Ensenada has what nearly every U.S. city has, and at a lower cost.  There are beauty salon, spas, banks, gas stations, pharmacies, car repair shops, veterinarians and all the rest.  Even Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Costco have a presence here.   Expect to pay prices 1/2 to 1/3 less for similar goods and services found in the U.S.   For example, $60 to $100 USD per week will pay for a woman to come cook, clean and do all the laundry (men do not do this type of work in Mexico, not that they do much of it in the U.S., either).  A night out on the town for two, including a sumptuous dinner, drinks, tip and dancing, is around $60 USD.  First run movie tickets are $2.50 USD.  Downtown parking is $1 USD.  Tipping is 10%, not 20%.    It all adds up to a high quality lifestyle at an affordable price.

A few minutes south of town is the second-largest of three known major marine geysers in the world.  This area of Mexico is also known for its wine production, and the Guadalupe Valley, thirty minutes outside of town, is a fun spot for winery tours and art gallery browsing.    Todos Santos Island and Todos Santos Bay are two nearby spots which are teaming with wildlife and worth a trip.

Health care in Mexico, depending on the locale, is generally quite good, particularly in the private hospitals and clinics, and costs are 1/2 to 1/3 of U.S. costs (the socialized medical care system - IMSS - at the clinic level,  however, should be avoided).  Office visits are usually around $35 USD in Ensenada, and doctors make house calls.  The city has a number of good medical centers and hospitals where care can easily rival that found in many U.S. cities.  Keep in mind that Medicare is not accepted in Mexico.  Most expats either pay for health care as they go or travel back to their home country for serious medical care or purchase international health insurance.

As noted previously, considering its location, Ensenada has comfortable, sunny weather.  The average daytime summer high is in the mid-70s, and the average winter high is in the 60s.   Summer average low temperatures are in the 60s, and winter lows are in the 40s and 50s.  The rainy season is brief, January and February.

Regional Ensenada Airport services the city (a new airport is planned), and the paved Transpeninsular Toll Highway (Highway 1), noted for its breathtaking views, is a fast, efficient way to get to Ensenada from San Diego.  Free motorist assistance is provided by Mexico’s fleet of Green Angels (Angeles Verdes) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Now a few words about a potential drawback to Ensenada, and that is that crime along the U.S. - Mexico border has been increasing.  The increased crime, however, primarily involves turf battles between drug cartels and has not targeted tourists or U.S. expatriates.  That is not to say that Baja California does not have more routine crime or that visitors have never been victims; it does and they have been, but the U.S. media often hypes any crime that occurs, making the entire region out to be a new Wild West.   The U.S. Department of State lists a handful of cities to avoid in Mexico; Ensenada is not one of them.  And as nearby Rosarito Mayor Hugo Torres told a meeting of the Mexico Business Center in August, "Baja has not had one reported serious violent crime against its millions of visitors this entire year."  Of course caution should always be exercised in any foreign destination, just as it should be in nearly any U.S. city.

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