At a Glance
Compared to this destination's peak season The Christmas-to-New-Year stretch is the most expensive of the year alongside Día de Muertos, roughly the 20th to the 2nd. The days around the 12th are busy with domestic pilgrims rather than international visitors, so rates move less than the crowds suggest.
Mexico City in December — Travel Guide
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Mexico City in December offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for families & culture seekers. Expect temperatures of 8–22°C, around 1 day of rain, and high crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around $50–180 for mid-range travellers. Book accommodation two to three months ahead — the most popular rooms sell out fast during peak visiting windows.
Contents15 sections
#Weather in Mexico City in December
Mexico City in December averages 8–22°C (46–72°F) with around 1 day of rain, and crowds are high.
| Measure | December in Mexico City |
|---|---|
| Daytime high | About 22°C / 72°F, the coolest afternoons of the year |
| Overnight low | About 8°C / 46°F, the joint coldest nights with January |
| Wet days | About 1, with 5mm of rain: the driest month of the year |
| Sunset | 5:57pm on the 1st, 6:09pm by the 31st |
| Big dates | Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe, Saturday 12 December 2026; Las Posadas, 16 to 24 December |
| Crowds | Pilgrims around the 12th, then holiday visitors from about the 20th |
Figures are Servicio Meteorológico Nacional 1991–2020 normals for Tacubaya, Mexico City.
What that actually means for your trip:
- The days are sunny and mild; the nights are cold. A 14-degree swing between afternoon and night is normal, and at 2,240 metres the cold arrives the moment the sun goes down.
- Indoors is often no warmer. Most homes, small hotels and restaurants have no heating, so a cold night is felt inside as well.
- It almost never rains. One wet day in the month makes December the most reliable month for plans outdoors.
- Still mornings can be hazy. Cold air can trap pollution near the ground at dawn, a winter inversion that usually clears by midday.
Is December a good time to visit Mexico City? Yes. The weather is dry and bright, and the city spends the whole month celebrating, from the pilgrimage to the Basílica de Guadalupe on the 12th, through the nine nights of the posadas, to Christmas and New Year. Pack a proper coat for the evenings, and come in the first half of the month for the best hotel prices.
#December's festivals
Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe, on Saturday 12 December 2026, is the largest religious gathering in the Americas.
Millions of pilgrims travel to the Basílica de Guadalupe in the north of the city, many on foot for days and some covering the last stretch on their knees. Groups arrive through the week before, the atrium fills on the night of the 11th, and Las Mañanitas is sung to the Virgin at midnight, as the 11th turns into the 12th. See our Virgen de Guadalupe guide.
Las Posadas, from 16 to 24 December, re-enact Mary and Joseph's search for shelter on nine nights. A candlelit procession sings at a door to ask for lodging, is let in, and the evening turns into a party with ponche, tamales and a piñata. Many are private or held by offices; neighbourhood posadas in Coyoacán and the old villages of the south are the easiest for a visitor to come across.
Christmas is a family celebration, centred on Nochebuena, the dinner of the 24th; 25 December is a public holiday.
The city's Christmas lights cover the Zócalo and the streets of the Centro Histórico, and the square usually hosts a seasonal fair; check what is on this year.
New Year's Eve brings crowds to the Zócalo and the Paseo de la Reforma, and 1 January is a holiday.
#What to Do in Mexico City in December
Solo Travellers
See the Centro Histórico decorated for Christmas, then the murals of the Palacio Nacional and the Templo Mayor museum. On a clear December morning, climb to the terrace of the Torre Latinoamericana for the volcanoes on the horizon.
Couples
Walk the plazas of Coyoacán in the evening, with ponche from a stall and a posada in the streets, then dinner in Roma or Condesa.
A trajinera on the canals of Xochimilco, on a sunny afternoon, is a cheerful day out.
Families
The Christmas fair and lights in the Zócalo, the Bosque de Chapultepec with its castle and lake, and a piñata at a posada keep children happy.
The Museo Nacional de Antropología is a good choice for a cold evening.
Groups
Join an open posada, spend a Sunday at the Lagunilla antique market, and book a table for New Year's Eve in Roma or Polanco, where the city celebrates late.
#Getting Around
December has the heaviest traffic of the year, as shopping, posadas, office parties and holiday travel overlap.
From AICM, the main airport, take an authorised taxi from the booths inside the terminal or a ride-hailing car from the designated pick-up points; Metro Line 5 runs from the airport too.
In the city, the Metro and the Metrobús are cheap and fast, and ride-hailing is the safest choice at night.
Around the 12th, the roads and Metro stations in the north of the city near La Villa are packed for several days; Line 6 and the stations by the Basílica are the pinch points. Allow time for the altitude on your first day, too: walk slowly and drink plenty of water.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | MXN 900–1,500 | Hostel or simple hotel, street food and markets, Metro |
| Mid-range | MXN 2,500–4,000 | Boutique hotel in Roma or Condesa, restaurant meals, a museum |
| Luxury | MXN 8,000+ | Five-star hotel in Polanco, tasting menus, private guides |
The first half of December is good value; hotel prices rise from about the 20th to the first days of January, when the city fills with holiday visitors.
Costs worth knowing:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Metro ride | A few pesos |
| Basílica de Guadalupe | Free |
| Ponche at a stall | A few dozen pesos |
| Lodging tax | 3.5% on the room, plus 16% VAT |
| Restaurant tip | 10–15% |
- Book Christmas and New Year hotels early.
- Carry small notes for markets, stalls and posadas.
