What to Wear in Mexico City
Mexico · 9 monthly packing guides
Mexico City sits at 2,240 meters elevation, which produces a climate available almost nowhere else: 25°C / 77°F and dry at noon, 13°C / 55°F and clear by 9pm, intense sun all day from the high altitude, and a daily 4pm thunderstorm during May-September that arrives and leaves within an hour. The dress problem is that you need three layers between morning coffee and dinner — base, midweight, light jacket — and they all have to fit one day-bag. Roma Norte and Condesa run a quiet-luxury European-influenced register; Centro and Coyoacán read more traditional. The altitude takes 24-48 hours to acclimate; expect breathlessness on the stairs in Bosque de Chapultepec.
Choose your month below to match your layers and shoes to the weather. Across the months covered, average daily lows reach 8°C / 46°F in January; average highs reach 26°C / 79°F in May.
Compare Mexico City by month
Monthly averages help compare packing needs; check the forecast before departure. Only months with published guides are listed. See the source notes below for station and measurement differences. Scroll across the table to see all weather details on a small screen.
| Month | Average low | Average high | Rain days | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January packing guide | 8°C / 46°F | 22°C / 72°F | 3 | 11h 05m |
| February packing guide | 10°C / 50°F | 25°C / 77°F | 1 | 11h 30m |
| May packing guide | 13°C / 55°F | 26°C / 79°F | 8 | 13h 5m |
| June packing guide | 13°C / 55°F | 24°C / 75°F | 17 | 13h 15m |
| July packing guide | 13°C / 55°F | 23°C / 73°F | 23 | 13h 10m |
| August packing guide | 13°C / 55°F | 23°C / 73°F | 22 | 12h 50m |
| October packing guide | 12°C / 54°F | 23°C / 73°F | 8 | 11h 44m |
| November packing guide | 10°C / 50°F | 23°C / 73°F | 4 | 11h 10m |
| December packing guide | 8°C / 46°F | 22°C / 72°F | 1 | 11h 00m |
Choose your Mexico City packing list
Mexico City in January: 22°C / 72°F afternoons, 8°C / 46°F dawns, the coldest mornings of the year under a sun that altitude sharpens.
In this capsule: Cream packable down jacket, stand collar; Black chunky ribbed roll-neck; Pale blue oversized cotton shirt.
Mexico City in February: 25°C / 77°F afternoons, 10°C / 50°F dawns, the widest daily swing of the year and almost no rain.
In this capsule: Light-wash collarless denim jacket, cropped; Lilac cropped crew cardigan, pearl buttons; White band-collar poplin popover.
Mexico City in May is dry-warm at altitude — 26°C / 79°F afternoons but 13°C / 55°F mornings, 2,240m elevation, the last dry-pre-monsoon month before June rains arrive properly.
In this capsule: Layered base — long-sleeve cotton or linen shirt + tank underneath; Wide-leg linen or lightweight wool trousers; Light jacket — denim, linen blazer, or trench.
Mexico City in June is the cool-clouded transitional month — 24°C / 75°F afternoons (cooler than May!) because monsoon clouds block the sun, 13°C / 55°F mornings, daily 4pm thunderstorms reliably arrive.
In this capsule: Layered base — cotton long-sleeve + tank; Lightweight linen trousers — cream, oat, or navy; Quick-dry or waterproof sneakers.
Mexico City in July is the wettest month — 23 rain days, 181mm total, cool-clouded 23°C / 73°F afternoons. Daily 4-5pm thunderstorms hit hard then clear within an hour.
In this capsule: Layered cotton or linen base — long-sleeve + tank; Lightweight linen or cotton trousers — cream, oat, navy; Waterproof or quick-dry sneakers — non-optional.
Mexico City in August is late-monsoon — 22 rain days, 23°C / 73°F cool-clouded afternoons, 13°C / 55°F mornings. The pattern is fully predictable and the city runs at full operation through it.
In this capsule: Cotton long-sleeve + tank — layered base; Lightweight linen or cotton trousers; Waterproof or quick-dry sneakers.
Mexico City in October: 23°C / 73°F afternoons, 12°C / 54°F dawns, and the last wet month, with the rain arriving after 6pm.
In this capsule: Black leather biker jacket; Marigold cotton-poplin shirt; Cream cotton pointelle crew.
Mexico City in November: 23°C / 73°F afternoons, 10°C / 50°F dawns, and the first dry month after the rains.
In this capsule: Stone double-breasted belted trench; Black fine-knit crew sweater; White heavyweight cotton tee.
Mexico City in December: 22°C / 72°F afternoons, 8°C / 46°F dawns, and the driest month of the year.
In this capsule: Navy knee-length wool coat, single-breasted; Cream fisherman-rib crew knit; Charcoal straight trousers.
Climate sources by month
These credits follow the source recorded on each monthly guide. Climate figures inform the packing advice; outfit combinations and illustrations are editorial suggestions.
- January: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional · Tacubaya Central (9048) · 1991–2020 normalsSMN's published 1991–2020 normal for its Tacubaya observatory, 30 complete years; the station sits at 2,308.6 m. Recorded per month because the rest of this city's pages are sourced differently.
- February: NOAA NCEI · Mexico Central, Tacubaya (WMO 76680) · 1991–2020 normalsSMN operates the Tacubaya observatory; figures computed from NOAA NCEI's global-summary-of-the-day record 76680099999: temperatures from 17 complete Februaries, rain (days of 0.01 in or more) from the 11 with a precipitation report on at least 90% of days. Recorded per month because this city's other pages are sourced differently.
- May: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional · Tacubaya Observatory · monthly climate averages
- June: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional · Tacubaya Observatory · monthly climate averages
- July: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional · Tacubaya Observatory · monthly climate averages
- August: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional · Tacubaya Observatory · monthly climate averages
- October: NOAA NCEI · Mexico Central, Tacubaya (WMO 76680) · 1991–2020 normalsSMN operates the Tacubaya observatory; figures computed from NOAA NCEI's global-summary-of-the-day record 76680099999: temperatures from 19 complete Octobers, rain (days of 0.01 in or more) from the 13 with a precipitation report on at least 90% of days. Recorded per month because this city's other pages are sourced differently.
- November: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional · Tacubaya Central (9048) · 1991–2020 normalsSMN's published 1991–2020 normal for its Tacubaya observatory, 30 complete years; the station sits at 2,308.6 m. Recorded per month because the rest of this city's pages are sourced differently.
- December: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional · Tacubaya Central (9048) · 1991–2020 normalsSMN's published 1991–2020 normal for its Tacubaya observatory, 30 complete years; the station sits at 2,308.6 m. Recorded per month because the rest of this city's pages are sourced differently.
Frequently asked questions
Start with your travel month. The 9 published guides cover January, February, May, June, July, August, October, November, December. Compare the average low as well as the high: among these months, January has the lowest average low at 8°C / 46°F, while May has the highest average high at 26°C / 79°F. For a trip spanning two months, read both lists before deciding which layers to bring.
No. They are monthly climate averages for planning, not temperatures promised for a particular day or hour. Check the local forecast close to departure and adjust your layers and rain protection. The source, station and averaging period are listed for each month where recorded; different stations or rain-day definitions can affect comparisons.
No. Treat the capsule as a set of clothing functions: walking shoes, a base outfit, weather protection and any change for dinner or a venue's dress code. Start with equivalents you own. Adjust quantities to your trip length and laundry access; the illustrations are outfit suggestions, not a shopping requirement.