The Current - Who gets to live in Mexico City?

Episode Date: February 17, 2026

This is a city in a moment of change. It is the hot new travel spot, tourists are pouring in daily. Expats and digital nomads are also snapping up real estate in the ‘nice’ parts of town. But this popularity comes with a cost. Locals are being pushed out, some by price others by physical force and criminal threats. Hear how a city going global comes with a cost.  

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This is a CBC podcast. Hello, I'm Matt Galloway, and this is the current podcast. Here in Roma Norte, the streets are lined with stylish boutiques, packed with wealthy shoppers enjoying the perfect weather, and the tacos at the upscale restaurants in this neighborhood are about triple the price of the ones at the market we visited around. She's vodka, and that's June. I'm Pablo. I'm 24 years old.

I'm Marijose. I'm 22 years old, and I live right here. It's a lot. It's a lot of expenses. Everything is so high, like in prices. And we live like 15 minutes from each other in a ride in car. I paid a half a price of this apartment in the Scandon, so yeah, the differences are so clear. It's crazy. I mean, I've lived here my whole life and people from other countries, foreigners that are traveling and staying here and working here. I don't think there's like a connection of any of these people with the culture or the actual Mexicans that have been living here since birth. I, myself, get confused sometimes and I'm like, is this my culture or is this just something that I've been fed by other people to believe that it's my culture?

And so, I don't know, for me, it's like a work in progress. It's also part of constructing yourself as a citizen as a person. And there should be more conscience about how gentrification is actually affecting every piece of life, not only economic life, because many people think that it's just that. And that we cannot afford housing because these people are here, and we cannot afford groceries because these people are here, but it's actually more of a culture thing, right? Because it's social, because it's emotional,

because it involves a lot of things. I think there should be more awareness about it, and people would be able to deal with it a little bit better and protest in a way that changes. Because I love protesting, it's my thing. It's just I love defending what I believe. And I do believe that genderification is a problem for us, obviously. But I do think that there's ways that people can create community and stuff like that.

One of the issues I think happens here in Mexico City with the gentrification. It's that people really separate these two sides, like the forefews. people and the Mexican people and you can you cannot afford housing or groceries but actually you can afford security in some neighborhoods so that's a actual thing here in Roma and the closer neighborhoods around the city are really safe because of the gentrification and you can go to the oxo or whatever at 3 a.m. 4 a.m. and talk with anyone in the street and you can be actually it's safe, but if you go to the poor neighborhoods around the city, you can see the difference. It's really hard to believe that we cannot afford actually the security of being in the city

and be free to walk in the night and that stuff. Basically, we are now in Ground Zero for foreigners in Mexico, and this is gentrification central. John Goodrich is a Canadian actor who moved to the United States. to Mexico City in 2018. You still felt like you were in on a secret a little bit, you know. And then everything, of course, changed during and after the pandemic. Long story short, Marianna, my wife, walks me into a casting house. And they literally said, oh, we need a gringo in our next movie.

And basically the rest was history. And the big one was with Eugenio Derbez. Eugenio Derbez is this sort of cultural icon of Latin America. It's a multi-million dollar production. They came at night. which is Igerand de Noche. So, you're getting the picture now. Things really picked up.

And then finally, just a few months ago, I booked 20 episodes in a number one hit called Rosaria Tierrez. He knows that people like him are being blamed for the changes in this city. And here's the, in terms of the attitudes of the Mexicans towards, you know, so-called gringoes or foreigners, that we are solely responsible for jacking up. The rent is just, you know, a little, is missing the larger point. Generification is global.

I literally ran away from genderification. The rents in Toronto were insupportable, insupportable, you know, just because gentrification in itself, in and of itself, is not necessarily a bad thing. It just means, well, I guess it means a lot of things. But that nice spot, a sweet spot of middle class, it's not, you know, one extreme or the other. but it accommodates for all. You know, it's blended. John came here before the pandemic,

but the change is really accelerated after 2020 with the rise of remote work. Now, thousands of so-called digital nomads have settled here in Mexico City. Tracy LeBlanc is one of them. She's a recent arrival, a Canadian who works as a marketing consultant for nonprofits. So I came here for the first time

three years ago on just like a five-day trip, somewhere to kind of what you're doing. And I fell in love with the city within five minutes. I knew I needed to live here. But I was working in the shelter system. So I spent 10 years working in youth homelessness, and I had to be in the shelter system every single day. I was trying to think, how can I make this happen?

