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The border economy · Cali Baja

The San Diego-Tijuana border region

Branded "Cali Baja," the San Diego-Tijuana region is one of the largest binational metropolitan regions in the world, straddling the US-Mexico border.

It runs on cross-border manufacturing supply chains: Tijuana leads Mexico in export-manufacturing plants, while San Diego provides design, capital, and logistics.

~70,000Baja California residents who commute to jobs in Southern California
~600export-manufacturing (IMMEX) plants in Tijuana, the most of any Mexican city
Busiestamong the world's busiest land borders at San Ysidro and Otay Mesa
Same-daytrucking to the US border via the Port of Ensenada relief valve

INEGI, IMMEX manufacturing statistics, ASIPONA Ensenada.

One region, two countries

  • Cali Baja is one of the largest binational metros in the world. The San Diego-Tijuana region straddles the US-Mexico border and functions as a single economy split across two countries.
  • It runs on cross-border manufacturing supply chains. Tijuana leads Mexico in export-manufacturing (IMMEX) plants, with roughly 600 establishments in electronics, medical devices, and aerospace, while San Diego provides the design, capital, and logistics. See advanced manufacturing and nearshoring for the wider picture.
  • Cross-border wages flow home. About 70,000 Baja California residents commute to jobs in Southern California, earning US-dollar wages and spending much of it back home. That figure peaked near 87,000 in early 2024 before falling roughly 20% by 2025 (INEGI).
  • Where it is headed. The San Ysidro and Otay Mesa crossings are among the busiest land borders in the world, and the region's structural pull is deepening integration: more shared supply chains, more nearshoring expansions, and more goods moving through the corridor.

A relief valve to the south

  • The Port of Ensenada acts as a relief valve for congested Los Angeles and Long Beach. It sits 110 km south of the border and takes pressure off the busiest US container gateways.
  • Trucking is fast. Moving freight from Ensenada to the border is usually same-day, versus 2 to 3 days from Los Angeles, keeping cross-border supply chains short and predictable.