Mexico City
Affordable essentials, grocery options, and setup tips.
You'll find that navigating daily essentials in Mexico City can be challenging, but with the right knowledge, you can thrive. Most newcomers are surprised by the affordability of fresh food at local markets, such as Mercado de Medelln in Roma Sur, where you can buy fresh vegetables, meat, and cheese at a fraction of supermarket prices. Watch out for food safety, especially when trying street food, and opt for busy, established stands. To get started, learn basic Spanish phrases for daily life, such as those needed for shopping and eating out. You can begin by learning 20 essential phrases to help you navigate the city comfortably. Today, take a step towards integrating into local culture by visiting Mercado de Medelln to explore the fresh food options and practice your Spanish skills.
Ranked by contributor trust level and quality score.
Roma Sur · Experience date Feb 17, 2026
I shop at Mercado de Medellín in Roma Sur twice a week. Fresh vegetables, meat, and cheese at a fraction of supermarket prices. Go before 11am for the best selection. Bring cash and a bag.
Coyoacán · Experience date Mar 1, 2026
Mexico City food safety for expats: Street food (tacos, quesadillas, tortas): safe at busy, established stands where you see high turnover and food being cooked to order. Avoid: stands where food has been sitting unrefrigerated for long periods, or stands that look poorly maintained. Tacos at a busy taquería at peak hours: very safe — CDMX's taco culture has evolved over generations of food safety practices. Montezuma's revenge (traveller's diarrhea): expect some digestive adjustment in the first 2–4 weeks — your gut flora adapts to different microbial strains. Mitigation: take probiotics, avoid raw salads at street stands (unless washed in purified water), don't eat undercooked meat. Best safeguard: eat at places with high turnover and visible cooking. After 4–6 weeks: most expats eat freely from street food without issue.
Polanco · Experience date Jan 12, 2026
Chilango (CDMX native) Spanish includes distinctive slang that helps expats integrate. Essential terms: 'Güey' or 'wey' (buddy, mate — extremely common, not offensive between friends), 'chido/chida' (cool, great), 'qué onda' (what's up), 'ahorita' (in a moment — can literally mean any time from now to never — ask for clarification), 'chamba' (work), 'fresa' (posh, preppy), 'neta' (truth, for real), 'chavo/chava' (young man/woman), 'cuate' (friend, twin), 'chilango' (person from CDMX, sometimes used pejoratively by other Mexicans). Using basic slang shows cultural respect and willingness to integrate — Mexicans are extremely warm to foreigners who make an effort with their language and culture.
Narvarte · Experience date Mar 12, 2026
Mexico City, particularly Roma Norte and Condesa, has an extraordinary dog culture. Dog ownership: very high in Roma/Condesa — expect dogs in cafés, restaurants (outdoor seating), parks, and accompanying owners on Ecobici rides. Paseadores de perros (dog walkers): professional pack walkers with 10–15 dogs are a normal street sight in Condesa. Dog-friendly spaces: Parque México and Parque España are heavily used dog parks. Veterinary care: very good quality and very affordable ($300–600 MXN for a consultation vs $150–300 USD in the US). Bringing your pet: dogs and cats need a health certificate and valid rabies vaccination from your home country — processed at the airport by SENASICA (Mexico's agricultural authority). Mexico City is among the most dog-friendly major cities in the world.
Del Valle · Experience date Dec 13, 2025
Emergency numbers in Mexico City: 911 (universal for police, ambulance, fire — as of 2017, Mexico unified to 911). Red Cross ambulance: 065 (free medical transport). CDMX Police: 55-5208-9898. Gas leak emergency: 800-000-1100 (Gas Natural Fenosa). Earthquake alert: the C5 city alarm system — familiarise yourself with the sound. Private ambulance services: Médica Sur ambulance ($1,500–3,000 MXN), Cruz Roja (Red Cross — free or donation). For medical emergencies: go directly to ABC Medical Center or Médica Sur emergency departments — they have English-speaking staff. US Embassy (for US citizens): +52-55-5080-2000. British Embassy: +52-55-1670-3200. Your country's embassy: save the emergency consular number before arriving.
Roma Norte · Experience date Mar 15, 2026
Mexico City has excellent internet infrastructure in the central colonias. Home internet: Telmex Infinitum 100–300 Mbps fibre for $380–600 MXN/month. Coworking spaces: CDMX has one of the best coworking ecosystems in Latin America. Popular spaces: WeWork (multiple CDMX locations — from $4,500 MXN/month dedicated desk), Selina Condesa (coworking + accommodation, day passes $200 MXN), Café Tacvba area coworkings, Espacio Collab (Roma Norte, highly rated). Day pass coworking: $150–300 MXN/day at most independent spaces. Cafés for working: Roma Norte has dozens of cafés with reliable WiFi and laptop culture — Quentin Café, Café Jekemir, Dosis are popular expat work cafés. CDMX's combination of affordable coworking, excellent coffee culture, and reliable internet makes it one of the top digital nomad cities globally.
Narvarte · Experience date Mar 6, 2026
Gym options in CDMX: Smart Fit (most widespread budget gym, $399–599 MXN/month, all-hours access), Sport City (mid-range, good equipment, multiple locations), Gympass (subscription covering hundreds of CDMX gyms — popular with expats). Budget option: outdoor calisthenics parks (parques de ejercicio) are free and widespread — Parque México in Condesa has excellent outdoor equipment. Running: Chapultepec Park (early morning, very popular), Parque México circuit, Sunday Reforma ciclovía. Yoga and studios: Roma Norte has an extremely high density of yoga studios, pilates, CrossFit boxes, and boutique fitness — $200–500 MXN per class or $1,500–3,000 MXN/month memberships. Altitude effect: expect lower aerobic capacity for the first 2–4 weeks — do not be discouraged by slower performance.