How can I make my dream of living here come alive? And it took three years. I started Spanish class as soon as I got back. I take Spanish class every week. And I lost my job in May. And, you know, that's a really difficult thing for people getting laid off. But it was the opportunity I needed, a little kick in the butt. And I moved here in October.

Why did you mean, I mean, this is a beautiful place, and you could imagine why people would want to stay here? Yeah. Why did you want to stay here? Having lived in Toronto, downtown, doing the grind every day, working in a really difficult sector, seeing the homelessness crisis, I needed something that kind of soothe my soul and opened my heart back up again. And there is such a strong collective here.

There's such a strong sense of community. And that's why I'm here. I think the people, like the Mexican people, are so kind of. and generous and warm and open, but it's not an individualistic society. Everyone comes together and you feel really part of something special, even as an extra which is the term they used to describe as people who are from other places. It's also cheaper, though, right? I didn't move here for the cost of living.

But it is cheaper. Relatively, but not that much. I save about, let's see, I pay $2,500 a month for my one bedroom in Toronto and I pay $1,700 here. So it's relatively cheaper, but that's one thing I say as conscious of gentrification and the impact of international folks on this community. Don't move here for the cost of living. Don't move here for the weather. Move here for a love of the city, a love of the community, a deep curiosity and appreciation for Mexican culture. And if you can benefit from the sunshine and the cheaper rent, that's kind of a plus. You live here in this neighborhood?

I do. I live in La Condesa. How do you, I mean, you mentioned gentrification. How do you see this neighborhood changing because of people like yourself, but others who were here as well, who came here and they thought, I can't leave? I have noticed in the time I've been coming, more and more international folks are here, more and more English as being spoken. But interestingly, this is something I struggled with so much as someone who works in social justice. Am I creating harm in being here? And I did a lot of research on this before I came, talked to my local friends. And it was so interesting what I heard on the ground, which is that a lot of folks who are locals here actually appreciate the gentrification in some ways.

Disclaimer in some ways because it's creating safer neighborhoods, better infrastructure for them, and they are feeling more secure. So there are always downsize to gentrification. It's a systemic problem. But I found that a really interesting perspective. And being here, not once have I had any. resistance. I haven't ever, I ask, I bring it up all the time. I really want to know because if I'm not welcome here, I will go home. And I've never once heard that I'm not welcome here, that internationals aren't welcome here. One of the things that we have heard is that rents have gone up

significantly in this community and that you have people who feel like they're being priced out of the community, that they worry that they won't be able to stay in the community that they want to stay in because rents are going up because apartments are being turned into Airbnb's, that landlords can make more money from folks who are working abroad, being paid in Canadian dollars or American dollars or British pounds. How do you reckon with that? I struggle with it. My closest friend here, I met her because I stayed in her Airbnb. And her rent is going up right now and she's facing that struggle of needing to be able to continue to maintain that Airbnb.

While the anti-gentification movement is restricting Airbnbs here. But the way I try and give back is supporting local. That's why I was saying, like, if you're moving here to replicate your life in Canada and shop at Costco and go to Walmart and just hang out with your Canadian friends, this is not the place for you. If you want to shop local, support local artisans and eat at local tacharias like that, I think that is how we can contribute in other ways and become tax residents as well. What would you say to people who say that the neighborhood that they grew up in, that they don't recognize the neighborhood anymore? We've heard that from some people. I agree. I agree.

And I'm sorry. I'm sorry that that is what has happened here. But I also thank you. Thank you for welcoming me. And I feel so grateful to be a part of it. And the way I try and reconcile it is, like I said, I shop local. I support the economy. I only speak Spanish.

