Uber in Mexico City: All You Need to Know
Wondering about Uber in Mexico City? I’ve traveled to Mexico City quite a few times, and Uber is truly my go-to transportation.
Below, I’ll cover in detail how to use Uber in Mexico City so you can get around the city easily and safely.
Mexico City is a sprawling metropolis unlike any other. It’s the most populated city in North America and consistently ranks as one of the largest cities in the world.
Rich in history, a culinary paradise, and with more museums per capita than anywhere else, Mexico City has a lot to offer.
As such, navigating the city can be a challenge. With so much to do and see all over town, figuring out how to get around Mexico City is crucial for a successful trip.
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Is It Safe to Use Uber in Mexico City?
If you’re wondering, ‘Is Uber safe?’ the short answer is yes. It’s the safest form of car transportation in Mexico City.
Taking a taxi in Mexico City is not the safest idea unless you’re familiar with the cab companies and know how to verify that the cab you’re getting into can be trusted.
As a platform, Uber vets its drivers and tracks your location, which minimizes the risk for its passengers. Uber in Mexico City is not only safer, but it’s easier, especially if you don’t speak Spanish.
Since Uber has your pick-up location and destination right in the app, as well as messaging, you don’t need to try to communicate where you’re going to the driver.
Uber also tracks your location and maps your route. So if the driver starts to go outside of the suggested route, both you and Uber will know.
Thanks to their rating system, you can also view the driver’s rating and leave your own feedback to easily communicate with future passengers how your experience was.
That being said, Uber is not foolproof. There have been ongoing reports of passengers experiencing problems since the company started.
Statistically, this is not common, though, and millions of people use Uber every day with no issues – me included.
It’s best to exercise normal precautions, though, when getting into an Uber. Always confirm the license plate and the driver’s name before getting into the car.
Avoid sleeping during your rides and regularly check that you’re still going in the right direction.
If you’re moving around Mexico City at night alone, especially as a woman, you can now share your trip with another friend through the app.
I love this; it adds an extra layer of security and comfort for me. You can also easily report a driver if you don’t feel comfortable, but do not hesitate to leave the car if you’re concerned for your safety.
Uber vs DiDi vs Taxi: What Rides Actually Cost
Let me give you real numbers instead of “it depends”. A typical ride from Roma Norte or Condesa to the airport runs about 120 to 200 pesos on Uber, and 100 to 170 on DiDi. Across the city, DiDi usually comes in 10 to 20 percent cheaper than Uber, and the gap widens during surge pricing. Street taxis are the wildcard: metered fares can beat both, but as a visitor you have no way to know if the meter runs honest, which is why I default to the apps.
My practical setup: both apps installed, price-check the same ride in each, take the cheaper one. It takes fifteen seconds and saves real money over a week in the city. For the bigger picture on getting around safely, my guide on is Mexico City safe covers the neighborhoods and the habits that matter more than the app you pick.
How to Use Uber in Mexico City
To use Uber in Mexico City, you’ll first need the Uber app downloaded, and it’s best to do this before arriving in the country, because you will need to verify your account via SMS. If you buy a local SIM card, you can verify with that number instead.
Once you have the app, open it and call a ride, and take a moment with the addresses, because this is where Mexico City trips people up. I like to look at Google Maps beforehand to see where I’m going and then compare the route to the pin in the Uber app, since the full address on Google Maps is often written differently than what shows up on Uber. Uber auto-populates addresses as you type, so it’s easiest to select the suggested address rather than copying the Google Maps one, which may not appear. Double-check the pin before confirming to make sure you’re going to the right place.
Before you confirm, Uber shows your payment type and lets you choose between car options, such as a larger or more eco-friendly car. Then it searches for a driver and confirms when one accepts. When the car is approaching, go to the pickup point and confirm the car and license plate before getting in. The driver will usually confirm your name and destination when you get in; even if you don’t speak Spanish, listen for the address and say “sí” if it’s correct. Then relax and enjoy the sights.
Pro tips from years of riding here:
- Heading to attractions just outside the city, like the Teotihuacán pyramids or Xochimilco? Getting an Uber back can be hard, since few drivers wait around out there. Many drivers offer their services offline at the same rate, so if you like your driver on the way out, ask for their contact and schedule the return pickup directly.
- Uber rides get expensive during peak hours. Going downtown from another neighborhood at rush hour means both a higher fare and worse traffic, and on weekends, dinner time and mid-morning cost more too. Avoid crossing town at lunchtime or dinnertime if you can.
