Mexico Weather by City for Expats: Seasons, Heat, Cold Nights, Rain, and Hurricanes (2026)

Mexico has no single climate. Highland cities are mild with cool nights, coasts are hot and humid, and Mérida can pass 100°F in May. The "eternal spring" promise fits only some cities, so match the place to your tolerance for heat, cold, rain, and hurricanes.

The fear behind this question is usually "What if I move and the weather makes me miserable?" The myth on the other side is that all of Mexico is either a beach or a desert, or that every expat city enjoys perfect spring weather all year. Neither is true. I have lived in Guanajuato since 2018, and I have watched friends fall for a city in February and struggle with it in May, and friends who feared the rainy season and then came to love the afternoon thunderstorms. Weather is one of the few parts of a move that you cannot fix later with money or paperwork, so it deserves real attention before you sign a lease.

I am not a meteorologist, and this is not medical advice. The numbers below are typical ranges drawn from public climate summaries and local weather services, and different sources round and average them differently, so treat them as a guide to the feel of each city rather than a forecast. Elevations are approximate. Weather also varies by neighborhood and by year. If a health condition makes altitude, heat, or air quality a real concern, talk to your own doctor first. My scouting trip planner and the city comparison tool are the free tools I suggest alongside this guide.

What Are the Three Climate Zones Expats Actually Choose From?

Most expat cities fall into three groups, and knowing which group you are choosing from matters more than any single temperature number.

Group One: The Highland Cities

Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Querétaro, Puebla, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Cuernavaca, Guadalajara, and Lake Chapala all sit roughly 5,000 to 7,400 feet above sea level. Altitude keeps the daytime highs in the 70s and 80s Fahrenheit for much of the year, and it lets the temperature drop sharply at night. The result is the climate people mean when they say "eternal spring," and it is real, with two caveats. The dry season from about November to April has warm afternoons and cold mornings, and the weeks before the rains, roughly April and May, can be hot and dry. Most of the year's rain falls between about June and September, usually as an afternoon or evening storm rather than a full day of drizzle.

Group Two: The Hot Interior

Mérida is the main expat example. It is low, flat, and inland, and it sits in a tropical climate with a hot season that runs from roughly March to June and a rainy season from about June to October. The city is often a few degrees hotter than the coast because it lacks the sea breeze. Air conditioning is part of life there, and the budget has to include it. Monterrey is a different kind of hot interior city, with a semi-arid climate, very hot summers, and colder winter snaps than most people expect.

Group Three: The Coasts

Puerto Vallarta, Playa del Carmen, and Mazatlán are warm all year and humid in the wet months. They have a dry season from about November to May with lower humidity and steady sunshine, and a rainy and hurricane season from about June to November. Coastal cities feel very good in winter and can feel heavy in late summer, which is why many coastal expats are part time residents.

How Do 14 Expat Cities Compare on Weather?

This table gives typical ranges for a normal year. Highs and lows are approximate daily averages across the year, in degrees Fahrenheit, and rainfall is approximate annual totals. Sources differ, and some cities have more than one weather station, so read these as ballpark figures.

City	Elevation	Typical highs	Typical lows	Rainy season	Annual rain
Mexico City	7,350 ft	72 to 82	47 to 57	May to October	About 32 in
Puebla	7,000 ft	72 to 82	40 to 54	June to September	About 33 in
San Miguel de Allende	6,200 ft	73 to 89	42 to 59	June to September	About 18 to 25 in
Guanajuato	About 6,600 ft	Roughly 73 to 89	Roughly 45 to 59	June to September	About 24 to 33 in (state range)
Querétaro	5,900 ft	74 to 88	43 to 59	June to September	About 21 in
Guadalajara	5,100 ft	77 to 91	45 to 64	June to October	About 35 in
Oaxaca	5,100 ft	82 to 95	50 to 62	June to September	About 34 in
Cuernavaca	5,060 ft	77 to 86	55 to 65	June to September	Not confirmed
Lake Chapala and Ajijic	5,000 ft	75 to 84	47 to 60	June to October	Not confirmed
Monterrey	About 1,700 ft	72 to 97	50 to 74	Peak in August and September	About 26 in
Mérida	About 30 ft	87 to 98	62 to 73	June to October	About 39 in
Puerto Vallarta	Sea level	80 to 90	62 to 77	Mid June to mid October	About 55 in
Playa del Carmen	Sea level	82 to 91	64 to 75	June to November	About 52 in
Mazatlán	Sea level	78 to 91	59 to 78	July to September	About 31 in

The table shows the main pattern. As you go down in elevation, the lows rise and the humidity rises, and you trade cool nights for warm ones. As you go up, the temperature range between afternoon and midnight grows, and a sweater becomes a year round item.

