In the weeks after a wave of demonstrations against mass tourism in Europe, longtime residents of Mexico City have taken to the streets for very similar reasons.
What happened: Earlier this month, hundreds of protesters marched through the tourism centres of the city, including central, pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods like Condesa and Roma, with signs reading "Gringo: Stop stealing our home" and “Speak Spanish or Die!”
- Tensions have been building alongside the arrival of thousands of relatively well-off foreigners, especially from the U.S., many of them considered “digital nomads.”
- Many of these workers earn salaries in American dollars, leaving them with more purchasing power that sends local costs up, and still pay income taxes to the U.S.
Why it matters: The influx of foreigners began in 2020, when Americans flooded into Mexico City to work remotely, dodge lockdowns, and take advantage of cheaper living costs. The lack of housing regulation has left many Mexicans priced out of their neighbourhoods.
- Protest organizers are asking for greater rent controls, more control over proposed development projects, and stricter laws prioritizing Mexican renters over foreigners.
Big picture: Once-affordable cities like Lisbon, Bali, and Medellín are all grappling with surging living costs and cultural tensions linked to digital nomads and overtourism. Locals are often priced out of neighbourhoods, and English is beginning to dominate public and private spaces.