Mexico City for digital nomads
Mexico City for Digital Nomads: Roma & Condesa Guide
Mexico City has become Latin America's hottest digital nomad city, affordable, top food, cultural depth, 180-day tourist permit, no visa drama. Here's the honest picture.
Visa
180-day tourist permit (FMM) issued at border, free. No upfront application needed for most Western travelers. Cannot work for Mexican companies but remote work for foreign employers is gray-area-tolerated.
Cost of living (monthly)
1BR apartment Roma/Condesa: $700-1,200. Cheaper neighborhoods: $400-700. Coworking: $150-250/month. Food: $400-700 (street + restaurants). Total: $1,500-3,000/month comfortable.
Internet
Generally good — 100-300 mbps fiber in central CDMX neighborhoods. Less reliable in older buildings. Most cafes have decent WiFi.
Coworking spaces
Selina Roma + Selina Polanco: global chain with coworking. WeWork CDMX. Public Coworking. Impact Hub Mexico City. $150-250/month.
Best neighborhoods
Roma Norte + Roma Sur (hipster, walkable, restaurant-dense). Condesa (parks, tree-lined). Polanco (upscale + safe). Coyoacán (quieter, more residential). La Roma + Condesa are nomad hubs.
Community
Mature scene. Mexico City Nomads + Roma Nomads Slack groups. Regular meetups + coffee crawls. CDMX Food Tours bring nomads together.
Healthcare
Private hospitals (Hospital Médica Sur, ABC) world-class + cheap by US standards. Travel/expat insurance recommended. $50-120/month.
Weather
Mild year-round, temperate (2,240m altitude). 18-25°C most months. November-April dry season. May-October wet season but afternoon-rain-only pattern.
Downsides
Earthquakes (small ones common, big ones every few decades). Altitude affects fitness initially. Air pollution some days. Inequality is real — luxury next to poverty.