Experience in México, D.F., Mexico by Daniela

What is it like to live in México, D.F.? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

The city is enormous so of course the lifestyle depends a lot on the area where you live. But one of the best parts is that most things are reachable by subway and Metrobus and both transporting systems are of the cheapest in the World (one way no matter how many km. by subway is $5.00 mexican pesos which is less than 30 cents of euro). There is always something going on for every kind of personality, there are many events every week, concerts, theater, sport activities, workshops, congresses and so on. I would definitely recommend it specially if is for few months because you will be able to see a lot but you must also know that it is a very crowded city and you should take care specially of your stuff in some areas but I never had a dangerous experience, as long as you know well where not to go and which measures to take it should be fine.

Also the variety of qualities in every sector is very wide, you might find some very luxury restaurants, bars, hotels and nightclubs, some intermediate options, options for students, places where you can eat a whole meal (soup, main dish, water and dessert) for less than

What is the student lifestyle like in México, D.F.?

it depends a lot in the university you attend to as well as the degree you study. For example if you attend to a private university like IBERO or Tec de Monterrey you might get to know a lot of people whose parents might have a quiet good income and they tend to attend to also mostly nice places and it's common that they might have a car to move around. If you go to UNAM everything is so variable that you might get to meet many very different kind of people form different backgrounds which live in very different parts of the city and whose families might have also very different income levels.

Most universities in Mexico have not only the academic programs but also cultural and sport activities and teams that if you like something specific and you are wiling to train and participate often you might be able to be part of those teams and have a group of friends who have this interest in common. And in other cases the universities also offer some courses for people who are not professional at those activities but they do it as a hobby or want to lear it. In my university for example there are professional teams and groups for: soccer, basketball, volleyball, tennis, american football, chorus, theater, dance, folklore, orchestra. And activities as hobby of for beginners for: capoeira, tae kwon do, painting, guitar, couple dance, salsa, choreographic dance, ballet, hip hop, spinning, yoga, cross fit and many others.

What is also common at many universities, specially the most recognized ones is that you might spend a lot of time in Campus since the schedules can vary a lot and it's most of the times not worth it to go back home because of the distance and traffic and because the universities most of the times provide some nice paces to stay to work on your courses.

How much does it cost to live in México, D.F.?

It can be quiet cheap if you know how to handle it and it´s not hard to do so and of course it also depends on the area that you are living.

It isn´t hard to find a good and safe area and share and apartment with one or two more students paying around 2500 -3000 pesos ( ca. 140-180 euros) including gas, electricity and water, of course it can also be much more or a bit less. If you use public transport it´s quiet cheap, if you go once a day and come back one a day you won't need more than 30 pesos (1.7 euro) and some universities have special buses which you pay for the whole semester.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in México, D.F.? Is there any advice you can give?

It is a bit difficult not because there is not space, but because you should more or less know how safe and nice is the area and it is always good to take a look to the apartments before moving in and ask every single question that is not made clear in the announcements and sometimes some buildings ask you to pay an extra fee for the maintenance.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

You can find the most delicious food, you ca find stuff that you find anywhere else in the world and you can also find some very rare options. I stingily recommend not to eat in the small stand on the streets cause you can easily get sick and it can turn into a real bad thing sometimes. Always eat in a place which is an establishment.

You need to try out all kinds of mexican food because everything is so different. Tacos al pastor are one of the favorites. Enchiladas, chilaquiles, tamales, esquites, quesadillas, molletes, nopales.

What places would you recommend visiting in México, D.F.?

Bellas Artes, Zócalo, Museo Soumaya, Polanco, Chapultepec, Santa fe, Coyoacán, Colonias Roma y Condesa, UNAM, Papalote Museo del niño, Avenida Reforma, Edificio de correos, Monumento a la revolución, Basílica de Guadalupe, Museo Frida Kahlo, Casa Barragán, Francisco I.Madero, Museo de Antropología, Xochimilco.

Is it good to eat out in México, D.F.? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

Sure there are so many places. i recommend to go to neighborhood like Roma and Condesa, they have so many cute and nice restaurants of different kinds of food and you will find for sure something there that you want to try.

Is the nightlife good in México, D.F.? Where is good to go?

It depends a lot on the kind of places you like to go to. There are rock bars, alternative clubs, mexican bars, fancy night clubs. Try to avoid the places All-inlcusive they sell bad quality of alcohol. And be ready because in most clubs you have to pa an entrance fee which is normally now less than 200 pesos (15 euros) but more like 300, 400 and some until 600. Its easier to find bars which you don't need to pay an entrance fee.

What advice would you give future students heading to México, D.F.?

Ask for students you can contact to in your host university so they can give you more specific advices.