data]. Healthcare: Saint Jude's clinic confirmed; serious care relies on La Paz and Los Cabos ~1h+ away. Safety: BCS homicide ~2.2/100k and the Feb 2026 alert exclusion are well-sourced; Pacific-surf swimming danger is consistently reported. State Dept BCS Level 2 / Mexico Level 3 current early-2026 — recheck travel.state.gov. Visa income (~$4,400/mo) and 2026 UMA are DATE-SENSITIVE and consulate-dependent.
Figures are researched estimates. We date everything and flag confidence so you can judge for yourself. Dollar amounts are converted from local currency at exchange rates we refresh daily.

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