City by City: What Does Each Climate Feel Like?

Numbers describe averages. These notes describe what living there is like, based on my own time in the highlands and on conversations with clients and friends in the other cities.

Guanajuato: Dry Warm Days and Cool Nights

Guanajuato sits at roughly 6,600 feet in a narrow valley. Winter days are pleasant, often in the low 70s, and winter nights can drop into the 40s. Old stone houses do not have central heating, so a cold January morning inside a colonial house can feel colder than it does outside in the sun. April and May are the hot months, with highs in the upper 80s, and then the rains arrive in June and cool everything down. Rain usually comes in the afternoon or at night and often clears quickly. Because the city is built in a canyon, sounds and storms feel dramatic. I cover the city in my guide to living in Guanajuato.

San Miguel de Allende: Similar, but a Bit Higher and Drier

San Miguel sits at about 6,200 feet. It has the same dry winter and hot late spring as Guanajuato, and a lower average annual rainfall by several sources. Local sources describe May as hot and dry, and the record low is around 18°F, so frost is possible on a rare winter night. Water availability is a discussion in the region, which I would ask any landlord about directly. The San Miguel essential guide covers the city itself.

Querétaro: A Warm Dry City That Is Growing Fast

Querétaro sits at about 5,900 feet with typical highs from the mid 70s to the upper 80s and lows from the low 40s to the upper 50s. It is drier than Puebla and Mexico City. It is a fast growing metro area, and that shows up in summer traffic and heat in the newer districts. If weather matters to you, the older center feels cooler under trees than the newer, more paved suburbs. See my guide to Querétaro for expats.

Puebla: The Coolest of the Big Highland Cities

Puebla sits at about 7,000 feet, and it is the city on this list where I hear "the nights are really cold" most often. Lows in the winter can reach the 40s, and some sources describe winter nights as cold enough that heating matters. The volcano Popocatépetl, not far away, produces occasional ash, and it can affect air quality on the wrong day. Summers are mild, and the rain is consistent from June to September. The Puebla essential guide has more on the city.

Mexico City: Mild All Year, With Air to Watch

Mexico City is at about 7,350 feet, and monthly average highs range only from about 72°F in December and January to about 82°F in April. Lows run from about 47°F in winter to the mid 50s in summer. The temperature is rarely below 37°F or above 86°F. The rainy season runs from about May to October and is wettest in July, and storms are commonly in the afternoon. The catch is air quality. The metro area has historically had ozone levels above World Health Organization guidance, and although conditions have improved a great deal since the 1990s, sensitive people should check daily air quality reports. Altitude also affects sleep and exercise for the first weeks. See my Mexico City neighborhood guide.

Oaxaca: Hot Afternoons, Cooler Nights, and a Real Dry Season

Oaxaca is at about 5,100 feet, but it does not feel like the cooler highland cities. Weather sources put average highs in the low 80s in winter and in the mid 90s in April and May, and lows from about 50°F in winter to the low 60s in late spring. Oaxaca has a marked dry season from about December to March and a wet season from about June to September, and the transition months are hot. If you like heat and sun and want cool sleeping nights, it works well. If you dislike heat, plan around April and May. I compare it in Oaxaca versus Mérida.

Cuernavaca: Warm and Gentle, With the Least Cold

Cuernavaca is at about 5,060 feet, and its lows stay higher than in the other highland cities, typically in the mid 50s to mid 60s, with highs in the upper 70s to mid 80s. The city's nickname, the City of Eternal Spring, is about as fair as any. The rainy season runs from about June to September. Weather is a strong reason people choose it. Safety and traffic are the questions to research, and I cover them in my Cuernavaca guide.

Guadalajara: Warmer Than Most Highland Cities

Guadalajara is at about 5,100 feet, with highs in the upper 70s to low 90s and lows from the mid 40s to the mid 60s. May tends to be the hottest month. The rainy season from about June to October brings roughly 35 inches a year. Smoke from agricultural burning in the region can affect air quality in the dry season, per local weather sources, so if you have respiratory issues, ask people who live there about spring. See the Guadalajara essential guide.

Lake Chapala and Ajijic: A Gentle Lakeside Climate

Chapala and Ajijic sit at about 5,000 feet near Mexico's largest lake. Highs are usually in the mid 70s to mid 80s, and lows range from the upper 40s to about 60°F. Many retirees choose it because the range is narrow, and because the lake moderates the temperature. Summers are rainy, and winters are dry. My guide to Lake Chapala and Ajijic covers everything else about the area.

Mérida: Hot, and Then Hot and Humid

Mérida's climate is tropical, with average daily highs from about 87°F in December to about 98°F in May, and lows from about 62°F in January to the low 70s in June. The record high is about 111°F, and the record low is about 45°F. Annual rain is about 39 inches, mostly from June to October. Winter, roughly December to February, is the season that makes people move to Mérida, with pleasant days and cool mornings. The summers are heavy. Many residents run air conditioning for much of the year, and some spend the peak months elsewhere. My guide to Mérida for expats covers the practical side of living with the heat.

Puerto Vallarta: Warm Winters and a Wet Late Summer

Puerto Vallarta's highs range from about 80°F in January to about 90°F from July to September, and its lows from about 62°F to about 77°F. Annual rainfall is around 55 inches, with most of it from July to September and August the wettest month. Humidity averages roughly 65 to 75 percent, which is why summer feels heavy. The city sits in the Pacific hurricane zone, but direct strikes are uncommon, and the two Category 5 storms most people remember, Kenna in 2002 and Patricia in 2015, did not devastate the city itself. That does not mean it cannot happen. See the Puerto Vallarta essential guide.

Playa del Carmen: Hot, Humid, and Wet From June to November

Playa del Carmen's typical highs run from about 82°F to 91°F, and lows from the mid 60s to the mid 70s. It gets about 52 inches of rain a year, and the wettest period is June to November, with October the heaviest month at more than 11 inches. Hurricane Wilma passed directly over the area in October 2005. The city is on the Atlantic side, so the Atlantic hurricane season matters. See my Playa del Carmen essential guide.

Mazatlán: A Long Dry Season and a Humid Summer

Mazatlán has typical highs from the upper 70s in January to about 91°F in August, and lows from about 59°F to about 78°F. It has a long dry season, with April and May almost dry, and heavy rain in July and August. Humidity swings from about 54 percent in April to about 82 percent in September, and the humid months feel hotter than the thermometer says. Safety context for the state is separate, and I explain it in my Mazatlán guide.

Monterrey: Very Hot Summers and Real Winter Cold Snaps

Monterrey has a semi-arid climate, with average highs from about 72°F in January to about 97°F in August, and a record high of about 118°F. It also has a record low of about 18°F, and snow fell in February 2021. Most of the year's rain comes in late summer, with September the wettest month. If you picture a mild northern city, adjust: Monterrey has real summer and real cold snaps. See my Monterrey guide.

What Changes Through the Year?

Once you know the city, the next question is which months are the hard ones. Here is how the year usually runs.

November to February: The Best Season for Most Cities

This is the dry season across most of the country. Highland cities have sunny days, dry air, and cold mornings and nights. Coasts have low humidity and the most comfortable weather of the year. It is high season for visitors, which means higher prices for lodging and more crowds in the beach cities. If you visit only in these months, you will see the best version of almost every city, and that is exactly why I suggest you visit again in a harder season.

March to May: The Hot Dry Stretch

Temperatures climb, and the air is dry in the highlands. Oaxaca, Guadalajara, Querétaro, San Miguel, and Guanajuato all warm up, and May is often the hottest month in the highlands. Mérida gets its hottest weather from about April to June. Water supply can be stretched in some cities before the rains arrive. This is the season when people who moved in winter start to wonder whether they made the right choice, so it is a valuable test.

June to September: The Rainy Season in the Highlands

The rains arrive, the hills turn green, and the dust settles. Highland storms usually come in the afternoon or evening. Streets can flood, and some older neighborhoods have drainage problems, so ask about water in the street when you look at homes. The highlands are cooler in the rainy season than in April and May. Humidity rises, and some homes develop damp or mold, especially ground floor rooms with little sun. Coasts are hot and humid.

