Arriving & First Weeks

The airport, the SIM card, the FMM, week one, and everything that trips people up before they’ve had a single taco.

CDMX is bigger than you expect. Twenty-two million people, eleven municipalities bleeding into each other, a skyline that goes all the way to the mountains. This is not Medellin. It’s not Lisbon. It’s a world city, and it takes a minute to get your bearings.

The good news: the neighbourhoods where most newcomers settle — Roma Norte, Condesa, Juarez — are dense, walkable, and full of people who arrived three months before you and know exactly what you’re about to ask. The learning curve is real. The landing is soft.

Two Airports. Don’t Confuse Them.

CDMX has two airports and mixing them up costs you time, money, and possibly a very stressful morning.

AICM (Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juarez) is the main airport, 10 kilometres east of the city centre. Two terminals, connected by a free internal shuttle. Terminal 1 handles domestic flights and most budget carriers. Terminal 2 handles major international airlines — Aeromexico, United, Delta, British Airways, Iberia. Your booking will specify which terminal. Check it.

Felipe Angeles (NLU, also called AIFA) is the newer airport, 50 kilometres north of the city. Opened in 2022. Genuinely nicer inside than AICM. The catch: it’s far. An Uber to Roma Norte costs 400–600 MXN depending on traffic and time of day, and takes 60–90 minutes. A bus runs to Condesa for about 100 MXN and takes a similar time. Budget airlines use it increasingly, so the low headline ticket price sometimes evaporates once you factor in the ground transport.

“I booked NLU by accident several times. Once I was going through security and the guard said: you’re at the wrong airport, bro.” — expat resident

“Usually the cost to get to and from Felipe Angeles makes the ticket cost almost the same as flying from the normal airport. But it’s much nicer inside.” — expat resident

One more option: Toluca Airport (TLC), technically in a different state, about 90 minutes from Roma Norte on a good day. Used by Volaris for some routes. Uber from there runs 600–700 MXN. Only worth it if the price difference is significant.

Getting From AICM Into the City

The airport transport situation has changed repeatedly over the years. Here’s where it stands.

Uber and DiDi

Both work, but not from the arrivals level. You cannot request either while standing at baggage claim — there’s no Uber zone there. You have two options.

Option one: take the free internal shuttle to the other terminal, go to the departures level, and request from outside. Option two: walk up the stairs or ramp to the departures level in your own terminal and request from there. In Terminal 2 this is a short walk. In Terminal 1 it’s slightly further but manageable.

Expected cost to Roma Norte or Condesa: 150–220 MXN at normal times. Surge pricing applies at peak hours — Friday evenings and Sunday nights can push it to 350+ MXN.

DiDi is usually slightly cheaper than Uber for the same journey. The app is less polished and the driver pool is smaller, which can mean longer waits. For airport runs, most people stick with Uber.

| 📱 First arrival without a local SIM? You can’t request Uber without an internet connection. Connect to the airport WiFi (usually available in arrivals) before you try. Or use the Authorised Taxi desk — see below. | | --- |

Authorised Taxis (Taxi Autorizado)

The official airport taxi service has a desk in the arrivals hall of both terminals. The drivers are vetted, the pricing is fixed by zone and printed on a board above the desk. No negotiation, no surprises. Expect 350–500 MXN to Roma Norte or Condesa.

It’s more expensive than Uber. It’s also the right choice for your first arrival if you’re landing at 2am and don’t yet have your SIM sorted, or if you have so much luggage that the shuttle-to-departures manoeuvre sounds exhausting.

The Metro

Line 5 (yellow) connects Terminal Aerea station directly to the city’s metro network. A single ride costs 5 MXN. With one small bag, totally fine. With two large suitcases and a carry-on, during morning rush hour, next to a person eating a torta — make your own call.

The metro is excellent for getting around the city once you’re settled. For your very first arrival with all your belongings, it’s usually not the move.

Private Drivers

Several private drivers have built reputations in the expat community through years of reliable service. They’re more expensive than Uber, but if you’re arriving late at night, have a lot of luggage, or just want someone with your name on a sign, they’re worth having. Ask around in expat WhatsApp groups once you’re here — current recommendations get shared regularly.

“This guy drives for all the companies and I spoke to him about the airport. He still goes there and lives in Roma. Nice guy — save his number.” — long-term resident

The FMM Card — Read This Before You Land

The FMM (Forma Migratoria Multiple) is Mexico’s tourist entry card. Depending on your airline, you’ll either fill it out on the plane, at a kiosk in the arrivals hall, or at the immigration counter itself. The officer stamps your passport and writes a number in the days-permitted box on the card.

