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Mexico in Numbers: How do Mexicans spend their time?

By
MND Staff
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A father and son ride bumper cars at the San Pedro Cholula Fair in Puebla.
A father and son ride bumper cars at the San Pedro Cholula Fair in Puebla. Mexican men spend an average of 7 hours per week with friends and family, slightly less than Mexican women. (Shutterstock)

Every five years, the national statistics agency INEGI conducts a National Survey on Time Use (ENUT).

The most recent survey was conducted at more than 32,000 homes in 2024. The results of the survey were published in August 2025.

In this week’s “Mexico in Numbers” article, we look at some of the key results.

Reading about how Mexicans spend their days and weeks may seem uninteresting on the surface. But some of the ENUT results might just surprise you! And, after all, how we spend our time is how we live our lives.

* N.B. — Males and females aged 12 and over participated in the 2024 ENUT. 

How many hours do Mexicans work per week? 

On average, Mexicans spend 59.6 hours per week performing paid and unpaid work, including domestic chores, care work and volunteer work.

In other words, Mexicans spend around 35% of their time each week working.

On average, women work 61.1 hours per week while men work 58 hours per week.

On average, women spend 39.7 hours per week on domestic chores, care work and volunteer work, compared to 18.2 hours for men. Thus, the weekly gender gap for such work is 21.5 hours.

In households where the occupants speak an Indigenous language, the weekly gender gap for domestic, care and volunteer work is even higher at 27.3 hours. For Mexicans who live in towns with fewer than 10,000 residents, the weekly gender gap for domestic, care and volunteer work is also much higher than the national average at 26.4 hours.

The state where people, on average, spend the most hours per week working is Hidalgo. On average, hidalguenses work 65.6 hours per week, six hours more than the national average.

The state where people, on average, spend the fewest hours per week working is Chihuahua. On average, chihauhuenses work 54.5 hours per week, 5.1 hours less than the national average.

How many hours do Mexicans sleep per week? 

According to the results of the 2024 ENUT, women in Mexico, on average, sleep 53 hours per week. In other words, women usually get just over 7 1/2 hours of sleep per night.

On average, men sleep 52.1 hours per week, or just under 7 1/2 hours per night.

On average, women in Mexico spend 114.1 hours per week working and sleeping. Thus, women are left with 53.9 hours per week for other activities.

On average, men in Mexico spend 110.1 hours per week working and sleeping. Consequently, men are left with 57.9 hours per week for other activities.

How do Mexicans spend their time when they’re not working or sleeping?

In addition to working and sleeping, Mexicans — like people around the world — spend time eating, bathing, attending to their personal health needs and resting.

According to the 2024 ENUT results, women, on average, spend 8.6 hours per week eating while men spend 8.2 hours per week chowing down (on tasty Mexican food in many cases, no doubt).

On average, women spend 6.7 hours per week on bathing, dressing and personal grooming; 5.4 hours on their personal healthcare needs; and 4.1 hours praying, meditating and resting.

On average, men spend 5.6 hours per week on bathing, dressing and personal grooming; 6.1 hours on their personal health care needs; and 4.6 hours praying, meditating and resting.

The most popular “free time” activity for both women and men is “use of mass media” — e.g., surfing the internet; posting to social media or sending online messages; watching TV, movies and streaming services; listening to music and the radio; and reading material such as books, newspapers and magazines.

On average, women spend 15.1 hours per week using mass media, while men spend 15.7 hours per week on the same activity.

The next most popular “free time” activity for Mexicans is spending time with friends and family. The average time spent on such convivencia (coexistence) per week is 7.8 hours for women and 7 hours for men.

The third most popular “free time” activity for women is sports and physical exercise, with an average of 4.7 hours per week spent on such activities. On average, men spend 5.4 hours playing sports and doing exercise per week. However, sports and exercise only rank as the fourth most popular “free time” activity for men.

Mexican men’s third most popular leisure activity is “participation in games and hobbies.” On average, men spend 6.1 hours per week playing games and practicing their hobbies. The average for women is 4.1 hours, making games and hobbies the fourth most popular pastime for mexicanas.

So, how do you spend the 168 hours at your disposal each week? In what ways does your life differ from that of the average Mexican? Let us know in the comments.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)

Mexico’s industrial activity picks up in June, but still has more ground to recover

By
MND Staff
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Construction of a luxury apartment building on Insurgentes Centro Avenue in Mexico City, August 2026
Though Mexico's construction sector had slumped in May compared to April, it picked up again in June, in which it also outperformed the results of the same month in 2025 for the third straight month, driving Mexico's industrial turnaroud at the end of the second quarter. (Moisés Pablo / Cuartoscuro.com)

Industrial activity in June grew 0.2% month-on-month, barely recovering a fraction of the ground lost in May, when it fell 0.7%, according to Mexico’s national statistics agency INEGI.

On a positive note, INEGI’s Monthly Indicator of Industrial Activity (IMAI) expanded by 0.8% year-on-year, improving on a 0.2% annual increase in May. Furthermore, the latest data marked three consecutive months of annualized growth after experiencing frequent declines since March 2025.

mine
Mining was another bright spot for Mexico’s June industrial output, its 7% increase being attrbuted to operational improvements and still attractive international metal prices.
(Dominik Vanyl / Unsplash)

Additionally, industrial activity rose on a quarterly basis by 1.5%, driven specifically by 2.1% monthly growth in April and buoyant activity in the building subsector.

