When we arrived in Los Cabos for the first time in 1990, it was very different than it is today. With our posts on Enjoy Los Cabos Life about new developments, many people comment on how they miss the good old days of smaller towns and lower prices. With growth and development there is always changes for better and for worse. Los Cabos has become a luxury destination, and a recent story compared the cost of hotels in Cancun, Puerta Vallarta and Los Cabos – Los Cabos was significantly more expensive.

We bought our first condo in San Jose del Cabo in 1991 and built our house on the beach in 1998. A lot has changed. When we arrived, the highways were two lane and often washed out – now they are four and there is much more traffic. When we arrived, the only grocery store that carried American products was Aramburo – now there is Soriana, La Comer, Chedraui, Ley and of course, Costco and Walmart. When we arrived you had to bring many of the things that you needed for your house from the United States and Canada as Casper was the only hardware store – now there is Home Depot, Costco and Walmart. When we built our house in Zacatitos, the builder only had to provide a structural plan to get a permit – now full plans for structure, electrical and plumbing are required. When we built off the grid, it was a little bit like the wild west. Most of the contractors either weren’t licensed or had no experience, especially with solar. Now, after experiencing our last three construction projects, I would say, they exceed the quality of many of the houses that we built or renovated in the United States.

When we arrived, there were very few opportunities for jobs and careers for local Mexicans. There was virtually no middle class. Now, there are a shortage of workers in the hospitality and construction industries. Entrepreneurs have built all kinds of local businesses, and they are prospering. Foundations have appeared to support families in poverty with education, food, and health programs. Infrastructure has improved by not as much as it needs to support the growth.  The result is that quality services are now available in all industries – construction, furniture, automobiles, electronics and more.

Much of the complaints about the changes come from expats that have been in Baja for 20 or 30 years. They decry the increase in costs. They demand local cost housing for locals. The miss cheap tacos and beer. They really want Baja to be like it was 40 years ago. Yes, the dramatic increase in tourism has brought more restaurants and higher prices in tourist areas. However, there are still lots of local restaurants in all the areas of southern Baja with reasonable prices – you just have to find them, like we have. Housing prices have gone up dramatically but in 1991, there was basically no real housing for locals – now there are whole neighborhoods providing housing in apartments and small houses that are of higher quality and more affordable than temporary housing around the arroyos that washed away with storms every year.