Thousands of foreign women settle in Mexico City, start businesses and prompt local concern

Thousands of foreign women, many from the United States, have moved to Mexico City seeking a “life reset,” creating businesses and communities while prompting unease among some local residents, the Times reports. Expats have concentrated in central districts such as Condesa and Roma, where English is common at sidewalk cafés and rents have risen sharply.

Some residents have protested, first with stickers reading slogans like “Imagine there’s no gringos,” and later with demonstrations in which windows were broken, stores ransacked and graffiti included messages such as “Learn Spanish, dog” and “Gentrification is colonization!” The newcomers have also been nicknamed “The Tuluminati” for their interest in wellness trends.

Official figures show one sign of the influx: in 2024, 56 percent more temporary-residency permits were issued to Americans in the city than in 2019. In the first seven months of this year, 3.7 million American women tourists flew to Mexico, about half a million more than men, and Mexico City was the top destination for both, after Cancún.

Key Topics

World, Mexico City, Condesa, Roma, Temporary Residency Permits, Gentrification