Most nationalities from North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and many others enter without a visa and receive up to 180 days. ‘Up to’ is the critical phrase. Some immigration officers write 30 or 90 by habit or because they’re moving a long queue. They can write any number up to 180. It’s arbitrary.

| 💬 If you plan to stay more than 90 days Once the officer has stamped your passport, politely ask: ¿Es posible tener 180 días? Most will change it without any issue. Don’t be embarrassed to ask. The worst they say is no. | | --- |

“I entered recently and they asked to see my return ticket. They gave me the days I needed according to the ticket — not the 180 I used to get automatically.” — expat resident

“The last time I came back in from the US, it was one of the easiest times getting 180 days. I even told them I was only staying 90 and they still gave me the full 180.” — expat resident

The experience varies by officer, by terminal, and apparently by mood. The egates (automated passport readers) reportedly give 180 days automatically for eligible nationalities — worth using if you qualify.

INM (Mexico’s immigration authority) has at different points in time made noise about clamping down on people who appear to be living in Mexico on rolling tourist visas. The practical reality as of writing: a first-time visitor asking for 180 days is almost never questioned. Someone on their sixth consecutive 90-day entry might get a conversation.

“INM has been actively trying to reduce the number of individuals living on tourist visas. In many ports of entry you can still readily get 180 days without additional documentation.” — expat resident familiar with immigration

Keep the FMM. Seriously.

The FMM is a physical card (or sometimes a digital stamp, depending on how the system is working that day). When you leave Mexico, you hand it back to the immigration officer at the departure gate. Losing it means a trip to the INM office, a wait, a fine, and a form. None of these things are catastrophic. All of them are annoying.

Tuck it inside your passport. That’s where it lives.

“Before they changed the system, if you didn’t have your exit FMM they wouldn’t let you on the plane. Learned that the hard way.” — expat resident

Overstaying

If you overstay your FMM, Mexico’s response is generally a fine and a lecture at the airport departure desk. No jail, no multi-year ban, no dramatic consequences for a first offence. The fine is not life-changing. That said, don’t make a habit of it.

“If you exceed your visit, they tell you don’t do it again and charge a fine that isn’t really expensive.” — expat resident

Getting a SIM Card

Get this sorted before you leave the airport. There are carrier kiosks in the arrivals hall of both terminals. You need a working Mexican number for Uber, delivery apps, WhatsApp, and approximately forty other things you’ll discover in the first 48 hours.

Telcel — The Standard

Telcel has the best coverage across CDMX and is the only carrier with reliable signal outside the city — relevant for day trips to Teotihuacan, Valle de Bravo, Oaxaca. The Amigo Sin Limite prepaid plan at around 200 MXN per month covers calls, texts, and enough data for normal use.

Manage it via the Mi Telcel app: check your balance, top up by card, buy data packages. SIM cards themselves are about 45–80 MXN at Telcel stores or at any OXXO. Top-up is available at OXXO, 7-Eleven, or through the app.

“Telcel SIM, 200 pesos a month for the Amigo plan. More than enough. Get the Mi Telcel app — see your balance and pay by card through the app. Super easy.” — long-term resident

One significant caveat: Telcel coverage in Condesa is noticeably worse than in Roma Norte or Juarez. The neighbourhood restricted cell tower construction years ago. Residents complain about dropped calls and slow data from their apartments. If you’re moving to Condesa, test signal at your specific address before committing to a plan.

“Anybody else have issues with Telcel in Condesa? It’s fairly inconvenient — the neighbourhood didn’t allow towers here, which is exactly where I signed my lease.” — Condesa resident

AT&T Mexico

The second most recommended option. Coverage is generally good and specifically better than Telcel in Condesa. There’s a store near Fuente de Cibeles in Juarez that’s frequently mentioned — staff set you up quickly and speak enough English to get through the process. Plans run around 200–250 MXN per month for comparable data.

Important: AT&T Mexico is a completely separate entity from AT&T USA. Your US plan’s international roaming is not the same as a local Mexican account. Don’t confuse them.

Virgin Mobile Mexico

A cheaper option — around 150 MXN per month for unlimited calls, texts, and 10GB of data. Runs on the Telcel network so coverage is similar. Worth considering if cost is a priority. Less widely discussed, but gets positive mentions from residents who’ve tried it.

eSIM Options

For people who want to keep their home country number active alongside a Mexican number. Most phones made in the last three years support eSIM. Airalo is the most widely used international eSIM platform. The Nomad eSIM is another option.