- If you’re going somewhere nearby, try walking instead, or simply wait out the surge before ordering; prices settle quickly.
- Allow more time than you think. Every time a friend visits me in Mexico City, they get stuck in traffic and miss a reservation. This city is massive: keep an eye on traffic times, especially during the peak hours and days above.
- If a driver messages asking you to pay in pesos or at a different price than the app shows, cancel and request a new driver. They sometimes do this because Uber takes a significant cut of each ride, which is genuinely unfortunate for them, but paying outside the app is not how Uber works and it could put you in a difficult situation. If you want to help your driver be fairly compensated, tip instead.
Tipping Your Uber Driver in Mexico
You should absolutely tip your Uber driver in Mexico City. Tipping in Mexico is expected in general, and Uber drivers are notoriously underpaid: once you account for the platform’s cut, the traffic, and the gas, they earn very little for their time, especially considering how cheap some of these rides are. I tip between 5 and 10 percent depending on the length of the ride, more if someone helps with luggage or waits for me.
The mechanics are easy: Uber prompts you to tip after each ride with suggested amounts (shown in pesos), and you can enter any custom amount instead. Tipping in cash at the end of the ride is even better if you have spare pesos, because it is the surest way to know your tip is going straight to the right person. Either way, tip something; it is the cheapest goodwill you will buy all trip.
Uber From Mexico City Airport: MEX and AIFA
Yes, Uber picks up at Benito Juárez (MEX), and it is fully legal now; the long-running standoff with airport taxis ended with courts confirming app pickups. Order the ride once you have your bags, then follow the app’s pickup point: at Terminal 1 use the doors the app indicates (usually the departures level, where waiting cars stop legally), same logic at Terminal 2. Expect a few minutes of walking and message your driver which door number you are standing at; door numbers are painted large and drivers navigate by them.
If you land at AIFA, the newer Felipe Ángeles airport, Uber works there too, but the distance changes the math: AIFA sits about 45 km north of the city center, so budget 500 to 700 pesos and up to 90 minutes in traffic. For AIFA, compare the Uber price against the Mexibús plus metro combination or an airport bus before defaulting to the app.
Paying for Uber: Card, Cash, or PayPal
There are several ways to pay for your Uber rides in Mexico City, and you select your payment method before confirming the ride. Card is the default: link it once and every ride charges automatically, with the whole trip documented.
Cash works too, and locals use it constantly, but two rules apply. It must be Mexican pesos, no other currency is accepted, and you need the right amount, because drivers often cannot change large bills. If all you have is a 500 note, message the driver about change before they arrive, or switch the payment method for that ride.
The third option is PayPal, which now works with Uber in Mexico City: add it as a payment method the same way you would a card, then select it when you call a ride. If your bank charges international credit card fees, this is an easy way to avoid them without needing pesos.
My setup as a resident: card for everything, a few small bills in my pocket anyway. That covers the tip and the taco stand next to wherever the ride ends.
Paying With PayPal With Uber in Mexico City
Another payment option is Paypal. You can now pay with Paypal on Uber in Mexico City. You can add this as a payment method like you would your credit card and then select it when you call a ride.
If you get international credit card fees, this is an easy way to avoid them without having to pay in pesos.
UberX, UberX Share, and the Other Ride Types
UberX is the standard and what you will use 95 percent of the time: a normal car for up to four passengers. UberPOOL, which older guides still mention, was discontinued; its successor, UberX Share, matches you with riders heading the same way for a small discount, and its availability in Mexico City comes and goes by zone, so treat it as a bonus when it appears rather than a plan.
Going out as a group of five or six, look for UberXL. And late at night, I skip the shared options entirely: the discount is small and door-to-door directness is the point of taking an Uber at 2 am.
How to Tip on Uber in Mexico City
With a few suggested amounts, Uber will prompt you to tip after each ride.
You can also input whatever amount you want to tip, but remember the amounts are shown in pesos.
Alternatively, tipping in cash is even better if you have extra pesos.
It’s unclear if Uber drivers get their full tips, so tipping in pesos at the end of your ride is an easy way to ensure your tip is going to the right person.
Uber’s Competitors in Mexico City
Uber’s biggest competitor in Mexico City is Didi. Didi is a local ride-share service that became popular during the pandemic.
Didi is an app that operates very similarly to Uber.
You can sometimes find lower prices on Didi, but there aren’t as many drivers in general.
That being said, if it’s late at night or the cost of an Uber is really high, Didi may have better options.
I would suggest downloading both Didi and Uber, so you have a backup and can always get safe transport in Mexico City.