The moment I leave my house, I don't speak a word of English. Except I have one international friend here, and we take a little mental break sometimes and speak in English. But I think doing my best to show my appreciation and my curiosity and deep love for this city is the best I can do. Does it feel like home to you? It does. You know what I miss the most? Montreal bagels and Allwins jerk pork with rice and peas. You could open up a side hustle by selling jerk pork and rice and peas.

I haven't found a single Jamaican restaurant here. So word out if anyone wants to come from Allwyn. The growing number of remote... This ascent isn't for everyone. grit to climb this high this often. You've got to be an underdog that always overdelivers. You've got to be 6,500 hospital staff, 1,000 doctors all doing so much with so little. You've got to be Scarborough.

Defined by our uphill battle and always striving towards new heights. And you can help us keep climbing. Donate at lovescarbro.cairbo.ca.a. This message comes from Viking, committed to exploring the world in comfort. Journey through the heart of Europe on a Viking longship, with thoughtful service, destination-focused dining, and cultural enrichment, on board, and on shore. With a variety of voyages and sailing dates to choose from, now is the time to explore Europe's waterways. Learn more at viking.com. Workers sparked a series of anti-gentrification protests last summer. Serjo-Montes

is an activist who's been pushing for change. What I think is at stake for this area, as original inhabitants here will be thrown away, and new people will come, and rents will be higher. We are trying to resist, but it's like a Sisyphian thing. So last week, we went to a conference

that was, you know, this person from the UN that sees housing, the chief of the Human Rights Commission in the city and a local representative, and you hear them talking and everything is okay, and it is not. You ask something and then they trivialize the answer. We are fearful. that we have the strength to resist. We want to remain here. We have the right to remain,

but you get depressed. Do you want me to make an objection? In the next neighborhood over, Sergio introduces us to Anastasia Reyes and her daughter, Gabriella Lopez. Yes, what how, I'm Gabriella Lopez, director of the Foundation Perra Brava. They've lived in their apartment for years,

they also run two businesses in that building, a small bar and an animal shelter. They say the foundation that oversees their building is kicking people out, saying they're building a new complex, and they've sent the mob to threaten them with violence. Anastasia has moved out. Her daughter says she's staying. Maria Moreno Carranco has watched the changes in this area, both as an academic and as a long-time resident.

She's a professor of urban studies at the Autonomous Metropolitan University. Yeah, I've lived here for over 20 years now. The last five years, the change has been really astonishing. I mean, I've never imagined that it was going to be so fast and so much. Everything is expensive. Yeah, from the supermarket, the bread, the restaurants, everything is crazy expensive for us with Mexican salaries, and the rents are just skyrocketing.

But you say Mexican salaries, that's important because there are a lot of people who are living here who are being paid in U.S. dollars, for example, or British pounds or something like that. Yeah, and you can see that. And yes, a lot of people who will pay, like for a big apartment here, they pay half of what they would pay for a tiny apartment in Manhattan or San Francisco.

So that really makes the city attractive. Should we go for a walk and you can kind of point out some things? Yeah, we can go along Amsterdam, Avenue. All the central areas of the city have been very heavily affected for the two big earthquakes that we have in recent years, the 85 and the 2017, so that you have on the one hand original buildings like this one that is from the 30s and then newer buildings and then a few houses that are left that are not buildings yet and then damaged buildings and yeah I think

It's a fascinating a range of different kinds of architecture and styles. Who would live in apartments like this? Like is it families? Is it people who would be remote workers? Is it a mix of the two? A mix of the two.

Like it used to be only locals, really only locals. And there are people who were born here and are still here and they are very active trying to prevent changes from happening in a way. And then there are a lot of, Newcomers who are renting these apartments for very high rent.

I think the rents have at least doubled. So what will happen? I mean, it's a valuable area and people need housing. What kind of housing will be built in those spaces where the building used to be or where the building is cracked and damaged and can't stand? They are, well, there are several initiatives from the government to build houses. that is affordable, but the neighbors are not happy with it.

