Mexico City

Mexico City is a high-upside but highly conditional move for software engineers. Reddit sentiment is unusually split: people describe it as one of the most exciting cities in the world, with unmatched food, culture, neighborhoods, museums, nightlife, public transport, and energy. Locals repeatedly say CDMX has “everything,” and that is both its greatest strength and its biggest problem.

For a software engineer, the key distinction is remote foreign salary vs. local Mexican salary. If you bring a US or other hard-currency remote job, CDMX can offer a fantastic lifestyle and strong North American timezone alignment. If you need to work for Mexican companies, commenters are blunt: pay is much lower than US levels, roles may be office-based in CDMX, Spanish is often essential, and some local tech stacks or corporate environments may feel slow or outdated.

The city’s weak points are not minor. Residents complain about pollution, altitude, traffic, noise, bureaucracy, inequality, rising housing costs, and neighborhood-dependent safety. The most desirable foreigner-friendly zones can feel safe and beautiful but increasingly expensive and socially sensitive because of gentrification. Several people recommend trying an extended stay first because the honeymoon phase can fade once daily friction sets in.

Overall, CDMX is a compelling relocation choice for adaptable, culturally curious engineers with remote income, but it is not a simple arbitrage paradise. It is less attractive if your goal is maximizing tech salary, buying property on local wages, avoiding urban stress, or living comfortably without Spanish.