Living in Ciudad de México (CDMX) as a Foreigner: Boroughs, Costs and Residency

Ciudad de México is the country's political, business, and cultural center. People move here for jobs at Mexican and international companies, for universities such as the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and for the food, museums, and public life of a very large city. Since 2020 it has also drawn many remote workers.

Until 2016 the city was called the Distrito Federal (DF). It is now officially Ciudad de México, usually shortened to CDMX. It is not part of the State of Mexico (Estado de México), which surrounds it on three sides. The difference matters for paperwork: your INM office, driver's license, and car rules depend on which side of the line you live on.

Most people who move here arrive on temporary residency, often through the financial solvency route or a job offer. Remote workers should read digital nomads and remote work rules. For neighborhood-level detail, see the Mexico City guide.

Foreign residents cluster in a few alcaldías. Each has its own local government, so services and rules (for example, parking and street markets) vary.

Many families working in Santa Fe or at international schools live just outside CDMX in Interlomas (Huixquilucan municipality) or Naucalpan, which are in the State of Mexico. That changes which INM office serves you (see below).

Because of its altitude, CDMX is mild all year. Days are usually warm and nights cool, and few homes have heating or air conditioning.

• Rainy season: roughly June to September or October, with afternoon storms and some street flooding.
• Dry season: roughly November to May. Late winter and spring are the warmest and driest months, and air quality is usually worst then. The city issues air quality alerts and the Hoy No Circula program limits when some cars can be driven.
• Altitude: some newcomers feel short of breath or tired for the first days.

CDMX sits on an old lake bed that amplifies earthquake shaking. The city has a public seismic alert system with loudspeakers, and residents take part in drills. When renting or buying, ask about the building's age and any structural review after past earthquakes.

CDMX costs more than most of Mexico, and prices vary widely by neighborhood. Rents in Polanco, Condesa, Roma, and Juárez are among the highest in the country and rose quickly after 2020, when many foreign remote workers arrived. Rising rents have become a local political issue, and the city government has announced measures on rents and short-term rentals, so check current rules before you sign a lease or plan to rent out a home.

Daily costs such as public transit, street food, markets, and domestic help remain low by US or Canadian standards. Imported goods, international schools, and private health insurance can cost as much as, or more than, at home.

Renting often requires a guarantor (an aval or fiador) who owns property in the city, or a rental guarantee policy (póliza jurídica). See renting in Mexico and the cost of living guide. We do not publish price figures here because they change quickly and depend on the neighborhood.

CDMX has the country's largest concentration of hospitals and specialists. Well-known private hospitals include the ABC Medical Center (Observatorio and Santa Fe campuses), Médica Sur in Tlalpan, and several Hospital Ángeles locations. Many doctors in private practice speak English.

Legal residents can apply for voluntary enrollment in the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), the public health insurer. It is inexpensive but has waiting periods and excludes some pre-existing conditions. Many foreigners combine IMSS with private insurance or pay cash for routine care. See IMSS health insurance and private health insurance.

US Medicare generally does not pay for care in Mexico, and Canadian provincial plans have residency rules that long stays abroad can break. Plan your coverage before you move.

Conditions differ a lot between boroughs and even between blocks. Read official travel advice before you choose where to live:

• The US State Department travel advisory for Mexico rates each state and CDMX separately.
• The Government of Canada travel advice for Mexico sets a country-wide level of "exercise a high degree of caution." As of its September 17, 2026 update, it has no separate regional warning for Mexico City.

Common advice for residents: use app-based taxis or ride-hailing at night, keep your phone out of sight on the Metro, and learn which nearby streets locals avoid. See our safety guide.

Most people get a residency visa at a Mexican consulate before moving. Retirees with enough pension or savings can apply for permanent residency directly (see retiring in Mexico); others start with temporary residency. Check your numbers with the solvency calculator.

After you enter Mexico, you must start the canje (exchanging your visa for a residence card) within 30 days. INM says applications go to the office that covers your home address (or your work address, if different).

INM lists weekday hours of 9:00 to 15:00. Use the same office for renewals and changes of status.

Yes. Mexico's Constitution limits direct foreign ownership only in the restricted zone: land within 100 km of a border or 50 km of a coast. There, foreigners buy homes through a bank trust called a fideicomiso (see buying property with a fideicomiso). CDMX is far from both, so a foreigner can hold title directly after signing an agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) to be treated as a Mexican national for that property.

Every purchase is formalized before a notary public (notario público), who checks title and calculates taxes. Buying a home does not give you residency by itself. Owning high-value property is one of the routes consulates consider; see investing in Mexico and ask your consulate before you rely on it.