You could also take the metro, the public buses, taxis, or walk in Mexico City.
My Experience With Uber in Mexico City
Uber is my primary method of transportation in Mexico City. I’ve taken it to and from most neighborhoods, and the airport at all hours.
I have never had a bad experience using Uber in Mexico. I’ve had better experiences using Uber in Mexico City than in my home country, the U.S.
Uber is generally reliable, easy, and available throughout the city. If I can’t walk somewhere, I always call an Uber.
As a woman, who lives and travels solo, Uber makes me feel safer than other forms of transportation like taxis. I love that I can take it home at night when it’s too late to walk, and I don’t have to worry about safety.
I also love that I can easily pick up my friends at different locations by scheduling a stop, which makes it easy for us to go on adventures together or get home.
Which Other Cities Can You Use Uber in Mexico?
Uber is very common in Mexico but usually only operates in mid to large cities. Besides Mexico City, you can find Uber in the following cities
✔ Puebla
✔ Merida
✔ Guadalajara
✔ Monterrey
✔ Tijuana
✔ Cuernavaca
✔ Aguascalientes
✔ La Paz
If you’re in a city where Uber operates, you can usually take an Uber to a nearby town or attraction, but you probably won’t be able to get a ride back.
✔ If you are wondering, there is no Uber in Cancun, Tulum, or Playa del Carmen due to issues with the taxi driver association.
The best way to get from Cancun Airport to one of those destinations is by shuttle service.
Uber in Mexico City: Frequently Asked Questions
How much is an Uber in Mexico City?
Cheap by US and European standards. Short hops within a neighborhood run 50 to 90 pesos, crossing the center (say Roma to Polanco) around 100 to 150, and the airport to Roma or Condesa about 120 to 200 pesos outside surge hours. Surge pricing hits hardest on rainy evenings and Friday nights, when the same ride can double; that’s exactly when comparing against DiDi pays off.
Which is cheaper in Mexico City, Uber or DiDi?
DiDi, most of the time: expect 10 to 20 percent under Uber’s price for the same ride, and a bigger gap when Uber surges. Uber counters with better English support and easier fare disputes. My system is both apps installed and a fifteen-second price check before every ride.
Can I use my US or European Uber app in Mexico?
Yes. The same app and account work in Mexico with no setup: request, ride, and pay exactly as at home, with the fare charged to your usual card in pesos. The only thing to check is that your bank doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, because that quietly adds 2 to 3 percent to every ride.
Is Uber safe at Mexico City airport?
Yes, and it’s fully legal now after years of tension with the airport taxi unions. Follow the app to the designated pickup doors, message your driver the door number you’re standing at, and confirm the plate before getting in. The one place to be firm: ignore anyone inside the terminal offering you a “taxi” or “Uber” verbally; real rides only come through the app or the official taxi counters.
Does Uber work at AIFA airport?
Yes, Uber picks up at Felipe Ángeles (AIFA) too, but check the price before assuming it’s the smart choice: AIFA sits about 45 km north of the center, so rides run 500 to 700 pesos and up to 90 minutes in traffic. Compare against the airport bus routes before confirming, something you never need to bother doing at Benito Juárez.
Can you pay for Uber in cash in Mexico City?
Yes, cash is a payment option in the app in Mexico, and plenty of locals use it. As a visitor I’d stay with the card: no fumbling for change, a complete record of the trip, and one less reason to open your wallet in the street.
Do Uber drivers in Mexico speak English?
Mostly no, beyond the basics, and it doesn’t matter. The app handles the destination, the route, and the payment, so entire rides happen without a word. Learn “buenas” and “gracias” for courtesy, use the in-app chat with auto-translate if something comes up, and save your Spanish energy for the taquería. For the wider picture on moving around the city confidently, see my guide on is Mexico City safe.
Using Uber in Mexico City: Final Thoughts
Overall, if you want easy, reliable, and safe transportation, Uber is one of the best options in Mexico City.
I would highly recommend using it, especially as a solo female traveler.
Whether you’re going to the airport, the clubs, or the museums, Uber will get you where you need to go in Mexico City.
Before You Go…
Here are some useful posts that you may be interested in…
- Is Mexico City Safe? Mexico City Safety Tips
- Where to Stay in Mexico City: 25 Amazing Hotels and Apartments
- A Guide to Mexico City Street Food: 41 Must-Try Street Food and Where to Find Them
- The 37 Best Restaurants in Roma Norte & Condesa, Mexico City
- How to Get From Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende
