Summary
No. Tijuana rents are falling, not rising: the Inmuebles24 index shows a 17.9% drop in 2025 and another 3.2% in January and February 2026, and local brokers reported further cuts of 3% to 10% in July 2026.
A typical 2-bedroom of about 65 m² now rents for around MXN 18,000 a month (about USD 968), a 1-bedroom for around MXN 14,000 and a studio for around MXN 10,500.
That works out to about MXN 280 per m² per month, from roughly MXN 190 in Colinas de California to MXN 415 in Calete.
The drop has clear causes: the number of cross-border workers living in Tijuana fell about 14% in 2025, border waits are pushing some back to San Diego, and the peso, though weaker since early September, is still a bit stronger than its 2025 average.
For the rest of 2026, we expect rents to stay flat or slip a little, somewhere between -5% and +2%.
Calete is still the priciest area, at about MXN 27,000 a month on average, with Zona Río and Hipódromo close behind.
Young professionals tend to pick Zona Río, Cacho and Otay and pay MXN 13,000-22,000; families go for Chapultepec, Agua Caliente and Playas and pay MXN 18,000-35,000.
Furnished units with secure parking still rent best, and furnishing can add MXN 2,000-5,000 a month.
Vacancy is creeping up: we estimate 5% to 8% for long-term rentals, and an average unit now takes about 30 to 45 days to rent.
Landlords are cutting asking rents to fill units, for example from USD 800 to USD 600 on some apartments, so overpricing now costs you months of empty rent.
Airbnb is shrinking too: AirDNA counts 2,094 active listings, down 43.9% in a year, with 52% occupancy and about USD 13,000 of revenue per listing.
On costs, predial usually runs MXN 3,000-12,000 a year, and a landlord who isn't a Mexican tax resident owes 25% of gross rent in income tax.
Bottom line: this is a tenant's market for now. Buy for rental income only if the numbers work at today's lower rents, not at the 2024 peak.
What does it cost to rent in Tijuana today?
What's the average monthly rent for a studio?
In 2026, a studio in Tijuana rents for around MXN 10,500 a month, which is about USD 565 or EUR 502.
Most studios go for MXN 8,500 to MXN 15,000 per month, or about USD 457 to USD 806 and EUR 407 to EUR 718.
The range is wide because a studio in Otay, Altabrisa, Libertad, Buena Vista, or Centro can be much cheaper than a furnished studio in Zona Río, Cacho, Hipódromo, Chapultepec, or Playas.
What's the average monthly rent for a 1-bedroom?
A 1-bedroom apartment in Tijuana rents for around MXN 14,000 a month, which is about USD 753 or EUR 670.
Most 1-bedroom apartments rent for MXN 12,000 to MXN 21,000 per month, or about USD 645 to USD 1,130 and EUR 574 to EUR 1,000.
The cheapest 1-bedrooms are usually in Centro, Otay, La Mesa, Buena Vista, and Colinas de California. The highest rents are in Zona Río, Cacho, Hipódromo, Chapultepec, Calete, and the better parts of Playas.
What's the average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom?
A 2-bedroom apartment of about 65 m² rents for a little over MXN 18,000 a month on average, which is about USD 968 or EUR 861, according to the Inmuebles24 index for February 2026.
Most 2-bedroom apartments rent for MXN 15,000 to MXN 30,000 per month, or about USD 806 to USD 1,610 and EUR 718 to EUR 1,440. A 3-bedroom home of about 100 m² averages a little over MXN 25,000 (about USD 1,340).
Cheaper 2-bedrooms are more common in Colinas de California, La Mesa, Santa Fe, and outer family areas. The most expensive are in Calete, Zona Río, Cacho, Hipódromo, Chapultepec, Agua Caliente, and Playas.
For comparison, the same index put a 65 m² 2-bedroom at about MXN 22,767 in February 2025, so the average has lost more than MXN 4,000 a month in a year.
What's the average rent per square meter?
Apartment rent in Tijuana averages around MXN 280 per m² per month, or about USD 15.1 and EUR 13.4.
Across neighborhoods, most rents sit between about MXN 190 and MXN 415 per m² per month, or USD 10.2 to USD 22.3 and EUR 9.1 to EUR 19.9. The bottom is Colinas de California, the top is Calete.
That's still high for Mexico, because many tenants earn San Diego wages or work in border jobs, logistics, medical services and nearshoring plants.
Rent per m² goes above average when the apartment has secure parking, controlled access, furniture, a short commute to Zona Río or Otay, or easy access to the border.
How much have rents fallen in Tijuana over the past year?
Average rents in Tijuana are roughly 20% below their early 2025 peak. The Inmuebles24 index shows a 17.9% drop over 2025 and another 3.2% in January and February 2026.
That came right after a 24.7% jump in 2024. Rents simply ran ahead of what local tenants could pay, and the market corrected.
The slide hasn't stopped. In July 2026, the Baja California real estate council (Cepibc) reported cuts of 3% to 10% depending on the area and the type of home, because fewer people are looking.
Will rents in Tijuana go back up?
Probably not this year. We expect rents to move between -5% and +2% in nominal terms for the rest of 2026, which means a small real drop with inflation at 3.45% in September.
The long-term support is still there: population growth, industrial and logistics jobs, cross-border workers, and a huge cost gap with San Diego, where local brokers say a comparable home rents for two to three times as much.
The areas most likely to hold up are Zona Río, Otay, Cacho, Hipódromo, Chapultepec, and Agua Caliente.
The main risk is affordability. The 2026 minimum wage in the border zone is MXN 440.87 a day, roughly MXN 13,400 a month, which is less than the average 1-bedroom rent.
Starting a Rental in Mexico
Why are Tijuana rents dropping in 2026?
Because the tenants who pushed rents up are thinning out. Local appraisers say the 2023-2024 boom was driven by people who earn dollars in the US and live in Tijuana to stretch their pay.
That group is shrinking. INEGI data reported by El Imparcial shows the number of cross-border workers living in Tijuana fell from 51,533 to 44,437 between the first and third quarter of 2025, about 14% fewer. AMPI says long border waits are pushing some of them back to the San Diego side, which leaves more empty units.
The peso hasn't helped much. It has weakened since early September (from under 17 to about 18.6 per dollar), so a dollar salary buys a bit more rent than a few weeks ago, but still less than on the 2025 average of 19.2. And tenants who earn in pesos were already priced out by the 2024 jump.
What to do: if you're buying to rent out, run your numbers with today's rents, not 2024 listings, and favor units that appeal to local professionals paid in pesos, not only to cross-border commuters.
Which neighborhoods still command the highest rents in Tijuana?
Which neighborhoods have the highest rents?
Calete has the highest average rent in Tijuana, at about MXN 27,000 a month (USD 1,450 or EUR 1,290), according to the Inmuebles24 index. Zona Río and Hipódromo follow, with good apartments at roughly MXN 22,000 to MXN 30,000 a month, or USD 1,180 to USD 1,610 and EUR 1,050 to EUR 1,440.
Listings tell the same story: on TuLugar in October 2026, the median asking rent for an apartment in Zona Río is about USD 1,500 a month (MXN 27,900), against USD 1,250 (MXN 23,200) for the whole city, where listings skew to the upper end.
At the other end, Colinas de California averages about MXN 12,500 a month (USD 674).
The top areas earn premium rents because they offer better security, services, parking, and quick access to offices, hospitals, and the border. Their tenants are executives, professionals, cross-border workers, medical staff, expats, and higher-income families.
By the way, we've written a blog article detailing what are the current best areas to invest in property in Tijuana.
Where do young professionals prefer to rent in Tijuana right now?
Young professionals mostly pick Zona Río, Cacho, and Otay, because these areas give them quick access to jobs, services, and main roads.
They usually pay MXN 13,000 to MXN 22,000 per month, or about USD 699 to USD 1,180 and EUR 622 to EUR 1,050.
They look for secure buildings, parking, restaurants nearby, short commutes, furnished options, and easy access to the border.
Where do families prefer to rent in Tijuana right now?
Families mostly choose Chapultepec, Agua Caliente, and Playas de Tijuana, with Otay Jardín and La Mesa popular for tighter budgets.
They usually pay MXN 18,000 to MXN 35,000 per month for a 2-bedroom or 3-bedroom home, or about USD 968 to USD 1,880 and EUR 861 to EUR 1,670.
They want parking, more space, safer streets, schools nearby, and less noise. Schools include UABC in Otay, CETYS Universidad, and private schools around Chapultepec, Agua Caliente, Hipódromo, Playas, and La Mesa.
One thing to know about Playas: the federal health agency COFEPRIS rated Playa Tijuana unfit for swimming in July 2026, because of sewage from the Tijuana River. Families who move there for the beach may care.
Which areas near transit or universities rent faster?
The fastest-renting areas near transit or universities are Otay Universidad, Mesa de Otay, and Zona Río, with Altabrisa, Buena Vista, and Centro also doing well.
Well-priced rentals there usually go in about 10 to 25 days, while overpriced units can sit for months.
Being close to UABC, the main bus corridors, Vía Rápida, or Otay can add about MXN 1,500 to MXN 4,000 a month, or about USD 80.6 to USD 215 and EUR 71.8 to EUR 191. The new Otay II crossing started limited truck traffic on October 19, 2026, with the permanent US facility not expected before about 2030, so it could add jobs nearby later, but it has no visible effect on rents yet.
