What we love about living in Oaxaca, Mexico!
When we started our digital nomad journey, my husband and I only planned to stay in the city of Oaxaca de Juarez for three months. Then we thought we would move on to another city in Mexico. But for many reasons, we decided to stay longer. Now that we have been renting a home in Oaxaca de Juarez for five months, I will share what we love most about this city.
Hot, Mild, Weather
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and almost always felt too cold and damp. I describe myself like a lizard, who needs to be wrapped in warmth to function properly. So finding a warm, dry climate was a key criterion of our search.
When people say Oaxaca, it can be confusing because it is the name of both a city and a state. The state spans many climates and terrains, from the tropical coastline of the Pacific Ocean to tropical rainforests, and semi-arid mountain highlands. So just to be clear, I'm talking about the city of Oaxaca de Juarez, which has a "Temperate Highland Tropical" climate. It has a dry season that lasts from about October through April, and a wet season that begins sometime in May and can last through September.
When we did our scouting trip in late August, it was still the rainy season. We experienced hot, sunny days followed by the threat of afternoon thunderstorms. If it did rain, it was a short intense burst, followed by a re-emergence of sunshine.
Of course in this arid climate, precipitation is essential to restore the city's water supply and nourishing the crops which are its lifeblood. So if you come here during the wet season, please know that it's bad form to complain about the rain!
When we arrived in early October, we did get caught in a few intense downpours, and there were some mosquitos hanging around, as one would expect. But after a few weeks the rain subsided and gave way to a delightfully dry and hot climate. The average high temperature year-round is about 80F/26C degrees, and overnight lows don't seem to go below 40F/4C degrees.
Bonus: It's not exactly weather-related, but Oaxaca de Juarez is located at 17 degrees latitude, meaning it's not too far north of the equator. This provides the city with a fairly even distribution of daylight hours throughout the year. Unlike the extremes farther north, you are guaranteed to have daylight between roughly 7am-6pm year-round. This absolutely helps keep the winter gloom away!
Almost every day is a blue-sky day!
Rich History & Culture
It is clearly evident in daily life experiences that Oaxaquenos are proud of their heritage, and they strive to keep it alive in multiple aspects. From handicrafts like pottery and weaving textiles, to traditions of making Mezcal, the ancestral and artisanal methods are still widely in use today. While modern conveniences could easily replace the old ways, many families still harvest and process agave for Mezcal by hand, die yarn from natural elements, and weave carpets and clothing using a hand loom. Skills are passed down through generations and villages long known for particular trades still appear to be thriving; and traditional festivals and foods are honored and celebrated in the same ways as they were decades ago.
Delicious Traditional Food & Drink
Tamales, Memelas, Tlayudas, Moles, Chapulines, Quesillo, Chocolate de Agua, Tejate, Mezcal...and the list goes on. Drawing on the rich yet simple culinary traditions of the region, you can find fantastic foods and unique drinks on nearly every street in the city.
In case you're not familiar, here is a brief rundown of what these are:
Tamale: Corn dough mixed with meat, vegetables or sweet items and steamed in a wrapper such as banana leaf or corn husk.
Memela: Similar to a taco but made with a thicker corn base and topped with a layer of beans and cheese and the option of meat or veggies.
Tlayuda: A big, thin and crunchy tortilla filled with beans, meats, cheeses, fresh and/or cooked vegetables.
Mole: A complex sauce made of an average of 15-30 savory, sweet, or spicy ingredients and herbs. While you may have heard of the 7 famous moles of Oaxaca, there are actually many more- at least 15. They are usually just named by their color, rather than the flavor.
Chapulines: Dried, roasted grasshoppers. Sometimes spiced, and sometimes not. You can eat them on their own as a snack, but I prefer them sprinkled in a Tlayuda or with guacamole and chips.
Quesillo: A stretchy kind of cheese served in many of the traditional dishes mentioned here. It is sold by weight and wrapped into a woven ball shape.
Chocolate de Agua: Drink made of chocolate ground and blended with water. It can be served cold or hot. You can also find a variation made with milk, "Chocolate de Leche".
Tejate: A very traditional drink made from ground corn and chocolate- yes, it is as unique as it sounds but can be refreshing on a hot day!
Mezcal: A smoky-flavored liquor made from certain types of Agave plants. All Mezcal is Tequila, but not all Tequilla can be classified as Mezcal. It must be made with the correct plants and can only be made in the state of Oaxaca.
Tlayuda
From left to right: Tlayuda, Croquettes in Mole & Tacos with accoutrements, Mezcal Tasting room, Mezcal fermentation process, Heirloom tomato salad, Guacamole with Chapulines and tortillas.
What we have noticed is that the quality of food- measured on a subjective scale of pure deliciousness-does not waver much, whether you are in a simple street cafe or a fine dining restaurant. We have dined in a Michelin Star restaurant here and while the flavors were good, we have had equally, if not better tasting food in many "average" establishments. Luckily, that means you don't have to search very hard to find an excellent meal or snack!
Kind People
Everyone we have met here has been very friendly, patient and kind. They tend to keep to themselves but are always ready to welcome you with a smile and kind words of welcome. Perfect strangers on the street often greet us with Buenos Dias or Buenas Tardes and shopkeepers and waiters are very patient and understanding with our developing Spanish. You might react by saying "Well that's their job," but actually they are not obligated to be so nice. In the U.S. we know that people in the service industry are trained to be friendly because their tips depend on it...But tipping is not a big part of the culture here- yes, it is customary to tip between 10-15% at a restaurant. But that is not a large amount or incentive to provide excellent service. As a fairly well-traveled person, I believe the kindness we have experienced here has been completely genuine.
The population of the Oaxaca de Juarez city limits is around 271,000+ and the larger metropolitan area hosts 757,000 people (in 2025). There are no high-rise buildings here. The tallest building I've seen is maybe 5 stories tall. So you really get the feeling you are in a neighborhood no matter which part of the city you are in. The neighborhood we rent in is full of cafes and small shops and is within a 15-minute walk to three major grocery stores where we can find everything we need, including household goods or clothing. The home we live in is 2km from the city center, and we can walk there in about 35 minutes. There are several city bus options available, but we enjoy walking. If we walk to the far end of the central district, it takes us about an hour. For us, this is the perfect size. There is always something going on somewhere in the city, but it's also calm and comfortable to stay in our little neighborhood if we don't feel like venturing out.
Typical neighborhood view. Oaxaca is located in a valley so you can see hills in just about every direction you look.
Comments