Even so, El Economista newspaper offered a mildly gloomy description, writing that there “have only been a few glimmers in the recent past,” citing the positive April performance.

Although the overall second quarter IMAI performance was positive, there continues to be no clear upward trend. Over the past 12 months, the Mexican industry has posted negative monthly variations on six occasions.

As has been the case in the recent past, construction was the driving force for June’s upward blip, expanding by 3% compared to May, recovering much of the gap left when it contracted month-to-month by 3.7%.

Building construction work regained prominence with a 4.8% increase, while civil engineering work fell by 2.7% and specialized work decreased by 0.6%.

According to analysts, the rebound in construction is due to a combination of increased investment in infrastructure, the continuation of ongoing projects and the boost from private investment linked to the relocation of production chains. Additionally, projects related to the 2026 World Cup have yet to be completed.

On a cautionary note, economist Sergio Luna told El Financiero newspaper that the construction boom comes almost exclusively from civil works, raising doubts about sustainability, since new projects might not necessarily be undertaken.

Regarding year-on-year performances, mining saw the largest increase (increasing by 7%), followed by construction (up 4.2%), while the electricity, generation, transmission and distribution sector (which includes water and gas supply) climbed just 0.7% compared to June 2025. 

In mining, the progress can be attributed to operational improvements, a favorable basis for comparison and still attractive international metal prices.

In contrast, manufacturing — normally the backbone of Mexico’s industrial activity — remained stagnant, declining 1.2% year-on-year, marking 12 consecutive months of negative annual growth. It also fell by 0.6% compared to May, its second consecutive month-to-month decline, following the 0.1% drop in May.

Equally concerning, the declines were recorded in 10 of the 21 manufacturing branches measured by the IMAI, including non-metallic minerals (–5.2%), textiles (–4.6%), transportation equipment (–3.2%), clothing (–2.2%) and furniture (–1.7%).

With reports from El Financiero, El Economista and Líder Empresarial

Attention cat lovers! A cat museum has opened in Mexico City

By
Lydia Leija
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Cat museum in Mexico City
If you love cats, you'll definitely want to visit the museum dedicated to the furry felines on your next visit to Mexico City. (Pacto Visual/Unsplash)

From the pets of Palacio Nacional to the preferred companions of Mexican intellectuals like Elena Poniatowska and Carlos Monsiváis, cats have played a significant role in Mexican history. So it’s no surprise that a sanctuary devoted to them has just opened its doors at Reforma 87, Mexico City.

Here’s everything you need to know about the city’s new Museo del Gato.

Before the cat museum

 

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A post shared by Time Out México (@timeoutmexico)

Like any good project, the Museo del Gato de Ciudad de México has been slow-cooked and shape-shifted throughout the years. Esther Garcilita and Marco Sotomayor founded “La Gatería” in 2015, a cat café inspired by Japanese coffee shops where you can have a drink among felines.

As the first cat café in Latin America, La Gatería was nothing short of groundbreaking and built a loyal following. Part of its objective was to debunk some of the most common misconceptions about cats.

Over the next decade, the concept evolved into a much more extensive experience: a museum dedicated to cats.

Museo del Gato de Ciudad de México

Now you will not only enjoy their company, but also learn everything you’ve always wanted to know about these cute yet fierce animals. The museum offers guided tours led by its mascot, a calico named Sissi.

Along the way, you’ll find art and history presented as an immersive experience that fills the senses with everything the feline universe has to offer. There are three thematic rooms dedicated to the history of cats, the feline language and their relationship with humans.

Needless to say, the Cat Museum is not a conventional one. Its founders prioritized an interactive experience, complete with gigantic animatronic cats, projection mapping and a virtual reality simulator that allows guests to see through the eyes of a cat.

More than a museum

@cdmxsecreta 🐾 ¡EL PRIMER MUSEO DEL GATO LLEGA A CDMX! 🇲🇽✨ ¿Eres el michi-lover número uno? 🤩 Tienes que conocer el nuevo @elmuseodelgatomx ♬ sonido original – CDMX Secreta

Beyond revolutionizing the Mexico City museum scene, the Museo del Gato directly supports animal welfare. A portion of ticket proceeds will fund a mobile spay-and-neuter unit for stray cats and dogs, helping humanely manage the city’s street animal population.

Everything you need to know

Planning your visit? Here are all the essential details to make sure you don’t miss out on this unique experience:

  • When does it open? The museum officially opened its doors to the public on Aug. 8.

  • Where is it located? You can find the museum at Paseo de la Reforma 87, 4th floor, Colonia Tabacalera, Alcaldía Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City.

  • What are the opening hours? Monday to Friday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

  • Ticket prices and where to buy them: General admission is 350 pesos Monday through Thursday and 385 pesos Friday through Sunday. Tickets can be purchased through the official museum website or via the Fever platform.

  • Access policy: To ensure a comfortable and personalized tour, entry is limited to small groups of up to 60 people per hour. It is highly recommended to book your time slot in advance.

Lydia Leija is a linguist, journalist and visual storyteller. She has directed three feature films, and her audiovisual work has been featured in national and international media. She’s been part of National Geographic, Muy Interesante and Cosmopolitan.

Ángel Aguirre, ex-Guerrero governor, ordered to stand trial for alleged part in the Ayotzinapa abductions

By
MND Staff
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Angel Aguirre
In attempting to avoid a trial, Aguirre's lawyers argued that he was not in Iguala at the time of the abductions, but the judge ruled in favor of Attorney General Ernestina Godoy who maintained that her office had "evidence that confirms that said instruction of concealment was issued directly by the then governor . . ." (@AngelAguirreGro/X)

A judge has ordered former Guerrero Governor Ángel Aguirre to stand trial over his alleged involvement in the 2014 disappearance of 43 students from the Atoyzinapa Rural Teachers College.

Aguirre, governor of Guerrero from 2011 until his resignation around a month after the students disappeared in Iguala, Guerrero, on Sept. 26, 2014, was arrested in México state last week.

While governor, he is alleged to have ordered the concealment and destruction of security camera video footage that showed a bus on which the Ayotzinapa students were traveling at the time it was stopped by police in Iguala.

The students disappeared after police allegedly handed them over to members of a local crime gang. All 43 young men were presumably murdered, although the remains of just three of them have been found.

During a 15-hour hearing that began on Tuesday and extended into the early hours of Wednesday, lawyers for Aguirre argued that the 70-year-old ex-governor was not in Guerrero at 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 29, 2014, the time he is alleged to have received footage captured by security cameras located outside the State Palace of Justice in Iguala.

Rather, Aguirre was traveling back to Chilpancingo, the capital of Guerrero, at that time after attending a meeting in Mexico City with then Interior Minister Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, according to the ex-governor’s lawyers, who presented 31 pieces of evidence in support of their argument that their client is innocent.

Despite the defense lawyer’s argument and evidence, Mario Elizondo Martínez, pre-trial judge (juez de control) at the Altiplano federal prison in México state, ruled that the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) had presented sufficient proof to warrant an order for the ex-governor to stand trial on charges of enforced disappearance.

“In response to the defense’s case presented to discredit the defendant’s possible involvement in the events, the judicial authority determined that the arguments presented were not objective and failed to prove that Ángel ‘N’ was not in the state of Guerrero, as was claimed in an attempt to exonerate him from the events,” the FGR said in a statement.

“The pre-trial judge noted that the evidence presented by the prosecutor was sufficient to issue an order to proceed to trial, since, according to the National Code of Criminal Procedure, at this stage it must only be established that there is a likelihood that the crime was committed, and further evidence must be presented in subsequent stages,” the FGR said.

The Attorney General’s Office said that Aguirre was ordered to stand trial for what it described as “his probable involvement in the crime of enforced disappearance under the hypothesis that the public servant concealed highly relevant information related to the investigation into the disappearance of the 43 students.”

Elizondo allocated a period of four months for prosecutors to continue their investigation and for defense lawyers to prepare their case. Therefore, the earliest Aguirre could face trial is in December. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 60 years in prison.

The judge ruled that the ex-governor must remain in preventive detention as he awaits trial. Aguirre has been held at the Altiplano prison since his arrest last Thursday.

The FGR’s case against Aguirre 

Attorney General Ernestina Godoy said last week that a reexamination of the Ayotzinapa case “confirmed with full evidence and adherence to due process the possible participation of Ángel ‘N,’ ex-governor of the state of Guerrero, in the destruction of evidence [needed] to determine the whereabouts of the students.”

She said that in January, a cooperating witness provided testimony that “confirmed the existence of the video recordings” captured by security cameras outside the Palace of Justice in Iguala. That witness, Godoy said, identified the person who “removed” the recordings in order to “deliver them directly” to Aguirre.

The attorney general said that in May, “a second protected witness strengthened said testimony” by declaring that Aguirre “ordered, in a meeting with top officials from his government,” the concealment of “any evidence related to the events that occurred in the vicinity of the Iguala Palace of Justice.”

The arrest of Aguirre 12 years after the events in Iguala has activated the families and supporters of the disappeared, who are demanding a conviction and a harsh sentence for the man who was governor at the time of the disappearances. (Dassaev Tellez Adame/Cuartosacuro)

One witness she was referring to is Lambertina Galeana Marín, former president of the Guerrero Superior Court of Justice. The other is Blanca María del Rocío Estrada Ortega, a former official of the same court. Estrada has told authorities that she stole a disk containing the Iguala video footage from Galeana’s office on Sept. 29, 2014, and handed it over to Aguirre at 8:30 p.m. that day.

Subsequently, Aguirre allegedly handed over the video footage to former Guerrero Attorney General Iñaki Blanco in order for it to be destroyed. According to the newspaper La Jornada, the footage showed “armed people forcing the students to transfer to another bus, which minutes later fled in an unknown direction.”

The Federal Attorney General’s Office believes that the footage “contained fundamental evidence for identifying who was on board the bus and the route they took to flee Iguala,” La Jornada reported.

The newspaper also reported that the FGR’s accusation against Aguirre is “based on testimonies from two witnesses who allege that the governor … ordered that all evidence of what happened on the night of September 26 [2014] be destroyed mainly because his nephew, Ernesto Aguirre, who served as his adviser, was aware of what happened to the Ayotzinapa students from the very beginning, since he had ties to the Guerreros Unidos criminal group.”

