Housing Guide: How to Rent an Apartment in Mexico City

Searching for an apartment in any new city is a challenge. Here in Mexico City, the process can seem especially daunting for foreigners. Often facing a language barrier, an unfamiliar system, and even some fraudsters targeting clueless gringos, finding a decent, fairly-priced apartment is no easy feat. Lucky for you, this gringa and her friends have seen it all. I hope my apartment search tips can help you make an informed decision and find your ideal living situation in this beautiful city.

How to Search for Apartments

If you’re coming from the U.S., Canada, or Europe, your modern apartment hunt is probably 100% digital. You go to Zillow and similar websites, search for options in your area and price range, and dozens if not hundreds of options pop up. The Mexico City apartment search is a little different. There are online options, and I’ll get to those in a minute. But you might have to be a bit more creative here to find your perfect apartment. Here’s a rundown on your apartment search options:

In Person

I highly recommend that you rent a cheap, well-located AirBnB room for at least a couple weeks when you come to Mexico City. During this time, explore the city, and choose a couple of your favorite neighborhoods — close to work if you have a job, close to classes if you’re studying. On the weekends, walk around these neighborhoods and snap pictures of every “Se Renta” (For Rent) sign you see. Call or WhatsApp the numbers, request price and other info (just ask for “los datos del departamento”) and schedule a visit. This is how I found my apartment.

It’s not fool-proof, but it’s probably the most common method in any Mexico City apartment search. It gives you the chance to see many apartments that aren’t posted online, and often for lower prices. If you know locals — friends, coworkers, etc. — don’t hesitate to ask them too! Mexico City runs on personal connections, and it’s likely that somebody knows somebody moving out, who may be willing to give you a deal.

Online

That said, there are increasingly good options to apartment hunt online. This is actually the best option if you’re just looking for a room, in a shared apartment with roommates. If that’s the case, check out Dada Room and CompartoDepa — these are typical roommate search websites, where you make a profile, and pay if you want more up-to-date postings. You can specify what kind of living situation you’re looking for, including the area, pets or not, smoking/non-smoking, etc.

Send a lot of messages, because many of the listings are old, and you might not get many responses. You can check out Craigslist too, but these are mostly directed at foreigners with inflated prices. Also check out Facebook groups like Roomies VIP CDMX, with plenty of high quality listings. Just be careful about who you choose as roommates, and try not to sign a highly binding contract. I’ve known quite a few people who ended up in bad shared situations, and you want to be able to leave quickly if you need to.

Behind the many charming old doors of Mexico City’s neighborhoods, there are plenty of amazing apartments.

If you’re looking for an entire apartment of your own, there are online options for you too. This is especially true if you’re looking for a temporary place for a couple months, or a furnished apartment. Some of the best ones are Vivanuncios, Lamudi, and Inmuebles 24, which all function basically like Zillow. Make sure you specify “renta” rather than “venta” (buy) on these search engines.

You can also search by area on Facebook Marketplace and direct message people. But be warned: these online listings are often directed at foreigners, because expats tend to search digitally more than locals. That often means inflated rent prices and limited listings in many neighborhoods. Tread with caution, and you might find a gem in higher end neighborhoods like Polanco and Condesa.

What Neigborhood to Live In

In my experience, expats tend to cluster in a few neighborhoods in Mexico City: La Condesa, Roma, Polanco, Santa Fe, and Lomas de Chapultepec. I understand why — it’s tough finding apartments, and these areas often advertise to foreigners and are close to their work. I’ll discuss these neighborhoods (in Mexico City, these are called “zonas” or “colonias”), and suggest some other great options that don’t yet have a huge expat presence.

La Condesa and Roma

These are two of the most central, beautiful neighborhoods in all of Mexico City. In recent years, the historic colonial, 19th century, and even Art Deco buildings of La Condesa and Roma have filled with art galleries and restaurants. The current hipster scene here has, understandably, made the areas extremely desirable to live. Tons of young expats make their home here happily. Because of this, however, rents are very high, and you’ll hear English everywhere you go. One last caveat is that these neighborhoods are on some of the city’s least stable soil, and are prone to tons of earthquake damage.

