Ian spent 30 years travelling and working with several major cruise lines in the revenue and marketing departments, culminating in running a department for both Celebrity and Royal Caribbean Cruises – He’s been everywhere a cruise ship goes. Today, Ian has set down roots in La Paz, Mexico and connects people with homes at Dream Baja Realty.
About Ian
Q: Where are you originally from?
A: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Q: What country and city did you move to?
A: La Paz, BCS, Mexico
Q: When did you move?
A: March 2020
Q: Is this your first expat experience?
A: No, I’ve also lived in Los Angeles, Miami, and Jos, Nigeria (as a child)
Q: Did you move here alone or with a spouse/partner or family?
A: Alone
Q: Reason for moving?
A: My parents were here, and a pandemic was starting – I came to check on them and never left.
Living in La Paz
Q: What do you enjoy most about La Paz and Mexico in general?
A: I’ve been to most places tourists visit in Mexico, and I find La Paz very different from them in the most wonderful ways. Here, I found real Mexican culture and hospitality. There’s an authenticity here that hits really strongly. Being an ex-SCUBA instructor, I love the Sea of Cortés, and everything the water and beaches have to offer in La Paz (some of the best snorkelling and diving I’ve experienced anywhere in the world), but it’s still the people who make La Paz feel like home. Of course… there’s the food, too.
Q: Have you had any low points? What do you miss most about Canada?
A: Mostly just a wider breadth of international cuisine, though that’s progressively changing in La Paz. We could use a good Indian restaurant!
Q: What misconceptions about La Paz or Mexico, if any, have you learned were not true?
A: That would require an essay. Having lived in both Canada and the USA, I’d say the ‘safety’ issue is the biggest misconception. I feel safer anywhere in La Paz than I did crossing the parking lot from my condo building in South Beach, Miami. Work ethic is another big one – my team at Dream Baja Realty is a 50/50 mix of locals and expats. I’ve never encountered anything less than exceptional effort from anyone on my team, or contractors we’ve worked with, builders, cleaners, or restaurant owners. I’ve managed to create a good network of friends, and this has given me insight into how exceptional the local workforce is in La Paz.
Q: What's the one thing people most underestimate about moving to Mexico?
A: The administrative and financial side. People plan emotionally (the weather, the food, the lifestyle), but they underestimate how much the practical setup will test their patience. The residency income and savings thresholds are higher than most expect and have been rising year-on-year. Opening a bank account, getting your residency card, finding a landlord who'll accept you, none of it is impossible, but it all takes longer and demands more documentation than people are used to.
My honest advice is to budget more time and more paperwork than you think you'll need, get your finances in order early, and don't underestimate the value of someone who's walked the path before. The people who struggle aren't the ones who find Mexico hard; they're the ones who arrived expecting it to work like home.
Q: What are the biggest adjustments you had to make when settling into expat life in La Paz? Did you experience culture shock at all?
A: I experienced some homesickness and loneliness at first, though that was a brief period. I’ve travelled for my whole adult life, and I think the most shocking thing about La Paz is that it feels like home. I don’t get the urge to pack and fly to the next adventure every six weeks as I did prior to coming here.
Q: What are your favourite things to do on the weekend? Any particular places or experiences you’d recommend to fellow expats?
A: Playa El Mogote, swimming with sea lions at Isla Espiritu Santo, snorkelling with whale sharks, visiting the grey whales at Puerto Chale, walking on the malecón (marina), experiencing a mezcal flight at Les Misérables, …the list could go on and on.
Q: What’s the cost of living in La Paz compared to other places you’ve lived? Are there specific things that are especially expensive or cheap there?
A: Prior to La Paz, I was living in Miami, so there’s a dramatic difference in almost every metric. Groceries, utilities, rent, property values, PROPERTY TAXES (that’s huge), eating out, etc., etc., etc.
Q: What’s public transport like in La Paz and across Mexico?
A: Public transport isn’t perfect in La Paz – Colectivos and the newer Tiberon buses work, though schedules are sometimes hard to follow. Didi and Uber are great here – I have a vehicle, so I don’t experience public transport very often.
Q: What do you think of the healthcare available in La Paz? What should expats expect from local doctors and hospitals?
A: The healthcare in La Paz is excellent…speaking from several root canals, and a major hernia operation experience. From consultorios to surgeons, I’ve only had good experiences. And as a Canadian who lived in Miami… the cost difference is extraordinary.
Q: What’s the standard of housing like in La Paz? What different options are available?
A: La Paz is a real working city, being the state capital. Potential renters have every category to choose from: small, older local homes in local neighbourhoods, all the way to ultra-luxury condos on the marina/malecón.
Q: Are there any areas or suburbs you’d recommend for expats to live in?
A: Esterito, Centro, Colina del Sol, Lomas de Palmira, La Posada, El Centenario, El Comitán.
Meeting people and making friends in La Paz, Mexico
Q: Was meeting people and making friends in La Paz easy? How did you go about meeting new people?
A: I am not very social, outside of work, but I found it easy… though I must admit I met most people through working as a real estate agent, and through coworkers (and my parents at the time, who had been here for a decade prior to my arrival).
Q: Have you made friends with locals, or do you mix mainly with other expats? What advice would you give to new expats looking to make friends with the locals?
A: In La Paz, it’s very easy to meet locals – my whole neighbourhood is a local neighbourhood. Everyone is friendly, everyone knows when a party or get-together will happen, we help each other find escaped pets. Six years in, I’ve made a huge number of local friends through work as well. Not just agents, but builders and their families, property managers… I probably mix more with locals than other expats in La Paz.
Working in La Paz, Mexico
Q: How easy or difficult was getting a work permit or visa? Did you tackle the visa process yourself, or did you enlist the services of an immigration consultant?
A: I had help from a local facilitator, temporary with the right to work all the way to permanente.
Q: What is the economic climate in La Paz like?
A: La Paz is generally ‘middle class’ – though we have ultra-rich areas, the majority of the city is more modest. Appearances can be misleading in La Paz, however – the city’s major economic driver is government, not tourism…so there isn’t as much ‘glitter’ in La Paz.
Q: How does the work culture in La Paz differ from Canada?
A: People respect their holidays and family time… which, frankly, was a good lesson to learn for this workaholic.
Final thoughts
Q: Any advice you’d like to offer to new arrivals in La Paz?
A: Learn some Spanish. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and the locals here will help you, but effort to learn the language is a sign of respect for your new home. And, if you don’t engage and mingle with the locals, you may be missing out on the most enriching part of La Paz.
►Interviewed in July 2026