The arrest of Aguirre is one of the most prominent detentions in connection with the Ayotzinapa case, which sparked outrage in Mexico and around the world, and triggered large protests in Mexico City and across the country. The disappearance of the students was a major blight on the 2012-18 presidency of Enrique Peña Nieto, but he survived widespread calls for his removal from office.

Scores of people have been arrested in connection with the case, including soldiers, police and former Attorney General Jesús Murillo Karam, but no has been convicted of the crime and some suspects have been released from prison.

In a 2023 report, the previous federal government led by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador outlined three “possible reasons” for the abduction of the students, one of which was “the possible presence of drugs, weapons or money” on buses Ayotzinapa students had commandeered to travel to a protest in Mexico City.

With reports from El Economista, Reforma, La Jornada, Infobae and MVS Noticias 

Health investigators rule out any presence of the Cyclospora parasite in Riviera Maya hotels

By
MND Staff
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Responding to reports of UK tourists infected after visitng the Quintana Roo coast, Cofepris, Mexico's top health safety agency, took samples from 16 Riviera Maya hotels using modern techniques such as PCR, and found no trace of the parasite Cyclospora. (Unsplash)

The Federal Commission for Protection against Sanitary Risk (Cofepris) has ruled out any presence of the parasite Cyclospora in samples taken from 16 Riviera Maya hotels during an investigation linked to reports of British visitors falling ill after traveling to the Quintana Roo coast.

Mexico’s top health safety agency reported Tuesday that the analyses included 32 samples of fruits and vegetables obtained from food bars, as well as 11 samples of water intended for human use. All products tested negative for the parasite, and no indicators of contamination were detected in the establishments inspected.

The samples were analyzed using the real-time PCR pathogen-detection technique by the Cofepris National Reference Laboratory, based on the Bacteriological Analytical Manual method. The review was conducted in coordination with the General Directorate of Epidemiology as part of the sanitary surveillance measures implemented in the Mexican Caribbean.

“The absence of the pathogen Cyclospora cayetanensis, as well as of contamination indicators in the microbiological and molecular analyses, demonstrates that, at least at the specific points verified, sanitary control and handling processes operated within safety limits,” Cofepris said in a statement. 

The case made international headlines after the Health Security Agency in the United Kingdom reported a rise in cyclosporiasis infections among people returning from vacations in Mexico. 

According to the UK agency, 67 cases were identified between April 30 and July 15. Of the 51 travelers with available travel history, 48 reported having visited Mexico.

Following the report, the Health Ministry, which had confirmed 33 cases of cyclosporiasis in 13 Mexican states between May 25 and July 31, opened investigations into possible links with U.S. and U.K. infection reports.

Health Minister David Kershenobich said in a video posted earlier this month that detected cases represent just 0.00002% of Mexico’s population, and stressed that Cyclospora cayetanensis infections “are recurrent worldwide” with no scientific evidence to date that Mexico is the origin of the outbreak.

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection that causes severe diarrhea and has been linked to unwashed lettuce or salad greens. It is caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis, a parasite that affected individuals eliminate through feces, which can lead to contamination of food and water. 

The parasite first gained global attention after the U.S. reported an outbreak of cyclosporiasis in mid-July, which affected over 1,600 people across 34 states. 

Mexico News Daily

Mexico’s expert search-and-rescue team arrives in Colombia to help with rescue efforts

By
MND Staff
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Topos
Mexico's "Topos" ("Moles"), so-called for their tunneling ability, are helping Colombians rescue earthquake victims trapped in the rubble after Monday's 7.4 earthquake. (Héctor Méndez "Topo Mayor"/Facebook)

A 45-member team of Mexican search-and-rescue experts has arrived in Colombia to help save survivors buried in the rubble after a 7.4 earthquake hit the southwest region of the nation Monday morning.

The Azteca International Rescue Brigade, known as the Topos, or Moles, for their skill in tunneling through debris, confirmed their arrival in the South American country via social media, where they wrote in part, “We are ready to put our hands, our knowledge, and our hearts at the service of our Colombian brothers and sisters. Stay strong, Colombia!”

The Mexican brigade traveled to Colombia directly from La Guaira in Venezuela, where they were still participating in operations following the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes in that neighboring country on June 24. They reached the Colombian city of Cali more than 30 hours after the earthquake, but within the critical 48-hour window for locating people trapped under fallen buildings, according to information released by Noticias RCN.

Their help was not welcomed at first, according to press reports. The Colombian government, headed by far-right President Abelardo de la Espriella, initially rejected Mexican assistance, citing “sovereignty” and  insisting that Colombians had “the emergency covered.”

The Topos reportedly responded that they would respect Colombia’s refusal, and would wait for a new Damage and Needs Assessment. By Wednesday morning, they were able to write on X: “We are here, Colombia!”

The contingent is equipped with technological tools for search operations, including infrared cameras designed to locate possible victims under the rubble, according to Yahoo News reports. 

The epicenter of Monday’s earthquake was in San José del Palmar, in the department of Chocó in southwestern Colombia. Also suffering damage were the departments of Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, Quindío and Caldas.