June to November: Hurricane Season

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and the Eastern Pacific season generally starts May 15 and also ends November 30, according to the US National Hurricane Center. The peak for both tends to be late summer and early fall. This matters for Playa del Carmen, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, and the rest of the coasts, and for the Yucatán peninsula including Mérida, which is inland but can still feel storms. It matters less in the highlands, although remnants of storms can bring heavy rain. If you own or rent on the coast, plan what you will do in a storm, and check the National Hurricane Center and Mexico's national weather service for current forecasts.

October: The Shoulder Month

October is often a good month to visit. Highland rains are ending, the air is clearer, and the country is turning to the dry season. On the coasts, it can still be the wettest month, and the Yucatán peninsula has some of its heaviest rain then. Choose the month with your city in mind.

What Weather Problems Do Guides Usually Skip?

Weather is more than temperature. Here are the practical issues I raise with clients.

Indoor Cold in the Highlands

Most homes in highland cities have no central heating and little insulation. The daytime warmth stays outside, and stone or concrete walls can hold the night's cold. Expect to use space heaters, thick blankets, and layers from December through February. A home with south facing rooms and sunlight is worth more than a home with a nicer view but no sun. Ask how the house feels in the morning, and visit at 7 a.m. if you can.

Air Conditioning and Electricity Costs

In Mérida, Monterrey, and the coasts, air conditioning is not a luxury. It can change your electricity bill sharply, and Mexican electricity pricing can penalize high use. My guide to CFE electricity and the DAC trap explains how the bill works. If you are choosing a hot city, count cooling in your budget, and see my cost of living guide for baseline numbers.

Altitude

At 6,000 to 7,500 feet, some people feel short of breath, sleep poorly, or get headaches for the first days or weeks. Alcohol hits harder, and dehydration comes easily. Most healthy people adapt, but if you have heart, lung, or blood pressure conditions, speak with your doctor before choosing a high city, and ask whether a stay of a week or more makes sense first. This is not medical advice, and I am not able to say how altitude will affect you.

Air Quality and Smoke

Mexico City has its ozone history. Guadalajara and other places have seasonal smoke from burning. Puebla can have volcanic ash. If you have asthma or a similar condition, look at a local air quality index and ask residents about the worst season. Check air quality in the season you plan to live there, not only in the one you plan to visit.

Humidity, Mold, and Insects

Coastal cities and the wet season in the highlands bring humidity. Clothes and leather can develop mold, and rooms without airflow can smell damp. Mosquitoes are more active in the wet season and on the coasts. Ask landlords about dehumidifiers, airflow, and window screens.

Water

Some regions face water pressure or scarcity issues, especially in the late dry season. Ask whether a building has a cistern, a tinaco (rooftop tank), or a pump, and whether water is delivered by truck. These are questions about a home more than a city, but they are related to seasonal weather.

How Do You Choose a City by Your Weather Tolerance?

The simplest way is to decide what you refuse to tolerate, and then remove the cities that fail. I use four questions.

Do You Handle Heat Well?

If you dislike temperatures above 90°F, drop Mérida, Monterrey, Oaxaca in April and May, and the coasts in summer. If you are fine with heat but hate humidity, look at Oaxaca, Guadalajara, and Querétaro before the coasts.

Do You Handle Cold Nights Well?

If you dislike cold mornings and unheated homes, Puebla, San Miguel, Guanajuato, and Mexico City need a plan for heating. Cuernavaca and the coasts are gentler. If you like cool sleeping weather, the highlands are a gift.

Do You Handle Rain and Humidity Well?

The highlands' rain is short and dramatic. The coasts' rain is longer, warmer, and more humid. If you like the sound of a storm and a green season, the highlands are a fit. If you dislike damp, look at drier places such as Querétaro, San Miguel, and Oaxaca.

Do You Want to Live There Year Round?

Some people choose Mérida, Playa, or Puerto Vallarta as winter homes and leave for the summer. If you want a year round base, plan for the hardest season and not the easiest one. If you plan to travel, the best weather of the year in each city gives you a natural seasonal schedule. Many retirees combine a highland base in the rainy season with a coastal stay in winter.

