What's the deal with Mexico City? Growing up, as an American, I got the impression that it's a warzone hellhole with danger lurking around every corner. However, more and more in the news I see American expats talking about how great it is.
So tell me the truth. How is it for:
- Accommodations
- Food
- Women
- Amenities
- Thing to see
Thanks.
How about you go visit for yourself? Tickets are cheap from the USA.
wow thanks anon so helpful!!!!!
>Growing up, as an American, I got the impression that it's a warzone hellhole with danger lurking around every corner.
As a Canadian, I got the impression that the entirety of Mexico is a warzone hellhole, with the specific exception of CDMX and major tourist areas.
Your not wrong. Outside of mexico city and coastal cities where tourists gather its a lawless warzone. Tons of drugs and corruption and fighting. Just look at tulum or puerto viarta? The beaches are cool but leave the tourist areas and it remodels a 3rd world country pretty fast. Don't mind visiting but living there, pffft you'd have to have a death wish.
CDMX is a major city so there are areas of it that you wouldnt' want to go to, and areas outside of it (Estado de Mexico) that you wouldn't wantt to go to either.
But a lot of it is nice and safe. FOod is good and relatively diverse for a Latin American city (you ahve a korea town, a small chinatown, and generally you have a lot of expats from elsewhere in Latin America: Argentines, Chilenos, Colombians--they are all there in fairly large numbers).
Can’t speak to the women question, as I am not single and have only been to CDMX with my wife. But I rate it very highly on all other criteria you list—it’s a massive, diverse metropolis, twice the size of any US city, with some of everything. I was honestly a little chicken about the place the first time I went, having grown up with the same horror stories you mention, but friends there tell me that the place has cleaned up a lot in recent years, and the horror stories were always at least a little exaggerated.
It’s on a shortlist I maintain of cities around the world I would like to try living in for a while.
Thank you, anon. What's the most safe, touristy, baby's first latam area I can stay in? I've only ever been to europe.
As far as Mexico City is concerned, people often/usually recommend the Condesa or Roma Norte neighborhoods, which are relatively rich (read: low crime) and full of hipsters and nightlife; I like these parts of town just fine, but they're not all that central and haven't got much of historical interest, if that's important to you. I've stayed in the Centro Historico, which has a mixed reputation as far as safety, but is, true to the name, the oldest part of the city, so there's plenty of 16th-century architecture to enjoy and some good street markets. And I had no issues there, even walking around quite late and fairly drunk. I also like the neighborhood of Coyoacan, not far from the university; this is where Frida Kahlo/Diego Rivera and Leon Trotsky lived, among other things.
People also sometimes recommend Polanco, which is among the richest neighborhoods in the city; it's OK but not very exciting--mostly residential, with some offices and embassies.
Condesa, Roma, Hippodrome: safe, full of expats, everyone also speaks English, great food, great parks, no scary stuff, lots of bars and night life and cafes.
Centro Histórico: historical, as you said, but gets kind of dead at night. You will likely be taking an Uber to Roma/Condesa to go out to dinner/drinks anyway. Better hotels for short term stays and beautiful buildings
Tepito: what people claim is the most sketchy/dangerous
Del Carmen: slightly less City/night life and more local, probably more “””authentic””” if you’re a dumbass homosexual who measures trips by how unejoyable they are.
Polanco: the Hudson Yards of CDMX, where it is exceptionally rich and safe but not enjoyable to be there at all because it’s just middle aged millionaires driving around to boutiques.
Do yourself a favor OP and do what everyone ever suggests, and stay in Roma Norte, Roma Sur, Condesa, or Hippodrome. There’s a reason these are the most commonly suggested neighborhoods without fail and have been for years and will be probably forever.
Thank you, anonymous heroes.
>t. OP
what are prices like? looking to live as long on 10k after I graduate college
>what are prices like? looking to live as long on 10k after I graduate college
Mexico City isn’t especially cheap, but there is at least a small discount—my friend who moved there from Oakland, CA estimated that he spends about 70% what he would have at home. Some things are cheaper; the metro is really really inexpensive, basic groceries are probably half US prices, etc. But it’s a big city with a large concentration of wealth
I guess ill be better off staying outside of capital cities. Anywhere else that's lively 24/7?
just stick to the rich and touristy parts of the city, and you'll enjoy it on all the aspects you've mentioned
I was in Mexico City last October and it was a great time. You'll definitely need a bit of Spanish to get by. Like another anon said, Roma, Condesa, and Polanco are the high-end areas. It's a massive sprawling city with tons of things to do so you'll never get bored, just make sure to stay out of certain areas (Tepito) because there is heavy crime there. It's not a cartel hell scape, but it's still pretty dangerous in the wrong spots.