The official death toll provided by departmental authorities on Wednesday was at least 240 victims, although the federal government placed it at 188.

With reports from El Financiero, Vanguardia, Infobae and Le Monde

MND Local: A new museum and rising real estate prices in the Guadalajara Metro Area

By
Dawn Stoner
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Zapopan skyline in the Guadalajara Metro Area
As real estate prices continue to surge in the Guadalajara Metro Area, Zapopan is now home to the four most expensive neighborhoods in Mexico. (Sergio Rodríguez/Unsplash)

This week we have emerging details on the new archaeology museum being developed in Zapopan’s historic center, good news about Lake Chapala’s recovering water levels, and a look at skyrocketing real estate values in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area (GMA).

Zapopan’s former City Hall to become an archaeology museum

Since 1949, the Palacio Municipal building in the heart of Zapopan’s historic center has housed City Hall. But in recent years — as the city’s needs have grown and key functions moved elsewhere — the building sat idle.

Now, with the approval of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the Palacio Municipal building is being transformed into a new cultural venue: the Western Archaeology Museum (Museo de Arqueología de Occidente).

The institution’s stated mission is to collect, preserve and promote the archaeological heritage of Mexico’s western states — including Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit and Michoacán — allowing visitors to learn more about the area’s pre-Hispanic roots.

Curated by Lorenza López, head of the collection at the INAH Jalisco Center, the new museum will house pieces from the Regional Museum of Guadalajara, along with other works donated by private collectors.

The ceramics to be exhibited have undergone extensive restoration by students and teachers at the Western School of Conservation and Restoration (ECRO), located in the Analco section of Guadalajara. The painstaking work was carried out under the tutelage of historians, scientists and other specialists.

The ceramic pieces, chosen for their aesthetic, stylistic, and historical significance, will narrate more than 3,000 years of pre-Hispanic history in western Mexico. Highlights include Maya art from the Late Classic period and a theater-type incense burner from Teotihuacan.

Renovations on the Palacio Municipal building have been underway for months. The work is expected to preserve the structure’s architectural roots while incorporating modern updates necessary to support a world-class cultural institution.

The Western Archaeology Museum is slated to open in early 2027. Besides exhibition halls, the venue will feature spaces for artistic research, outreach and cultural activities, as well as an outdoor terrace and cafe.

Lake Chapala’s water level is recovering

Water levels in Lake Chapala, Mexico’s largest reservoir, have meaningfully improved this summer, thanks to significant rainfall in June and July (the region’s peak rainy season).

According to reports from Conagua and the State Water Commission, as of Aug. 4, 2026, the lake is at 69.48% of its total capacity. This represents a significant recovery from June 2025, when the lake’s capacity had plummeted to just 47.5%.

What does this mean for the city of Guadalajara?

For the residents of the GMA and the entire regional ecosystem, this recovery translates into peace of mind and improved water security. Lake Chapala provides approximately 60% of the drinking water consumed daily in Jalisco’s capital city.

If the current trend continues, the reservoir could reach 75% capacity before the winter dry season arrives and reduce the specter of rationing and supply cuts over the next nine months.

Lake Chapala
Beautiful Lake Chapala is an essential source of drinking water for the Guadalajara Metro Area. Fortunately, lake water levels have recovered substantially from where they were a year ago.  (Unsplash/Paulina Vazquez)

Although the outlook is favorable, Conagua is strongly urging people to maintain responsible water consumption. Climate change remains an unpredictable factor for water resource management and consumption.

Ongoing monitoring of the water levels in Lake Chapala remains essential to ensure the well-being of millions of residents in Jalisco who depend on its water.

Zapopan is now home to the four most expensive neighborhoods in Mexico

Unaffordable housing is not merely a problem confined to the United States. According to a recent study by ITESO, Zapopan is now home to the four most expensive neighborhoods in all of Mexico.

The Zapopan neighborhoods with the highest prices are Ayamonte, Villa Magna, Zotogrande and Residencial Los Frailes. In these areas, current asking prices on homes for sale average between 44 million and 53 million pesos (US $2.6 million to $3.1 million), while residential rents in these neighborhoods can reach 85,000 pesos (US $4,930) per month.

Meanwhile, most families in the metro area lack the income required to purchase property valued at only 1 million pesos (US $58,000), according to the most recent Economic Analysis Bulletin of the ITESO Business School (ENI).

It’s worth noting that ITESO’s methodology relies exclusively on purchase prices and rents advertised online, which results in an upward bias in the data. This is because many lesser-value properties geared to low- and middle-income residents are not marketed online and therefore not included in ITESO’s calculations.

Expensive home in Zapopan
The price for a house in one of Zapopan’s (and Mexico’s) four most expensive neighborhoods begins at US $2.6 million. (Brunxs/Unsplash)

That issue aside, the data ITESO aggregated from Jalisco was collected in the same manner as other regions, so the lofty prices observed in Zapopan are valid for comparison purposes.

Housing is increasingly unaffordable for locals

Additionally, there is ample anecdotal evidence to corroborate ITESO’s core finding — that the local housing supply has become unaffordable to a large share of locals. This reporter has seen both Mexican families and legal foreign residents on modest incomes evicted from their homes in the past year to make way for those able to pay higher prices.