A Simple Match Guide

If you want the mildest range with few extremes, look at Mexico City, Cuernavaca, and Lake Chapala. If you want warm, dry, sunny days, look at Querétaro, San Miguel, Guanajuato, and Oaxaca. If you want beaches and warm winters and can accept hot humid summers, look at Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, and Playa del Carmen. If you want the lowest cost and can live with heat, look at Mérida. Then use my decision framework for 10 expat destinations to weigh weather against cost, safety, and community.

How Do You Test a City's Weather Before You Move?

You cannot test it fully on a vacation, but you can get close.

Visit in the Season That Worries You

If heat is your worry, visit in May. If damp is your worry, visit in August. If cold is your worry, visit in January and stay in a home without heating. Many people visit only when the weather is best, which tells you little. A city that still works in your worst season will work in the rest.

Stay in a Local Home, Not a Hotel

Hotels have air conditioning and heating, and they hide a home's real comfort. Rent an apartment in a neighborhood where you might live, and notice the temperature at 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., the humidity, the sun in the rooms, and the noise of the rain on the roof. My scouting trip planner has a weather test you can copy.

Talk to People Who Live There

Ask longtime residents which month they dislike most and what they do about it. You will get more useful answers than from a chart. Ask about power outages, water in the street, and how their homes feel in winter.

Check Official Sources

For current forecasts and alerts, use Mexico's national weather service, the Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, and for hurricanes, the National Hurricane Center. For health related questions about altitude or air quality, use your doctor and local air quality services.

The Bottom Line: What Should You Do Next?

Pick the two or three weather conditions you cannot live with, use the table and the city notes above to remove the cities that fail, and visit the finalists in the season that tests them. That tells you more than any average.

Here is how I would do it. First, decide whether heat, cold nights, or humidity worries you most. Second, remove the cities that fail that test. Third, use the comparison tool and the cost calculator to narrow to two. Fourth, schedule a stay in the hardest season, in a normal home. Fifth, decide after you have lived a week of it, and not after a postcard afternoon. I live in a city with cold winter mornings and hot late springs, and I have chosen to stay, but I chose it with those facts in front of me.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which city in Mexico has the best weather year round?

It depends on your preferences. Cuernavaca, Mexico City, and Lake Chapala have the narrowest ranges, with mild days and no extreme heat. Many people also like Guanajuato and Querétaro. Coastal cities are warm but humid in summer.

Is Mexico too hot to live in?

Some cities are, for some people. Mérida, Monterrey, and the coasts have very hot summers. Highland cities such as Mexico City, Puebla, and Guanajuato stay mostly in the 70s and 80s Fahrenheit, with hot spells before the rains.

When is hurricane season in Mexico?

The Atlantic season runs June 1 to November 30, and the Eastern Pacific season generally runs May 15 to November 30, per the US National Hurricane Center. Peak activity is usually late summer and fall. Check current forecasts.

Does it get cold in Mexico?

Yes, in the highlands. Winter nights in cities such as Puebla, Guanajuato, San Miguel, and Mexico City can drop into the 40s Fahrenheit, and many homes have no central heating. Monterrey can also have cold snaps.

What is the rainy season like in Mexico?

In the highlands, the rainy season runs roughly June to September, with storms usually in the afternoon or evening and sunny mornings. Coasts have a longer, more humid wet season, and heavy rain can come with tropical storms.

Your Next Step

If weather is one of several factors and you want help weighing it against budget, safety, and lifestyle, a City & Neighborhood Matchmaker Consult ($199, 45 minutes) narrows it to a city and a neighborhood. The Find Your City program is the self paced route, and the Mexico City Comparison Pack ($37) puts the data for 10 destinations in one place. You can also see every option on the Book Online page.

Before you act: Requirements, fees, eligibility rules, and local processes can change. Before making a financial, legal, medical, tax, insurance, immigration, or residency decision, confirm the current requirements with official sources and, when appropriate, a qualified professional.

If you would rather write to me first, email paul@mymexicomove.com.

Plan Your Trip

If you are booking a trip to test a city's weather, these are the tools I would compare:

🏨 Booking.com, apartments and hotels for a stay in a neighborhood: compare rates on Booking.com

✈️ Expedia, flights and hotels together: search on Expedia

🚗 Rentalcars.com, a rental for smaller towns and day trips: compare car rentals

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