- Ride-hailing is cheap, and safer than hailing a taxi in the street.
#Food & Dining
December is the season of ponche, a hot fruit punch with tejocote, guava, sugarcane and cinnamon, ladled from big pots at every posada and street stall, with an optional splash of rum.
Tamales and atole are eaten all month; bacalao a la vizcaína and romeritos appear on the Christmas table; and the bakeries start selling rosca de reyes before the year ends, for the Epiphany on 6 January.
Restaurants in Roma, Condesa and Polanco fill with office dinners through the first three weeks, so book ahead. Drink bottled or filtered water rather than tap water.
#Nightlife
The first three weeks of December are the busiest social stretch of the year, driven by posadas and office parties, and the bars of Roma, Condesa and Juárez fill early. Between Christmas and New Year, residents leave and visitors arrive; the streets are quieter and tables easier to find. Altitude strengthens alcohol, and ponche hides its rum well.
#Shopping
December is the best month for crafts.
The Mercado de Artesanías La Ciudadela is at its fullest, Christmas markets appear around the Alameda and in Coyoacán, and the Lagunilla market sells antiques on Sundays. The markets of the Centro are packed in the week before Christmas; go early in the day.
#Culture & Etiquette
- If you are invited to a posada, go, and bring something: ponche ingredients, fruit or sweets for the piñata are all welcome.
- Join in the singing at the door, however badly; it is the heart of the evening.
- At the Basílica, be quiet and respectful, and give pilgrims space.
- Tip 10 to 15% in restaurants; the bill will not come until you ask for it.
#Essential Local Phrases
| Spanish | Sounds like | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Posada | Po-SAH-da | A night of the nine-night Christmas celebration |
| Ponche | PON-cheh | The hot December fruit punch |
| ¡Feliz Navidad! | Feh-LEES na-vee-DAHD | Merry Christmas! |
| Las Mañanitas | Lahs ma-nya-NEE-tahs | The song sung to the Virgin at midnight as 12 December begins |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta? | KWAN-toh KWES-ta | How much is it? |
| La cuenta, por favor | La KWEN-ta, por fa-VOR | The bill, please |
| ¡Próspero Año Nuevo! | PROS-peh-ro AN-yo NWEH-vo | Happy New Year! |
| Colonia | Ko-LO-nya | Neighbourhood; addresses are given by colonia |
#Packing List
- A warm coat for the evenings, not just a light jacket
- Layers, because buildings are unheated
- Comfortable shoes for standing at the Basílica and in the Zócalo
- Sunscreen and sunglasses; the sun at altitude is strong in winter
- Lip balm and moisturiser for the very dry air
- A scarf and a hat
- Something smarter for a December dinner
- Cash in small notes for markets and stalls
#Backup Plans
If the cold is too much in the evening: spend it in a museum that opens late, a cantina, or a restaurant with a fireplace; or start the day later and enjoy the warm afternoons outdoors.
If the Centro is too crowded: Coyoacán and San Ángel have their own Christmas markets and a calmer, more local version of the season.
If museums are closed: most close on Mondays, and many on 25 December and 1 January; plan the days around them.
#Safety & Health
Mexico City is safe for visitors who use ordinary city sense: keep your phone out of sight in crowds and on the Metro at rush hour, and use ride-hailing at night. The crowds at the Basílica on the 11th and 12th are on a scale few visitors have seen; keep valuables hidden, agree a meeting point and expect the phone signal to fail. The cold, dry air at altitude dehydrates quietly, so drink more than you feel you need.
Emergency: 911.
#What's New for December 2026
- Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe falls on Saturday 12 December 2026
- Las Posadas run from 16 to 24 December
- Christmas Day, Friday 25 December, and New Year's Day, Friday 1 January, are public holidays
- The lodging tax is 3.5% of the room rate, with 16% VAT on top
- Mexico City's airport is linked to the city by Metro Line 5 as well as authorised taxis
#About This Guide
By Harry Nara (founder of WhenToWander), updated October 2026 for December 2026. Climate figures are Servicio Meteorológico Nacional 1991–2020 normals for Tacubaya. Dates and prices verified against:
- Servicio Meteorológico Nacional for the Tacubaya climate normals
- Basílica de Santa María de Guadalupe for the feast
- AICM for airport transport
- Código Fiscal de la Ciudad de México for the lodging tax
- Mexico City Tourism for the Christmas season
For the month before, see Mexico City in November, and for the season as a whole, Mexico City in the dry season.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What happens at the Basílica de Guadalupe on 12 December 2026?
Millions of pilgrims arrive for the feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which falls on a Saturday in 2026. Groups fill the atrium from the night of the 11th, and Las Mañanitas is sung at midnight as the 12th begins. Entry is free; visit on the 10th or 13th for smaller crowds, and be respectful of the pilgrims.
What are posadas?
Nine nights of celebration from 16 to 24 December, re-enacting Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter. A candlelit procession sings at a door, is let in, and the evening becomes a party with ponche, tamales and a piñata. Neighbourhood posadas in Coyoacán and the southern villages are the easiest to join.
How cold is Mexico City in December?
Days are mild, about 22°C, but nights fall to about 8°C, and most homes and small hotels have no heating. Bring a warm coat for the evenings, and layers; December is also the driest month, with about one wet day.
Is December expensive in Mexico City?
The first half of the month is good value. Hotel prices rise from about the 20th to the first days of January, when the city fills with holiday visitors. Hotel rooms carry a 3.5% lodging tax and 16% VAT on top of the rate.