For a visiting tourist, Mexico City is far nicer than you would probably expect. The historic center is busy and packed with great hotels and restaurants, while the district of Zona Rosa (the pink zone) is more upscale and corporate. The Condesa and Roma districts are more interesting and quite artsy, so there are plenty of areas to choose from. One warning though, almost no one in Mexico City speaks English, unless they are employed at a tourist hotel or upscale restaurant.
Fortunately most of the things to do in Mexico City are free or rather cheap, and city tours are quite affordable as well. This is really a city where you can get by on nearly any kind of budget as long as you are crafty enough to find your comfort zone. The hop-on, hop-off bus tour lasts around 3 hours and is an excellent introduction and very good value.
| Population | 9,000,000 |
| Area | 22,000,000 |
| Timezone | UTC-6 |
| Currency | Mexican peso |
| Airports | Mexico City International Airport (MEX) |
Eating and drinking in Mexico City can be reasonably priced, especially if you follow the locals rather than the other tourists. There are fancy places and some chain restaurants in most neighborhoods and they do offer specials at times, so Mexico City is generally good value for food and drinks.
| Budget breakfast | If your hotel doesn't include breakfast you can get many cheap local items at casual places along the street. | $3.20 - $5.53 |
| Budget lunch | You'll find excellent street food and small local restaurants with authentic foods at very affordable prices. | $4.66 - $7.86 |
| Budget dinner | Once you go to sit-down restaurants the prices can range dramatically, but still budget meals are possible if you avoid the touristy places. | $8.44 - $15.73 |
| Beer (.33l bottle) | The local beers, including Corona, are cheap in most restaurants and bars, and a bit more at clubs. | $2.33 - $3.49 |
| Month | High F | Low F | PRECIP (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 70 | 42 | 0.4 |
| February | 73 | 45 | 0.2 |
| March | 78 | 49 | 0.4 |
| April | 80 | 51 | 1.0 |
| May | 80 | 53 | 2.2 |
| June | 76 | 54 | 5.3 |
| July | 73 | 53 | 6.9 |
| August | 74 | 53 | 6.7 |
| September | 72 | 53 | 5.7 |
| October | 72 | 50 | 2.6 |
| November | 71 | 46 | 0.5 |
| December | 69 | 44 | 0.2 |
Mexico City has a fairly typical climate for a tropical city in that the temperatures generally peak in April, and then dip slightly as the summer rainy season arrives in May. Generally, temperatures are milder than most people imagine, and it’s pleasant during most of the year.
Between June and September it does rain quite a bit, but usually in short bursts that won’t ruin your trip as long as you can seek shelter for an hour or so. Winter days are generally warm and very dry, though it does get quite chilly most nights.
| 21 Mar | 6:40am | 6:48pm |
| 21 Jun | 6:59am | 8:18pm |
| 21 Sep | 7:25m | 7:34pm |
| 21 Dec | 7:06am | 6:04pm |
Hotels and hostels in Mexico City can offer good value, though on the lower end of things you might find the standards to be below what you are used to. Food and drinks can be very cheap if you concentrate more on street stalls and places that cater to locals. If you insist on places with English-language menus then you might find the city to be fairly expensive because those are mainly found within expensive hotels. If you bring a menu-translation app you’ll be able to confidently order at almost any restaurant and get great meals at low prices.
Hotels in Mexico City are mostly in sync with Caribbean hotels in that high season runs from December through Easter or through the middle of April. During July and August the city also gets a bit crowded with Europeans and others on summer holiday, so many hotels raise their prices then as well.
The best bargains can be found in May, June, September, October, and November, and weather is often most pleasant during that period as well.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 11.36 - 18.05 |
| 14.68 - 33.66 |
| 15.08 - 126.50 |
| 20.73 - 127.14 |
| 45.43 - 609.73 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 8.74 - 24.75 |