Polanco

This genteel, European-looking neighborhood is a longtime foreigner favorite, beginning when many Jewish immigrants moved here in the early 20th century. Today, this influences remains in the upscale neighborhood, alongside many of the city’s wealthy residents. There’s plenty of older and lovely modern apartments available — for a steep price. Many locals, however, see Polanco as snooty. The closer you get to Parque Lincoln and President Masaryk Avenue (the Rodeo Drive of Mexico), the pricier the rent. Check out nearby Anzures, just north of Polanco, for somewhat lower rents and an equally great location.

San Miguel Chapultepec

Now we’ve arrived at my personal favorite among these centralized, historic neighborhoods. As the name suggests, San Miguel Chapultepec is right next to the Bosque de Chapultepec, Mexico City’s Central Park. The proximity to the park makes this an amazingly tranquil, quiet neighborhood — like a small town, right in the center of the metropolis. These days, the colonia has its fair share of hipsters and art galleries, but it remains more low key than nearby Condesa, Roma, and Polanco. Rents aren’t cheap, but still a little lower than those neighborhoods.

Neighborhoods like La Condesa are high in demand with renters due to their old world charm. That also, of course, means higher rents.

Colonia Narvarte, Colonia Nápoles, and Colonia del Valle

Just a bit south and east from Roma and Condesa, these neighborhoods have a lot going for them. All three are a bit less fancy and perfectly preserved than the alternatives above, but they have plenty of charm to go around. They have central locations close to public transport, and lower rents that attract more young professionals every year.

Coyoacán and San Angel

These are two of my favorite neighborhoods in Mexico City. They have everything, from gorgeous colonial houses to winding streets to art to street life. Coyoacán has the absolute loveliest plaza in the city, the Jardín Centenario. Coyoacán in particular has more affordable housing options than many of these other neighborhoods. But these areas are pretty far south of the center — I only recommend them if you work remotely, or in the south of the city. If not, your daily commute will be a huge headache.

Lomas de Chapultepec and Santa Fe

I don’t recommend these neighborhoods, unless you have a very high budget and prefer a suburban environment. Both Lomas de Chapultepec (usually just shortened to “Lomas”) and Santa Fe are hilly, extremely upscale areas towards the Center-South of Mexico City. Lomas is the Mexico’s Beverly Hills, with huge mansions — and not a ton of apartments.

Santa Fe is a new, glitzy business area with many companies’ HQs, so it’s mostly huge modern skyscrapers. These areas have poor public transport, so live here if you have plenty of money, have a car, and work in an office here. As you can tell, these aren’t my favorite areas. But they are pretty, with lots of green space, and beautiful views of the mountains.

While apartments often are available in lovely, historic buildings, make sure they have structural integrity and maintenance. Mexico City is earthquake-prone, and these is a key factor in housing.

What To Look Out For

As a foreigner, you need to be careful during your Mexico City apartment search — as you would be anywhere. Here’s a few issues to watch out for:

Prices listed in dollars

When you see a listing online, double check that the price is listed in Mexican pesos, not U.S. dollars. Believe it or not, some neighborhoods in Mexico City (I’m looking at you, Polanco and Lomas de Chapultepec) will often show rent in dollars! Many of these neighborhoods’ residents are very wealthy, and plenty are foreign, so make sure you’re not signing up to pay USD $8,000 a month…

Not Having a Fiador (Co-signer)

This issue depends a lot on the nature of your apartment search. If you’re renting a whole apartment, rather than just a room, you may run into this problem. A lot of Mexico City rental contracts requiere a fiador, or co-signer — this means a Mexican citizen who vouches for you legally and financially. Not all apartments do, but usually there’s a way around it as a foreigner. I put down a larger security deposit (two months rent) to avoid the requirement. Sometimes, you may be able to talk a landlord out of it entirely.

Scams and Sketchiness

The vast, vast majority of people renting out apartments in Mexico City are honest and just want a decent price for their property. There are, however, some predatory/scammer landlords, who often target foreigners who may not know the intricacies of Mexico City housing. If you’re subletting a room, only do so from someone who actually lives in the apartment, and proves they own/rent it — this is a common scam. Ask your landlord to show proof he or she returns security deposits to renters, as some try to take your deposit at the end.

Also, don’t agree to any “special payment plans” with a landlord, like paying two months rent at once for a discount — it may be a way to steal that money, then evict you before the months are up. Double check which utilities are included and how to pay the ones that aren’t, and check that water runs all the time. Finally, if your potential landlord seems sketchy or off to you, follow your intuition. Especially in a city where people often don’t use formal contracts, it’s better to avoid anyone who seems at all suspicious. I personally know of one confirmed scammer landlord: Luis Jovany Salmeron Ramos. Avoid him!