Jalisco ranks sixth nationwide for the highest rental housing costs (29,432 pesos monthly average or US $1,707) and fourth for the most expensive home sales (8.2 million pesos on average, or about US $475,000). Further, housing prices have risen 12.5% across the metro area in the past year, outpacing gains in Mexico City (5.1%) and Monterrey (9.5%), two other high-priced markets.

The national average for monthly rents is currently 27,273 pesos (US $1,582), while the average cost of a home is about 6.8 million pesos (US $394,000).

For its part, ITESO has called for more regulation in the local housing market by city authorities to curb real estate speculation and an overemphasis on short-term rentals relative to long-term residential needs. It further notes that better financing options are needed for those currently locked out of conventional mortgages.

MND Writer Dawn Stoner is reporting from Guadalajara.

El Jalapeño: US enacts emergency guacamole rationing protocol following brief avocado import pause

By
El Jalapeno
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Panic began to set in among U.S. partygoers after an avocado import pause restricted access to guacamole's key ingredient. (This image was generated using AI tools)

All stories in El Jalapeño are satire and not real news. Check out the original article here.

WASHINGTON, District of Columbia — Federal disaster management officials convened an emergency cabinet session last weekend to finalize strategic distribution guidelines for the nation’s rapidly depleting diplomatic reserves of mashed avocado.

The measure followed the temporary suspension of U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection services in Michoacán. This decision abruptly halted the daily northbound transit of thousands of metric tons of the single-seeded berries. Within hours of the announcement, commercial chip-and-dip supply chains across all 50 states reported critical supply compression, triggering what agriculture experts have termed an unprecedented “guacamole shortfall.” 

The U.S. is looking at an unprecedented guacamole shortfall, a situation addressed in a new government protocol. (This image was generated using AI tools)

According to documents released by the Department of Commerce, a newly drafted contingency framework has established a tiered alert system for food service establishments. Under new protocols, for example, restaurants will be legally required to dilute existing tableside preparations with up to 40% pico de gallo, sour cream or carefully seasoned air.

“We are asking the American public to maintain composure and exercise strict portion control during this period of geopolitical adjustment,” said Undersecretary of Agricultural Logistics Arthur Vance, speaking from a podium flanked by two armed guards safeguarding a glass-encased wooden bowl. “Effective midnight, the standard two-scoop serving accompanying commercial fajita platters will be temporarily capped at one measured teaspoon, available exclusively by documented proof of a birthday.”

In suburban markets across the Midwest, panic buying was reported at several upscale grocery chains, where distressed hosts queued for hours to secure individual, slightly bruised avocados. Emergency dispatchers in three states reported receiving non-emergency calls from frantic partygoers inquiring whether pulverized green Doritos, dyed mayonnaise or a paste made of minced lawn clippings and lime juice could be legally passed off as authentic guacamole without triggering guest walkouts.

At press time, backyard hosts across the nation were reportedly pivoting to high-risk contingency menus, with several trade groups advising organizers to distract guests from the empty dip bowl by dramatically increasing the tequila-to-sour-mix ratio for margaritas. However, the announced resumption of avocado exports may make such drastic measures unnecessary.

Check out our Jalapeño archive here.

Got an idea for a Jalapeño article? Email us with your suggestions!

Is the peso punching above its weight? The results of our latest MND Peso Index™

By
MND Intelligence
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MND Peso Index
Our headline finding for August 2026 indicates that the peso was overvalued against the dollar by 2.4%, a decrease of half a percentage point compared to the 2.9% overvaluation we determined for June. (Mexico News Daily)

THE MND PESO INDEX™

Tracking the exchange rate people actually experience

MND Intelligence · Fourth edition

Welcome to the fourth edition of the MND Peso Index™, part of the MND Intelligence™ suite of data products developed by Mexico News Daily.

The MND Peso Index™ is a monthly purchasing power parity measure that assesses whether the Mexican peso is overvalued or undervalued against the US dollar by comparing the prices of a standardized basket of 20 goods and services in Mexico and Dallas, Texas.

Unlike previous editions, our latest MND Peso Index™ assessment is being published in the same month as its underlying price survey, making it even more timely.

Our headline finding for August 2026 indicates that the peso was overvalued against the dollar by 2.4%, a decrease of 0.5 percentage points compared to the 2.9% overvaluation we determined in late June.

For a detailed explanation of the purpose of the MND Peso Index™, the makeup of the basket and more, please refer to the index article we published in June. You can read even more about the index in our introductory article published in early May.

What did the MND Peso Index™ tell us in August 2026?

In August 2026, the MND Peso Index™ suggests that the USD:MXN exchange rate on the date we collected prices in various Mexican cities and in Dallas, Texas, overvalued the Mexican peso by 2.4%.

The Mexican and Dallas prices were collected on Aug. 6, 2026. The MND Peso Rate — the simple average of the 20 item-level implied exchange rates, rather than the rate produced by dividing the total Mexican basket cost by the total Dallas basket cost — came in at 17.64 pesos per dollar, compared with a Banxico FIX rate of 17.22 pesos per dollar on Aug. 6.

The gap between those two figures indicates that the peso — at a rate of 17.22 to the US dollar — was overvalued by 2.4% in early August.