Which neighborhoods are most popular with expats in Tijuana right now?
Expats mostly live in Playas de Tijuana, Zona Río, and Cacho, with Hipódromo, Chapultepec, and Centro also common.
They usually pay MXN 16,000 to MXN 30,000 per month, or about USD 860 to USD 1,610 and EUR 766 to EUR 1,440.
They come for furnished apartments, restaurants, healthcare, easy border access, and a sense of safety. Most are Americans, especially Californians, plus some Canadians, retirees, remote workers, and binational families.
If you're an expat too, you may want to read our guide for expats in Tijuana.
70+pagesWho rents in Tijuana now, and what will they pay extra for?
What tenant profiles dominate rentals in Tijuana?
The three main tenant groups in Tijuana are local professionals, families, and cross-border workers.
Our estimate is that local professionals make up about 30% of the rental market, families about 30%, and cross-border workers about 15% to 20%, a share that is shrinking as their numbers fall.
Local professionals want 1-bedroom or 2-bedroom apartments, families want 2-bedroom or 3-bedroom homes, and cross-border workers often want furnished studios or 1-bedrooms with parking and secure access.
If you want to optimize your cashflow, read our guide on how to buy and rent out in Tijuana.
Do tenants prefer furnished or unfurnished?
About 35% to 40% of rental demand in Tijuana leans furnished, while 60% to 65% still leans unfurnished.
A furnished apartment often earns MXN 2,000 to MXN 5,000 more per month than a similar unfurnished one, or about USD 108 to USD 269 and EUR 95.7 to EUR 239.
Furnished rentals are most popular with cross-border workers, expats, students, medical staff, remote workers, and people in Tijuana for a job change.
Which amenities increase rent the most?
The five amenities that add the most rent in Tijuana are secure parking, controlled access, a furnished setup, minisplits or good cooling, and a reliable water system.
Each can add about MXN 800 to MXN 4,000 per month, or about USD 43 to USD 215 and EUR 38.3 to EUR 191, depending on the area and unit size. In a falling market, they also help a unit rent faster without a price cut.
What renovations get the best ROI for rentals?
The five renovations that pay back best are a secure parking gate, minisplits, a simple modern kitchen, in-unit laundry space, and better water storage or a new boiler.
They cost roughly MXN 10,000 to MXN 120,000, or about USD 538 to USD 6,450 and EUR 478 to EUR 5,740, and can lift rent by about 3% to 15% in the right property.
Poor bets include luxury finishes in mid-market areas, expensive imported furniture, fragile materials near the coast, and remodels that don't improve security, parking, water, or commute.
70+pagesIs rental demand in Tijuana getting weaker?
What's the vacancy rate for rentals in Tijuana?
We estimate the vacancy rate for long-term rentals in Tijuana at about 5% to 8% in 2026, up from the very tight 2024 market.
Well-priced apartments in Zona Río, Cacho, Hipódromo, Chapultepec, Playas, and Otay can still be closer to 2% to 4%, while overpriced or poorly located units can sit empty 10% of the year or more.
Local brokers say more homes are empty because some cross-border tenants moved back to the US and fewer people are looking.
How many days do rentals stay listed?
A typical long-term rental in Tijuana now stays listed for about 30 to 45 days.
Well-priced furnished units in Zona Río, Cacho, Otay, and Playas can rent in 10 to 25 days, while older, overpriced, or parking-poor properties can take 45 to 70 days.
That's slower than a year ago, because tenants have more choice and can negotiate.
Which months have peak tenant demand?
The busiest months are usually January to February, May to August, and late November to December.
That follows job changes, university calendars, family moves before school, and people settling in before the new year.
The slowest months are often March, April, September, and October, unless the property is in a strong area like Zona Río, Otay, Playas, or Cacho.
Should Tijuana landlords cut the rent or wait?
In most cases, cut early rather than wait. A unit that sits empty for two months loses more than a 10% rent cut over a 12-month lease, and owners are already adjusting: AMPI's appraisers cite apartments renegotiated from about USD 800 to USD 600 a month.
Price against the neighborhood, not your purchase price. Check the current asking rents for your area on Inmuebles24, Lamudi and Vivanuncios, and start at or slightly below the middle of the range. If you get no serious calls in two weeks, you are too high.
Lock in good tenants. Tenants who sign now can fix their rent for a full year, so offer a 12-month lease at a fair price rather than a short one at a high price. Ask for the usual one-month deposit plus a guarantor (fiador) or a rental guarantee policy (póliza jurídica).
