Not so Homey
Your comfort in your own home will be an issue
Photo by Daniel Lozano Valdés on Unsplash
Hopefully you have looked into my blog because it goes into a lot of detail on the truth about living in Mexico. Besides, the information is guaranteed to help you figure out what life in Mexico will be like as you prepare for your move here.
There is quite a bit to know to keep yourself from feeling lost as you look to move to Mexico City. Principally, making sure you know some basic facts about life in Mexico City.
I am going to talk about housing in Mexico City, but before you look at this post you should inquire into neighborhoods in Mexico City. It will help you get a better understanding of how Mexico City, or any Mexican city, is structured.
Mexico City offers a variety of housing arrangements for expats, foreigners and Chilangos. However, these types of arrangements are not exclusive to just Mexico City, they can be found in the majority of cities in Mexico. Unfortunately, they also share the one thing that will make them unbearable to live in.
Mexico lacks planning
I never understood why more effort is not put into making a home in Mexico feel, well, like a home. Everything seems to be put together without thinking about the individuals who are going to use them.
Convenience and comfort are, in my mind, a luxury while living in Mexico. It will be most noticeable when you start house hunting and you find something meant for convenience is always missing. As a result, prepare to be uncomfortable living in whatever type of accommodation you are looking for in Mexico; whether it is an apartment, house or flat.
I will go into more detail about this later in the article. For now, it is important to realize that the lack of planning will play a part in enjoying your home. First, let's look at the choices you have for housing in Mexico City.
Types of accommodations in Mexico
Here in Mexico City, you will find all types of living arrangements, from apartments to furnished rooms. Houses are also available, but most people tend to not rent houses.
The most common reason is that they are not affordable. You can end up paying in the excess of $50,000 pesos, about $2,500 US dollars, for something that is not yours. Apartments are a better option but price depends on location.
We have paid anywhere between $1,500 pesos a month in San Felipe de Jesus and up to $7,500 pesos a month in a "trendier" neighborhood. At today’s exchange rate, that is about $75 and $375 US dollars, respectively.
They get more expensive as you move south. An apartment in The World Trade Center can be as high as $30,000 pesos a month, $1,500 US dollars. Most likely, you will also have to pay some kind of maintenance fee accompanied by "other fees".
While making a life in Mexico City, you can also choose to live in a vecindad. They are big houses, hacienda types, that have been remodeled with viviendas to accommodate more than one family. Have you ever seen El Chavo del 8?
It's okay if you are not familiar with the show because a vivienda is just one story flat that shares common spaces. There won't be a dull moment since they are hot spots for disagreements, people are constantly getting into arguments. You might also find yourself sharing “other services”.
Most of them are found in low-income areas that are usually referred to as areas populares. In Mexico City, they are found in downtown colonias or in the outskirts of the city.
People in Mexico consider this terminology derogatory and use it as a put down to others. Why? I consider all of Mexico popular. I see people everywhere.
Our living quarters while living in Mexico
We have lived in 2 houses and 2 apartments in Mexico. Our fist home was a 3-story house in Toluca with a full restroom on every floor. We called it our own “bat cave”.
The second was a vecindad in Mexico City with multiple apartments. We had no running water and an outside restroom. Man was winter cruel.
The third was an apartment not far from the vivienda. However, we had all the basic services and did not have to go outside to do our “business”.
The fourth is the actual apartment we live in now. This one resembles a modest apartment you can find in any US city.
What they all have in common
Here is where the lack of planning comes into play because they all have something missing that is crucial to your comfort. First, everything in Mexico is made out of concrete. They even go as far as pouring it over green areas and cutting down trees.
It brings a cold feeling to your household and the lack of light makes them dreary. There is no heating or air conditioning available. They are also built without any kind of insulation.
This type of construction causes buildings, both residential and commercial, to be cold at all times. I understand it gets hot during the day because of Mexico City's altitude but the heat is not retained and it can get very cold once the sun sets.