The food there was fantastic, and there are a few tours to some historical sites that are worth going to. Be careful eating in the Centro Historico, I fricked up and went to a tourist trap restaurant in the center and got charged like $160 USD for two drinks, an inedible steak, and some nachos.
Anyway, art scene there is great, the music is great, people are nice, and food is amazing. I had the best Italian food in my life at some random Italian restaurant in Roma Norte. I highly recommend booking an AirBnB experience to go horse back riding around the old damn (Los Dynamos?) area. Was a beautiful time.
The smog and traffic are a motherfricker, but in another life I can definitely see myself living in Mexico City.
To all gringos: the only “warzone hellhole” places in Mexico are towns near the border like Cuidad Juárez crawling with cartel activity.
The rest of the country is pretty safe, stick to Acapulco/Cancun if you’re that worried about security.
I’m gonna be in Condesa for 3 months starting in March. I am extremely excited. Gonna rent a car every other weekend to go hiking in the national parks right outside the city. Plus I love Mexican food and I’ve got the budget to go to fancy restaurants that they have. I’m staying by the Parque Chapultepec and honestly I am so fricking excited.
Everyone I tell acts like I’m going to fallujah. But none of them can point out where Mexico City is on a map, nor can they even name a single state in Mexico. Just ignore them. I mean, compare the metro station cleanliness alone between NYC and CDMX for a hint on it.
The only way to know is to go. And 22 million people managed to make a life there, what makes it so unfathomable that you could do so too?
> And 22 million people managed to make a life there, what makes it so unfathomable that you could do so too?
they're not gringo white tourists that basically scream "I have things of value in my possesion, please rob me!"
I’m tan and speak Spanish (and have a huge wiener)
I never felted skeeve'd out in Mexico City and I did night walking alone plenty. Not a lot of hawkers etc. Basically ignored which for all intents and purposes is ideal.
THe CDMX metro system is fairly convenient but you have to watch for safety there. Lots of pickpocketing at certain stations. Lost a phone myself there.
It's also old and in need of a major overhaul.
You can make use of this map.
Pink: Tourist Zone
Green: Area whose quadrants have an incidence of theft is similar to Roma Norte, according to Diego Valle-Jones' crime maps, so they can be considered safe areas.
Yellow: Areas where there are between 23 and 29 robberies per year.
Orange: Areas where there are between 30 and 44 robberies a year.
Red: Areas where there are more than 45 robberies a year.
Dark Blue: Area where a middle class predominates.
Light Blue: Area where lower middle class or working class predominates.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?mid=1SDdCAakkfRuKXHU1j13hGQ9GH6aA5ck&usp=sharing
Who thought it was a good idea to make the best zone and worst zone in the same color
That's what the dark blue and light blue colors are for, you just need to make it visible.
What the next city to be in in Mexico now that CDMX is overrun with Americans?
Mexico City is fine. Here's a list of cities I recommend you stick to if you come here:
- Monterrey
- Mexico City
- Guadalajara
- Cancún
- Acapulco
Literally just stay in the tourist areas and you are fine.
San Miguel de Allende? No love for Queretaro city? Give smaller cities a try, they can be quite comfy
Near Mexico City you can visit some towns such as Mineral del Monte, Valle del Bravo, Malinalco, El Oro, Tepoztlan, Tepozotlan, Villa del Carbon, Atlixco, Taxco, Mineral de Angangueo or Tlaxcala.
Mexico City is also surrounded by forested mountains, you can visit nearby national parks such as El Tepozteco, Iztaccíhuatl - Popocatépetl, Cumbres del Ajusco, Lagunas de Zempoala, La Marquesa, Cumbres Sierra Nevada, Nevado de Toluca, Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Biosphere, National Park El Chico, La Malinche or the Pico de Orizaba National Park.
I have a map with some points of interest in the cities of Mexico, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Puebla, magical towns, world heritage sites and archaeological sites.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?mid=1SFhZBP8hV3JQRM8dZyziVWXSco30PwM&usp=sharing
Queretaro is very nice. Very pretty, well-preserved old colonial center.
Further South, Oaxaca is charming as well, although it’s got its own crop of gringo retirees (and has done for decades). Excellent food. Some interesting natural and archaeological sites in the state, as well. People also like the Oaxacan beach town of Puerto Escondido, but I’ve never actually been down there.
SMA is the gringo-est part of Mexico and also they’re mostly Canadian too, the worst kind of gringos. It’s also very slow and sleepy and is known as a retirement town. Pretty much if you’re under the age of 55 you’re going to be bored within two days.
>go prop up unlivable shithole economy
>stay penned up in artificial habitats like an animal at the zoo
the touristy parts of Mexico are probably safer than the touristy parts of NYC, LA, and Chicago to be quite honest with you
How many Mexican girls could an enterprising foreigner reasonably expect to breed on a two week trip?