Decide on the currency on purpose. Leases in Tijuana can be in pesos or dollars. Dollar rent suits cross-border tenants who earn dollars. Tenants paid in pesos usually want a peso lease, and making them carry the exchange risk shrinks your pool. Either way, you need proper invoices.
70+pagesIs Airbnb in Tijuana still a better bet than a long-term rental?
For most owners, no. AirDNA counts 2,094 active short-term listings in Tijuana in September 2026, down 43.9% in a year, which tells you many hosts gave up.
Those still running earn about USD 13,000 a year per listing on average (about MXN 242,000), with 52% occupancy and an average nightly rate of about USD 74. That's roughly MXN 20,000 a month before cleaning, platform fees, furniture, utilities and your time, so only slightly above a long-term lease on a good 2-bedroom.
Taxes are also heavier on short stays: Baja California charges a 5% lodging tax, platforms withhold 4% income tax from hosts with a valid RFC (20% without one), and short-term lodging carries 16% VAT, while a normal home lease is VAT-exempt.
Short stays can still make sense near the hospitals and clinics of Zona Río, which draw medical visitors, but run the numbers against a long lease before you furnish anything.
What does a landlord pay in Tijuana, including tax?
What property taxes should landlords expect in Tijuana?
A typical Tijuana landlord pays about MXN 3,000 to MXN 12,000 a year in predial (property tax) for a normal apartment, or about USD 161 to USD 645 and EUR 144 to EUR 574.
Modest homes can pay less than MXN 3,000 a year, while larger or more valuable properties can pay more than MXN 20,000, or above USD 1,080 and EUR 957.
Predial is based on the cadastral value and the city's tables, so check the exact amount with the property's cadastral key instead of guessing from the listing price.
What utilities do landlords often pay in Tijuana right now?
Landlords usually pay predial, HOA or building maintenance, common-area costs, insurance, and major repairs. Tenants usually pay electricity, gas, water, internet, and day-to-day services.
Landlord-paid costs typically run MXN 800 to MXN 4,500 per month for HOA, common charges, insurance, repairs, and reserves, or about USD 43 to USD 242 and EUR 38.3 to EUR 215.
The rule is simple: tenants pay what they use, landlords pay what they own, unless the rental is furnished, executive, or all-inclusive.
How is rental income taxed?
Rental income in Tijuana is taxed federally by SAT, and the big question is whether you're a Mexican tax resident.
If you're not, you owe a flat 25% of gross rent in income tax, with no deductions. If you are, you file monthly provisional payments and an annual return, and you can deduct real expenses or take a 35% blind deduction plus predial.
A common mistake in Tijuana is treating dollar rent, invoices, and mixed-use leases too casually. Cross-border tenants can make it feel informal, but SAT still expects proper reporting.
We cover this, among other mistakes, in our list of risks and pitfalls people face when buying property in Tijuana.
Our methodology
This article estimates what long-term rentals cost in Tijuana, how rents have moved since the 2024 peak, which areas and tenants drive demand, and what landlords pay, including tax.
Our main rent benchmark is the Inmuebles24 index (February 2026), which gives average rents for a 65 m² and a 100 m² home and by neighborhood. We cross-checked it with asking rents on TuLugar, Lamudi and Vivanuncios, and with 2026 statements from local real estate groups (AMPI Tijuana and Cepibc) reported in the local press. Studio and 1-bedroom figures, vacancy and days on market are our own estimates built from those sources.
For context, we used official sources first: INEGI for inflation (3.45% in September 2026) and cross-border workers, CONAPO and Data México for population and jobs, the 2026 minimum wage, and AirDNA for short-term rentals. Tax rules come from the Ley del ISR, SAT guidance and Tijuana's 2026 revenue law.
We checked these figures in October 2026. Conversions use about 18.6 pesos per US dollar and 20.9 pesos per euro.
Limits: listings show asking rents, not what tenants end up paying, and in a falling market the gap is bigger. Neighborhood figures are averages, many leases are priced in dollars, and your own tax bill depends on your residency and situation.
Key sources used for this analysis include NotiMX (Inmuebles24 index), Inmobiliare, Centro Urbano, TuLugar Tijuana market data, El Imparcial on July 2026 rent cuts, El Imparcial on renegotiated rents, El Imparcial on AMPI's 2026 rent ranges, El Imparcial on cross-border workers, Uniradio Baja, INEGI INPC, INEGI Census 2020, CONAPO projections, Data México, Calcu.mx historical dollar rates, Garrigues on the 2026 minimum wage, AirDNA Tijuana, Airbnb lodging tax guide, Ley del ISR Article 113-A, Ley del ISR Article 158, SAT arrendamiento, the Tijuana 2026 Revenue Law, COFEPRIS, Zeta Tijuana on Otay II and the NorthAmericans renting guide.