Listings That Aren’t Honest About the Neighborhood They’re In

When it comes to online apartment listings, a lot of them will list their location as “Condesa” and so on. In reality, they might not be in that neighborhood, but rather on the outskirts, or in another neighborhood entirely. Be sure to get the address, look it up, and confirm it’s in your desired neighborhood.

Keep an eye out for rental signs like this all over the city.

Noisy Neighbors

Most big cities have issues with thin-walled apartments and loud, obnoxious neighbors. If you like tranquility or you’re a sensitive to noise, be very careful during your Mexico City apartment search. Watch out for nearby buildings/lots under construction, and listen for noisy neighbors when you visit an apartment. Parties are very common in many apartments, and you may be seen as rude if you ask them to quiet down, even very late if it’s a weekend. Technically you can report neighbors (find info on how to do it here) for noise violations. I recommend apartments in San Miguel Chapultepec, San Angel, and residential-only streets in Roma for maximum chances at peace.

I hope my housing guide helps you make the apartment search in Mexico City a bit easier. Whether you end up in a posh penthouse in Polanco, or a shared student apartment, there’s lots of great housing in the city — if you know how to find it.

Biblioteca Vasconcelos: A Look Inside Mexico City’s Jaw-Dropping Modern Library

When you arrive at Biblioteca Vasconcelos, you’d never guess that an architectural marvel hides just inside. Yet just beyond this busy street corner lies the crown jewel of Mexico City modern architecture. This towering, concrete building looks like any Brutalist public structure from the outside. It takes up so much space — 409,000 square feet! — that locals have nicknamed it a “megalibrary.” Step inside, and you enter every book lover and architecture buff’s personal heaven.

Must-Sees at Biblioteca Vasconcelos

The public library sits in the Buenavista neighborhood, a bit north of Mexico City downtown. Since it opened to the public in 2006, Biblioteca Vasconcelos has become a pilgrimage spot for design nerds and readers alike. The impressive building was designed by iconic Mexican architect Alberto Kalach, and you can tell. Make sure not to miss:

The Bookshelves: The shelves are suspended high off the ground floor, making it seem like they’re floating up seven stories. The result is a visual feast, with over 600,000 multicolored books stretching up and out, as far as you can see. Yes, you can read them all.

The Views: On the sides of the building, cozy nooks provide gorgeous views of the library itself, and balconies let you see the downtown skyline in the distance. Make sure to go all the way upstairs for the best views both inside and out.

The Whale Sculpture: In the lobby, the beauty continues with the sculpture “Mátrix Móvil,” a huge whale skeleton floating in the air, by Veracruzan sculptor Gabriel Orozco.

The Garden: Just outside, a lovely botanical garden provides much-needed green space, contrasting beautifully with the library’s clean, modern lines. The vast garden boasts 168 different native Mexican plant species.

Gabriel Orozco’s famous whale sculpture dominates the lobby of the library.

How to Visit Biblioteca Vasconcelos

Because it’s at a hub of public transport, it’s easy to get to from nearly anywhere in the center city. It’s completely free to visit, and if you’re Mexico resident, you can apply for a library card to check things out! The only method I wouldn’t strongly recommend is walking, especially if you’re coming from the center. The library is in a busy, fairly safe area, but you’d have to pass through some riskier zones to get there.

By Car: You can easily visit the library in your own car or in Uber/cab; it’s just a 15 minute drive from the center. There’s free parking available underground, and plenty of Ubers pass through the area.

By Bus: Lucky for you, the Buenavista Station is just outside the library. You can take Metrobus Lines 1 and 4 and arrive with ease.

By Train: Line B of the Mexico City Metro also goes straight to Buenavista Station. You can connect with this line on the more central Lines 1, 3, 4, and 8.

Biblioteca Vasconcelos also features views of Mexico City’s iconic skyline.

About the Architect

Alberto Kalach is a giant in modern Mexican architecture. After a global contest, the Mexican government chose him to design the library in 2003. Mexico City’s intense urbanism inspires Kalach’s work, which focuses on innovative architecture that fits into the city’s complicated, ever-changing landscape. He’s fascinated by the capital’s Venice-like past as an Aztec canal city, and participates in the “Vuelta a la ciudad lacustre” (Return to the City of Lakes) urban project.