In other words, the USD:MXN exchange rate — if it reflected the rate at which the peso could buy the basket’s goods and services in Mexico at the same dollar prices as in the United States — would be 17.64.

In the table below, you can see the Mexico and U.S. prices for all 20 goods and services in the basket, the total costs of the two baskets, the implied exchange rate for each item, the MND Peso Rate (ie., the overall implied rate), the Banxico FIX rate on the date prices were collected and the overvaluation assessment for the peso.

If the implied rate is lower than the current exchange rate, it implies that the item is less expensive in Mexico than you would expect it to be, and vice versa.

(Mexico News Daily)

Why did the peso’s ‘overvalued’ assessment decrease between late June and August? 

The MND Peso Rate — the mean implied exchange rate — changed considerably between late June and early August, declining by 37 centavos from 18.01 to 17.64.

The difference between the Banxico USD:MXN fix rate we used in late June (17.50) and that we used in early August (17.22) was 28 centavos. In an article published last Friday, we wrote about the reasons why the peso has recently appreciated.

The gap between the MND Peso Rate and Banxico’s FIX rate in early August was 42 centavos, down from 51 centavos in late June. The narrowing of the gap between the two rates is the reason why the peso’s overvaluation assessment fell from 2.9% in late June to 2.4% in early August.

But why, you might wonder, did the MND Peso Rate come down? The decline was the result of changes in the implied rates for seven of the 20 goods and services. The implied rates for the other 13 goods and services stayed the same between late June and early August.

The implied rates for four products — diapers, a hose, motor oil and eggs — declined. In the case of the diapers and the motor oil, the implied rate declined because prices in Mexico fell. In the case of the hose and the eggs, the implied rate declined because prices in Dallas increased.

The implied rates for two goods and one service — dog food, a Costco rotisserie chicken and pet grooming — increased. In the case of the dog food and the rotisserie chicken, the implied rates increased due to price increases in Mexico. In the case of the pet grooming, the implied rate increased due to a price reduction in Dallas.

Overall, the combined downward effect of the four lower implied rates outweighed the upward effect of the three higher rates. Thus the MND Peso Rate fell between late June and early August.

The cost of the Mexican and US baskets both fell in August 

While the MND Peso Index™ is NOT a cost-of-living index, it is worth noting that the total costs of the Mexican and U.S. baskets of goods and services were lower in early August than in late June. However, the reduction was minimal in both cases.

The basket of goods and services in Mexico cost 5,650 pesos on Aug. 6, a reduction of 59 pesos, or 1%, compared to June 29. The slight decline in the cost of the Mexican basket in early August came at a time when inflation was easing, with Mexico’s annual headline rate falling to 3.12% in July from 3.37% in June.

The basket of goods and services in Dallas cost $350.68 on Aug. 6, a reduction of $3.50, or 1%, compared to June 29. The slight decline in the cost of the Dallas basket in early August came at a time when inflation in the United States was also slowing, with the annual headline rate in the U.S. falling to 3.4% in July from 3.5% in June.

Although the cost of the Mexican basket declined in peso terms between late June and early August, its price increased when converted to dollars because the peso appreciated 1.6% in the period. The cost of the Mexican basket rose to US $328.12 on Aug. 6 from $326.21 on June 29.

The MND Peso Index™ has now found the peso to be overvalued in April, May, June and August 

Through the use of the MND Peso Index™, we have now determined that the peso was overvalued against the US dollar by 2.8% in late April, 4% in late May, 2.9% in late June and 2.4% in early August.

The difference between the lowest overvaluation assessment — our most recent one — and the highest is just 1.6 percentage points.

(Mexico News Daily)

So far in 2026, the peso has appreciated 5.4% against the US dollar. It closed at 18.00 to the greenback on the final day of 2025, according to the Bank of Mexico, while the closing USD:MXN rate on Tuesday, Aug. 11 was 17.08. If the Banxico FIX rate was 17.08 when we collected the prices for the Mexican and Dallas baskets on Aug. 6, the overvaluation assessment for the peso would have been 3.3%.

* Price sources: Mexico prices were collected from the websites and apps of Walmart México, Costco México, AutoZone México, Telmex, Cinépolis, Petco México, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Netflix, Spotify and Microsoft. Dallas prices were collected from their U.S. equivalents. The Banxico FIX rate of 17.22 published on Aug. 6, 2026, was used as the official exchange rate reference.

Sheinbaum celebrates Mexico’s historic medal haul at 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games: Wednesday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
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Sheinbaum with Conade Chief Rommel Pacheco and Mexican athletes
According to Conade Chief Rommel Pacheco, the allocation of extra prize money for Mexican athletes was Sheinbaum's idea. (Házel Cardenas/Cuartoscuro)

Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds

  • 💰 All CAC Games medals to get cash prizes: Conade chief Rommel Pacheco announced that every medal won by Mexican athletes at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games — not just an athlete’s best result, as was previously the rule — will earn a cash reward.

  • 🥇 Payouts by medal color: Individual golds are worth 50,000 pesos, silvers 35,000 pesos and bronzes 15,000 pesos, with different amounts for team events.