Some kind of heating would make this point mute. Even something as simple as a furnace. Heaters are not cheap and I do not trust the electrical installation enough to keep a heater running for a long period of time.
Also, buildings are built right next to the street. You step right into the sidewalk coming out and literally walk into your living room when you open the front door. Walls are also shared by buildings. I am not used to this.
I am used to houses having their own yards and apartments with their own parking spaces. Not living in Mexico City. It will be noisy because houses and buildings are built to share a wall with neighboring buildings.
I can hear all of my neighbor's business and I am sure they can hear mine as well. Since parking spaces are not a guarantee, you will be a witness to a lot of fighting over parking spots.
Some individuals will resort to setting buckets on the street to reserve a spot. Beware if you move them and expect to get into some kind of altercation, either verbally or physically. Like I said, everything in Mexico is taken to the extreme and public areas are for the most aggressive.
Weather will affect your comfort
A fact you should know before moving to Mexico City. It rains here, just like any other city in Mexico, for about 7 months out of the year.
It usually starts about the time everyone is making their spring plans in March and ends in October, just in time for winter. It will affect you. Right now, after a slight drizzle, the temperature in Mexico City is 14° C or 60° F.
But I can tell you that it feels like 20 below zero in our apartment. We have been wearing sweaters, socks and pants all day. Very uncomfortable.
At night, we sleep with layers of clothes and a heavy blanket. Now imagine going out while sunny, say between 1 and 3 in the afternoon. You can be drenched in your sweat just by walking to the store.
You don’t cool off automatically once you are inside. Instead you walk into a sauna that, at least in my case, only feels better when I have peeled the clothes off my skin.
All this in the comfort of your home. You can invest in some good blackout curtains and/or blinds. They will help keep the heat in or out, depending on the weather.
Amenities not included
I want to keep stressing that comfort and convenience are hard to find here. What do I mean? What we call basic will not be so basic living in Mexico City. For instance, plumbing.
It is tricky and a lot goes into giving you access to running water. You need to consider a cisterna, tinaco, pump and sensors when renting a place.
Especially since water shortages are very common in Mexico City. They usually happen during so-called long weekends.
Washing clothes will be different as well. Most places will not come with connections for either your washing machine or dryer. You can choose to get them installed or send your clothes out to get washed.
I personally do not enjoy having my clothes mixed with someone else's. I guess because of the demand, laundromats have been popping up. Don't get too excited, most of them are in bad areas of Mexico City.
What you will find is rows of scrubbing sinks on the roof. Keeping your clothes white and lint free will be challenging and the sinks will help. They take me back to my childhood years when my mom would make me scrub my socks in the bathtub.
Oh, and a note on bathtubs. If you like to enjoy a bath every once in awhile, my advice is to find a nice hotel nearby. Bathtubs are not included in restrooms.
Don't raise the white flag just yet
One good thing about Mexico City is that it is always in expansion mode. Construction never seems to seize, from houses being turned into living quarters to apartment buildings being erected.
Santa Fe is flourishing with new modern apartments. Most of them include gyms and swimming pools. However, I cannot guarantee that they come with connections for washers, an A/C Heating System or a bathtub.
I have friends who live in this area but we have never had a discussion about their washer connections. I cannot say that the majority have a cooling system, but I can say that some do have a tub in their shower.
An apartment in this area will set you back about $25,000 pesos a month, $1,250 US dollars. However, with new units and remodeled old units all over Mexico City, you will be able to find something that meets your lifestyle needs.
Ask questions, look around and most importantly do not be afraid to make your needs known. Oh, and by the way, you can keep your home warm by simply maintaining all the doors closed. It will help a lot.
We are here to help
Don't get discouraged. Look into my tips to make your life in Mexico more comfortable. After reading this post, I suggest you explore the process on renting in Mexico City.
In the meantime, I will continue posting to give you more insight into living in Mexico.
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