When Kalach won the library contest, alongside architects Gustavo Lipkau, Juan Palomar, and Tonatiuh Martínez, he had a unique vision for Biblioteca Vasconcelos. He wanted it to be much more than a library: a megabuilding, a cultural center, a botanical garden, a city landmark. Kalach imagined a space that would provide refuge for residents in this gritty, dense neighborhood and beyond.

The results are truly amazing. Kalach and his collagues accomplished everything they set out to do, and more — they created a truly sustainable, 21st Century-relevant space. I was stunned by my first visit to Biblioteca Vasconcelos. It’s hands down one of the most incredible contemporary examples of Mexico City architecture. And best of all, rather than being just a showpiece for people to snap photos, the building is an extremely useful and welcoming library. It’s a fantastic place to study, work, and of course, read a book. The library is always bustling with local residents, from families with kids to hyper-focused grad students, and they’ve all made this remarkable work of art their own.

From the seventh floor, visitors enjoy a bird’s eye view of the library’s artistic design and endless bookshelves.

The Library’s Wild History

It might seem like such a beloved, world-renowned building would have a simple success story. In reality, Biblioteca Vasconcelos’s history is much more complicated. In the early 2000s, the new administration of Mexican President Vicente Fox proposed modernizing the library system around the country. They decided to build an impressive new library in Mexico City.

The project’s organizers named the planned library after José Vasconcelos, a hero of the Mexican Revolution and promoter of education and culture in Mexico. Vasconcelos fought during the 1910s-20s Mexican Revolution, and became the first Secretary of Public Education under the victors’ government.

After years of construction, the Fox administration finally inaugurated Biblioteca Vasconcelos in 2006. But just a few months later, in March 2007, the government shuttered the building! Inspectors found irregularities throughout the building, including the misplacement of important marble columns. As is common in Mexican public projects, Fox’s government had rushed construction and pushed the library’s inauguration forward, so the outgoing presidential administration could impress before the 2006 elections. This likely caused the errors, and the next government needed to spent USD $3 million to fix them. After almost two years, they actually finished the building, and opened to the public in 2008. Despite this troubled history, I’m sure glad the spectacular library is open today.

How to See the Monarch Butterflies in Mexico — Before It’s Too Late

There’s never been a better time to visit the Monarch Butterfly sanctuaries of central Mexico. Despite the beloved bugs’ recent woes, this year warm temps allowed a huge number of them to migrate south! The butterfly population roosting in Mexico’s mountain forests today takes up almost 15 acres of space, with over double the number of Monarchs from last year! This doesn’t mean the “king of butterflies” won’t be threatened in the future. But until the end of March, take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the record population. Here, I’ll give you everything you need to know to visit the best Monarch Butterflies stress-free.

All About the Monarch Butterfly’s Migration to Mexico

As a toddler in Kansas, my mom would take me outside and point out the hundreds, of Monarch Butterflies roosting in our trees. Years later in Minnesota and Michigan, we saw those same bright orange bursts of color. This time, they were fewer and farther between, fluttering by the lakes and gardens in summer. The older I got, the fewer we saw. Despite this year’s high population, researchers say we’ve lost about a billion Monarchs since 1990.

Unknowingly, as I moved around the U.S., and eventually to Mexico City, I’d followed nearly the entire path of migrating Monarch Butterflies. Every year, most Monarchs come from Southern Canada and the Northern U.S., slowly migrating all the way to Central Mexico. These are the only butterflies who migrate in this way — something much more common with birds — because they can’t survive harsh winters.

Map courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Instead, the Monarchs winter in the oyamel fir forests of Mexico, in mountainous, temperate Mexico and Michoacán States. Here, they cluster in huge colonies, enjoying the forests’ not-too-hot, not-too-cold microclimate, humidity, and sunlight. This “super generation” butterflies can live up to nine months: often the same butterfly that leaves Canada arrives in Mexico months later! On the way back north, though, the Monarchs are much more short-lived. Most lay their eggs while passing through Central Texas and Louisiana, and it takes four or five generations to reach Canada again.

This migration is nothing short of a biological miracle. The butterflies who fly down to Mexico have never made this trip before, yet they know exactly where to go. On the route back up, four or five generations of butterflies each fly a segment of the route, following their instincts like they’re competing in an invisible relay race.

When to See the Butterflies

The Monarch Butterflies typically start arriving in these Central Mexican forests in November. A local guide in Mexico State told me that the butterflies start arriving right around Day of the Dead (November 1 and 2). Because of this, local residents have long believed that they were the “ánimas,” the spirits of their dead loved ones.