  • 🇲🇽 Best-ever CAC Games performance: Mexico won a record 407 medals (167 gold, 125 silver, 115 bronze) at the Santo Domingo Games, held July 24–Aug. 8.

  • ⚽ Pacheco touts 2031 Women’s World Cup bid: Mexico, the U.S., Costa Rica and Jamaica are the only bidders for the 2031 tournament, and Pacheco said Mexico would be a “great host,” as it was for the recent men’s World Cup.

  • 🇨🇴 Mexican aid en route to earthquake-hit Colombia: Two Air Force planes carrying 19.5 tonnes of humanitarian aid left for the city of Pereira on Wednesday morning, with Army troops also deploying to help.

  • 📦 58.5 tonnes of aid by Friday: Sheinbaum said additional shipments will go out Thursday and Friday, bringing food, water and medicine to Colombia, where Monday’s 7.4-magnitude earthquake has killed at least 254 people.

Why today’s mañanera matters 

The most significant information from President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Wednesday morning press conference was that:

  1. Each and every medal won by Mexican athletes at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games will be rewarded with a cash prize.
  2. Mexican humanitarian aid is on its way to Colombia, where a major earthquake on Monday caused widespread damage and significant loss of life.

Mexico’s performance at the recent Olympics-style sporting event in the Dominican Republic and its response to the temblor in Colombia underscore its position as a regional power.

Mexico — the Western Hemisphere’s third most populous country and fourth largest economy — invariably lends a hand when disaster strikes in the region. It went to Venezuela’s assistance when a powerful earthquake struck that country on June 24, while this month it sent more than 300 firefighters to British Columbia, Canada, as intense forest fires raged in the province.

All medals won by Mexicans in Dominican Republic will be rewarded with cash prizes  

At the start of her press conference, Sheinbaum noted that medalists from the recently concluded Central American and Caribbean Games were in attendance.

“We’re very proud of you, of the role you played at the Central American Games, a medal record,” she said.

Mexico won a total of 407 medals at the 16-day event held from July 24 to Aug. 8 in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. Mexican competitors took home 167 gold medals, 125 silver medals and 115 bronze medals.

Rommel Pacheco, director of the National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport (Conade), told reporters that Mexico’s medal haul amounted to its best ever performance at the Central American and Caribbean Games, a multi-sport event contested by more than 30 countries every four years.

“Behind every one of these medals, there were months [and] years of training,” Pacheco said.

Later in his presentation, the Conade chief announced that all medalists from the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games would receive a cash prize from the government for each and every medal they won.

“As you know, when [Mexican] athletes win medals at the Central American Games, the Pan American Games, the Olympics or World Championships, they get a scholarship and also an economic stimulus,” Pacheco said.

“… Normally, only the best medal [an athlete wins] is rewarded. But the president said to me: ‘I think we should reward all the medals.’ So the surprise is that for both athletes and trainers, all the medals will be rewarded,” he said.

Pacheco later noted that an individual gold medal is rewarded with 50,000 pesos (US $2,930), while silver and bronze medals are rewarded with 35,000 and 15,000 pesos, respectively.

“For teams it varies a little bit,” he said.

“… What’s going to happen is that all medals are going to be rewarded. For example, we have a swimmer who, on her own, won 11 medals,” Pacheco said, referring to 23-year-old Guanajuato native Celia Pulido.

Pacheco: Mexico will be a ‘great host’ of 2031 women’s World Cup 

Pacheco noted that Mexico is vying to be a host of the 2031 FIFA women’s World Cup.

Mexico, the United States, Costa Rica and Jamaica submitted a joint bid to host the quadrennial tournament. No other bids have been submitted, meaning that it’s all but certain that the four Western Hemisphere countries will host the 2031 event.

El Tri Femenil celebrates a win over Puerto Rico in April 2026
At No. 28, “El Tri Femenil” is ranked by FIFA as the third-best Latin American team, behind Colombia (No. 20) and Brazil (No. 7). (Crisanta Espinosa/Cuartoscuro)

Pacheco said that if Mexico is confirmed as a co-host of the 2031 women’s World Cup — the next edition of which will be played in Brazil next year — Mexicans will be “happy.”

Hosting a World Cup “grows the spirit of the sport,” he said.

“We will be a great host as we were with the [men’s] World Cup,” Pacheco said.

Sheinbaum: Mexican aid heading to Colombia today 

Sheinbaum told reporters that the Mexican government received a specific aid request from the government of Colombia, where a 7.4 magnitude earthquake on Monday toppled buildings in various towns and cities and claimed at least 254 lives, according to a Reuters report on Wednesday morning.

She said that two Mexican Air Force planes carrying 19.5 tonnes of humanitarian aid departed the Felipe Ángeles International Airport on Wednesday morning to fly to Pereira, Colombia.

“Mexican Army troops are also obviously going to help in all the [rescue and recovery] work,” Sheinbaum said.

She said that Mexico will send more humanitarian aid to Colombia on Thursday and Friday. A total of 58.5 tonnes of Mexican aid, including food and other essential goods, will be sent to the South American country between Wednesday and Friday, Sheinbaum said.

“Water is being sent, medicine is being sent as well,” she said.

“We’re going to be in contact [with the Colombian government] … in order to provide all the support Colombia needs,” Sheinbaum said.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)

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