Running two numbers simultaneously on one phone: one physical SIM (Mexican), one eSIM (your home number). You can forward calls and texts from one to the other. Google Fi is mentioned by US residents as a clean option — 20 USD per month to keep a US number and texting active, no data, layered over a local Mexican physical SIM.

The one catch: to activate Telcel’s own eSIM product directly, you need a Mexican national ID. New arrivals won’t have this yet. Use Airalo or a physical SIM instead.

Keeping Your Home Number Active

If you have clients or family who call your home number and you don’t want to ask them to change it, the cleanest solution is porting it to a VoIP service (Google Voice, Skype number) and having it ring to your Mexican phone. Skype using Telcel data handles calls to US 1-800 numbers reliably when your US number isn’t active.

Week One — What Needs to Happen

The temptation is to land with a detailed plan. The reality is you’ll be tired, mildly altitude-sick, slightly overwhelmed by the size and the noise, and unable to stop eating tacos. Let the first day be the first day. After that:

Logistics first (days 1–2)

• SIM working. Uber and DiDi installed and tested.
• WhatsApp groups joined. The expat community here runs on WhatsApp. Ask in them constantly — that’s what they’re for.
• Find out where the nearest OXXO is. You’ll need it more than you expect.
• Cash in your wallet. 500–1,000 MXN. Street food, unexpected cash-only situations, and the occasional moment when your foreign card won’t work.

Neighbourhood research (days 3–5)

• Walk Roma Norte, Condesa, and Juarez back to back on foot, at different times of day. Morning and evening feel very different. You cannot understand the difference between these neighbourhoods from Google Maps or Instagram — only from being in them.
• If you’re planning to live beyond the triangle, do the same for Escandon, Coyoacan, or wherever you’re considering. Metro trips are cheap. Use them.
• Start looking at rental listings if your timeline is tight. Good apartments in Roma Norte at reasonable prices receive dozens of enquiries within hours of posting.

The practical setup (days 5–7)

• A slightly extended Airbnb stay is meaningfully better than a bad apartment decision made under time pressure. Don’t rush into a six-month lease in week one.
• Get your gut used to the local food. You will have some intestinal discomfort at some point in the first two to four weeks. It’s normal, it passes, and it’s not a reason to avoid street food.

“First night here I was standing at a street corner in Condesa looking at Google Maps when a guy on a motorcycle drove past and tried to snatch my phone. Luckily I had a firm grip.” — expat resident, on their first night

Don’t walk while looking at your phone, especially near the road or in busy areas. Hold it at chest height or put it away. More on street safety in Chapter 11.

Altitude

CDMX sits at 2,240 metres above sea level. If you’re arriving from anywhere coastal or from most of Northern Europe or North America, you will feel this. The symptoms are predictable: shortness of breath walking up stairs, a dull headache for the first day or two, unusual tiredness, occasionally mild nausea. They are completely normal and they pass within five to ten days for most people.

A few things that help: drink significantly more water than usual (altitude accelerates dehydration), go easy on alcohol for the first three to four days (it hits harder at altitude — genuinely), and don’t sign up for a bootcamp class on day two. Walk a lot. Let your body adjust.

Paracetamol (Tylenol / Panadol) handles the altitude headaches well if they get bad. It’s sold at every Farmacia Similares for a few pesos.

“Take a paracetamol if you can — those altitude headaches are nasty. Learned from major experience.” — expat resident

In rare cases, people have a more serious reaction — significant shortness of breath, vomiting, difficulty standing. If symptoms are severe after 48 hours rather than fading, see a doctor. Private clinics in Roma and Condesa can see you same-day (Chapter 11).

“She’s been suffering altitude sickness for 2 days, stopped vomiting but has shortness of breath. She had an IV on Friday and felt much better.” — group member seeking help for a friend

Water

Do not drink from the tap. This is not negotiable. The water in CDMX’s public system is treated but not to a standard that’s safe for drinking without further filtration, and the pipes in most older buildings add their own complications.

Garrafones — 20-litre water jugs — are delivered to most apartment buildings on a regular schedule. The building administrator (portero) usually manages this, or you can set up your own delivery. Cost is around 40–60 MXN per jug. Budget roughly 100–150 MXN per week depending on how much you cook and drink.

For brushing teeth: the tap is fine. For cooking with boiling water: fine. For drinking straight or in cold drinks: garrafon.