Their numbers grow as more butterflies arrive to roost in the tall, pine-like oyamel trees. The reserves you can visit in Michoacán and Mexico State open in late November. Finally, the numbers peak in January and February, and the reserves are crowded with foreign and domestic tourists. I visited in late February, and I’d recommend that time period, as the butterfly population was very high. Go on a weekday to avoid the crowds if at all possible. The butterflies usually stay into March, so you still have a chance to see them: the earlier in the month, the better.

Monarch colonies roost in the oyamel fir trees native to Central Mexico. Photograph by Merin McD.

How to Get There

The Butterfly Reserves

There are several reserves you can visit, on a day or weekend trip from Mexico City. The reserves are all within the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Property that spans over 50,000 hectares (124,000 acres). Three reserves are in Michoacán State: El Rosario (the most popular), Sierra Chincua (easy hike), and Cerro Pelón (less known). I’ve heard wonderful things about these reserves. Michoacán State, however, is listed as a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” area by the U.S. State Department. That said, I’m not familiar with any cases of insecurity for travelers in or around the butterfly reserves —it’s a personal choice. If you decide to visit these reserves, I recommend visiting or staying for one night in the beautiful, colonial “pueblo mágico” (magic town) of Angangueo.

The other main reserve is Piedra Herrada, in Mexico State, a bit closer to Mexico City. This is the reserve I visited, and although busy on the weekends, it’s very beautiful, with a large population of butterflies reached by a 40 minute uphill hike.

Arriving by Car or Bus

To reach any of these reserves, you have a few options. You can rent a car in Mexico City, which is fairly easy. Just study the route beforehand or bring a map/printed out directions, as you probably won’t have a cell signal there. The roads are fairly good and mostly paved, and there is plenty of parking.

Although it’s a more complicated option, you can also take buses to nearby towns. To get to Agangueo near the Michoacán reserves, you can take a “Zina bus” running every two hours from 6 AM to 6 PM, from the Terminal Central de Autobuses Poniente in Mexico City, at Observatorio. From there, you can take a taxi or local bus to the reserves. The same goes for visiting the Piedra Herrada reserve: from the same bus terminal, just look for ticket counters listing “Valle de Bravo” as a destination. On these buses, ask the bus driver if he can leave you directly outside the reserve, or if you need to take a taxi or local bus from the town of Valle de Bravo to the reserve. The town of Valle de Bravo is wonderful for spending the night, too. That said, these bus options are more challenging and time consuming.

Arriving with a Tour

You can also just take a simple bus tour from Mexico City, which frankly I recommend. Many bus tours simply provide comfortable transportation, and give you hours of free time at the reserve to explore. They’re also similar in price to taking the regular bus, and they’re more direct and less stressful. I took a cheap, good Espíritu Aventurero trip, and the company offers a similar trip to the Michoacán reserves. While I’m not normally a fan tours, this was a practical option for someone with no car and limited time. There will be crowds on the weekend no matter what option you choose, so a tour bus doesn’t make much difference. There are plenty of similar tours, but these were the cheapest I found.

Monarch butterflies undertake one of the world’s most miraculous migrations every year to Mexico. Photograph by Merin McD.

What to Bring on Your Visit

While the Monarch Butterfly reserves are just a couple hours from Mexico City, don’t underestimate them! They’re a world apart from the cosmopolitan, developed capital. The absolute must-bring items are cash and a face mask or thin scarf. This is because there’s no ATMs or card readers anywhere near the reserves, so you want to bring at least $600 – $700 pesos, just in case you need food, to pay bus fare, and so on. The face mask is because the reserves are extremely dusty, and you’ll need to protect your throat and nose. Sunglasses are a good idea as well, because the sun is intense, and they help protect your eyes from the dust.

Just wear shorts or jeans you don’t much care about, as they’re gonna get dirty and dusty. Bring a t-shirt and light jacket, a baseball cap or other sun hat, and good hiking boots ideally. A water bottle and packed breakfast are a great idea, since the earlier you start out, the better. Finally, if you have allergies or asthma, bring your medicine and/or inhaler, because of the dust and unfamiliar pollen.

This might sound like a lot of preparation, but it’ll be worth it — visiting the Monarch butterflies is an absolutely unique experience, and not one that I’ll soon forget!