Ciudad de México (or CDMX), the capital of Mexico, is a sprawling, immense megacity. It is considered the fifth-most populous city in the world, and with more than 21 million people, it is the most populous in North America.
Going back to the 14th century, when it was built by the Aztecs as Tenochtitlán and later completely destroyed during the Spanish Conquista, it is the oldest capital city in the Americas.
Everything in Mexico City is large and sprawling. The Zócalo, the plaza in the old city in front of the main Metropolitan Cathedral is the largest in South America. Walking through Paseo de la Reforma will delight visitors with immense plazas, monuments, and statues. Just a few kilometers outside the city center is the ruins complex of Teotihuacán, hosting the Pyramid of the Sun, one of the largest in the world.
The city has infinite opportunities when it comes to visiting, even for just a few days. From its immense park, Chapultepec (twice the size of Central Park in New York), to dozens of museums, to enjoying street food, lucha libre exhibitions, and more. More. And more.
Contents
Bucket List
Travelogue
What to expect
Mexico Info & Stats
- Language: Spanish is the official language.
- Population: 131+ million (2019 est.)
- Timezone: [UTC -7, UTC -8]
- Ethnic Make-up: mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%
- Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%
- Political System: Federal republic
- Currency: Mexican Peso (abbreviated as $ which can be misleading at first)
- Credit Cards: Even in some highly touristic areas, such as the Riviera Mayam, cards are not always accepted.
- Electricity: Socket types A and B, 127 volt / 60 hertz
- Tipping Customs: 10-15% in restaurants, taxis, and hotels
- Haggling Culture: Common in markets and street vendors
Weather
Mexico City is not Cancun. As such, you will not find people in shorts, linen dresses, or sandals. Also, being a large metropolitan city, one should dress accordingly (to minimize any risks and not be immediately picked out as a clueless tourist).
If visiting during the wet season, the temperature will be higher (26°C on average), but with a frequent presence of clouds. In the colder season, the average temperature is around 22°C. Also, the city has on average 7 months of rain annually, which usually occurs in the late evening.
Money
The currency is the Mexican Peso (MXN, abbreviated as $ which can be misleading at first)
The exchange rate from US Dollars is: 1 USD = 17 MXN
Credit cards are widely accepted, and ATMs are commonly distributed around the city. The city has a lot of street vendors and street food, and clearly, these must be paid in cash. Also, credit card skimming is quite commonplace, so only official bank ATMs should be used and not the ones placed on the street.
Prices: being the capital city, prices are slightly higher than other regions of the country, but it is not as expensive as other highly touristic destinations such as those on the Riviera Maya. According to the Mercer Cost of Living City Ranking (updated 2024), Mexico City ranks 33rd worldwide in terms of most expensive cities to live in (with a massive increase from 2023, where it ranked 79th)
Tipping: In Mexico, tipping is expected, and it is common to leave 10%, although 15 and 18 are also commonplace.
Entry Requirements
Most nationalities can enter Mexico without a visa although there are many that require a visa (see map below).
All entries require filling out the Forma Migratoria Múltiple, and there is a small fee (~400 MXN) for staying more than 7 days.
Click the map to see details on visa requirements for each country.
Alternatively, input your passport citizenship and quickly see the requirements that apply to you:
Getting around
Being one of the largest cities on Earth, there is an extensive and efficient public transport system. The Metro is excellent and very cheap (5 pesos for a ticket) and can be used to easily move to most major destinations. During peak hours, it may become very, very crowded, but it is similar to other major capital cities.
Taxis are easy to find, although there is a security concern with some taxis kidnapping tourists and demanding that they withdraw all their money. Taxis should be taken only from official places, and hailing them on the street should be avoided for precaution.
Apart from the metro, there are hundreds of buses that allow you to move much more quickly than the metro, although these are often extremely crowded, and some major bus stops usually have very long lines, so there might be an extensive wait before getting on one.
As large as the city is, the city center and main tourist destinations are all reachable by foot within a 30- to 45-minute walk. Walking along Paseo de la Reforma is beautiful with all its statues, plazas, and occasional parks.
Safety
Safety: CMDX is an immense city, and safety depends on the neighborhoods. There is quite a lot of crime but visitors and tourists are rarely targeted. The biggest risks are pickpocketing, as would be expected in any major city, and taxi scams. As mentioned above, kidnappings of tourists by unofficial taxis are a risk, so always use official taxis and do not hail them on the streets.
Natural risks: CDMX is prone to earthquakes like other parts of central Mexico.
Emergencies number: 911
Tips & Impressions
- Enticing and also slightly funny, the street food in the city is constantly working, and it seems that everybody is always eating something.
- Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world and is packed with sights and venues to explore. By only doing the most tourist things the city will always have something more to offer.
- The many neighborhoods have thematically named streets. From streets named after major cities to famous philosophers, to lakes. Each neighborhood has its own distinct vibe.
- Mexico City has a huge art selection, with many museums all packed close to each other.
- At night moving too far north or south will lead to dangerous neighborhoods, and each block traversed will show the increasing dodginess of the areas
Deals for Mexico City
Where to stay
My accommodation was the Block Suites Hotel ($$$$$) in the Roma neighborhood.
Perfectly located, a few blocks away from Paseo de la Reforma and the Angel of Independence monument.
The rooms are mini apartments and very comfortable. Avenida Chapultepec is a busy street with lots of traffic at all hours but the noise does not reach the rooms so much.