You just wonder whether, given how hot this neighborhood is, whether the housing that will be built in future will be for people who can afford higher rents, or will it be for the people who got priced out of here in the first place? Yeah, I think it will be for the people who can afford it, for sure. It's a beautiful neighborhood. You could understand why people would want to live here. Yeah, it is very pleasant. and then you'll see how

like these boutiques were not here a couple of years ago this is a new like upper market places and in that particular one all the signs are in English which we never had before and also waiters

tend to speak in English to everyone and you say no I'm Mexican oh yeah yeah sorry it's okay so that is also something that we didn't imagine happening ever. What do you think of that? What I think, I think it's, in a way, it's good for the economy. Like some people would say that it's a way of providing jobs, but I don't see that really changing how

people live. Maybe they have a little bit of better tips, but I don't think it's really producing a big change. but I think it is in a way sad that they assume that the clientele will be foreigner and that no Mexicans go there anymore General of the park group Yeah

Okay Local kids playing there It's such a great scene in the parks I mean there's a trampoline that's over there for kids Everybody's got a dog it seems like It's really, it's just a really nice atmosphere. Yeah, if you live here, you need a dog and a yoga mat. Otherwise, you are not really a local.

You kind of hinted that what are you most worried about? I guess being expelled from where I like to live. Being expelled from where you live. Exactly. Yeah. Do you think that how would that happen? Because probably one. be worth living here for the prices I have to pay anymore. And I would need to go somewhere else

to, yeah, to have a better life for less money. What would that mean to? To be, as a user, would expel, in the place that you want to be in. It would be hard. I love living here, and it would be very hard. There is no other place in the city where I think I will be happier living. I love being in the, coming to the park, and I've been here for a long time. I love my gym, my bakery, the people in the street that I know. So it will be very hard. I just moved from, I owned a big apartment, a three-bedroom, and I just rented it out to an American guy who's paying a lot of money. And I moved to a smaller place because my older son left to study in the US. So my younger son and I moved to a smaller place, but we were really looking for something

around the park because we love living here. And I'm renting a really overpriced apartment as well, but with the rent from the first one, I can afford to stay here. So that's really interesting because I'm not going to say that you're part of the problem, but there are people who would say that you're part of the problem. You're renting out your apartment to somebody who can pay a whole lot of money. I am part of the problem, definitely. I am. I mean, it's just a matter of it, I couldn't afford to live there anymore.

It is kind of... I'm also part of the affected people. So, yeah, it was too expensive to live there. There's a lot of real opposition to this. We were hearing about protests that have happened towards tourists and foreigners, people who are living here. You see, you know, graffiti, no gringo, that kind of stuff like that. What do you make of that?

I don't think it's a real opposition. Do you don't think it's real? No, I think it's, well, I think it's real, but it's small. Okay. And I think it comes from probably political interests, not real worries. I mean, neighbors who have lived here for a long time are totally opposed to these protests.

But they are also concerned about their neighborhood, right? Absolutely. And so what are they doing to try to protect their neighborhood? For example, we are really opposing new hotels. We don't want more restaurants or more boutiques or more Airbnbs. Like, that is not what we need. You think there should be a limit on the number of airplanes? Yes. I think the city is big enough to receive a lot of people who would benefit from living here

and the city can also benefit from them living here. But we are seeing over concentration in a very small area of the city. And I think that should be reversed by policy and promoting other areas of the city. What do you love about this city? I mean, we've only been here for a few days, but it's amazing. Like it's enormous and complicated and there's layers. Everybody says there's layers and layers. and layers to Mexico City. What do you love about it? I love the diversity, the fun, the people, the different opportunities. And the thing that really makes me when I live here is that all the people I really like in the, well, not all, but a lot of the people that I really like in the world, like some are scattered around. But a lot are living in the city and you always have things to do,

and you always can go to amazing places, see art, culture, markets, food. So that sense of endless possibilities, I think it's very attracting and charming and the history. I'm in love with the history of the city, and I love that you can see pre-Spanic temples and mother buildings and everything in between. And I think that diversity,

And that deep history makes it very interesting. Why would you want to live anywhere else? Why? Yeah. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. You've been listening to the current podcast.

My name is Matt Galloway. Thanks for listening. I'll talk to you soon. For more CBC podcasts, go to cbc.ca.ca slash podcasts.