How to Find an Apartment in Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl Without Getting Scammed – A DIY Busker’s Messy Guide

i’m still fighting the rent beast in neza, and my wallet looks like a broken saxophone after the first month. if you’re a wandering troubadour who’s been sleeping under neon signs and now wants a roof that doesn’t sound like a bad 1990s mixtape, this is the messy, unfiltered rundown you need.

*first thing - figure out the real rent averages. i asked a friendly temp from the municipal office (they told me it’s not a rumor) and the numbers came out as:

i don’t have a spreadsheet on my phone, so think of those numbers like taco prices that keep climbing when you’re not paying attention. the safety index is based on the Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI) crime stats - yes, they have a chart that says violent crime per 100k residents has dropped a hair from 2023 to 2024, but petty theft stays steady around 15 incidents per 1,000. so you’re not in the “ghost town” zone, but you still need to keep your eyes sharp.

where to look: Casa del Mercado is the unofficial name for the low‑cost rental hubs that cluster around the massive Mercado de Neza. most listings there are handwritten flyers stuck to the fence of the pavement market - you’ll see ‘apartamento de 1‑bhk’ scribbled in crayon with a phone number that looks like a broken drum. that’s exactly where i got my first place: a 2nd floor walk‑up that had a tiny balcony and a view of a dumpster that sang when the wind blew. it cost me 1,950 MXN a month, but i only paid after a short‑term contract and a face‑to‑face verification.

contracts: never sign anything that’s just a scribble on a napkin and says ‘no deposit’. an overheard rumor at the bar (the one that sells cheap licorice and serves tequila like water) says a landlord tried to pass off a ‘short‑term lease’ for 6 months and then raised the rent to ‘whatever you can pay after the band stops playing.’ i told that landlord my drumsticks are metal and i’m not paying extra. a better rule: ask for a copy of the title deed (cédula de propiedad) and make sure it’s actually the legal owner, not a family member who pretends to be a landlord.

money stuff: the best way to test a listing is to walk the neighborhood with your friend’s phone on speaker. if the landlord shows up with a ‘pri‑pay’ request, that’s a red flag. i once got a drunk tip from a regular at a tiny perro‑rojo (red dog) taco stand: ‘if the ad says ‘youtube’ in the description, it’s a scam - they want to collect money before you even see the place.’ a fleeting meme.

inspection: you gotta pop the lock, check for chubb (no, not chubb - chickens i mean, rodents), and see if the water works. i was warned by a busker who’d been living in the same building for 3 years: ‘if the faucet spits out rusty water, it’s a sign the landlord never fixed the pipes. you’ll be paying for a monthly tap water tax.’ trust the old pro: i opened the coco‑coffee shop that sells the city’s cheapest lattes, and the barista confirmed the building’s roof had a leak that the landlord “was fixing later.” i walked away, saved my next gig’s merch.

scam radar: the most common ones are ghost‑leases (they show you a picture, but it’s a vacant lot with a sign that says “apartamento vacío”), and pre‑pay‑and‑run. a random drunken guy at Café de la Vía shouted: ‘if the landlord wants you to wire money to a random person without a face‑to‑face meeting, you’re being ripped off.’ classic. also, watch out for no‑cash‑deal offers: they ask you to pay via “m‑pay” app only, then disappear.

nearby perks: the city’s not far from Mexico City (roughly a 30‑minute drive via the Periférico, or a quick 15‑minute bus hop). the México Tropical suburb of Chimalhuacán is a 10‑minute bus ride away and offers cheaper groceries and a nicer park for busking. a flight? not needed - just a “short drive/flight away” phrase: a 45‑minute drive to Puebla if you feel like a weekend escape, or a quick flight to Veracruz if you’re looking for a change of scenery after a grueling gig.

weather: it’s a hot mess out here. right now it’s a dry‑heat wave with gusts that feel like a drum roll on metal roofs. the forecast says it’ll stay between 28 °C and 33 °C (82‑91 °F) all week, with a 15‑% chance of a sudden thunderstorm that’ll make your cheap umbrella look like a ragged flag. i swear the sky screams “¡vamos!” every time i pick up my drums.

drunk advice: after a night at the Bar de los Inmigrantes (the spot where all the illegal copy‑cat music gets played), a local busker told me: ‘Never trust a landlord who says his place has a ‘garden of love’ - they’re probably growing the only plant in the building: a cactus that drinks the rent money.’ i keep that in my brain like a refrain.

where to verify: check the Satélite map on the INEGI website for the exact address, cross‑reference it with the Términos y Condiciones on TripAdvisor for any reported scams (there’s a community thread for “neza scams” that i spent half an hour scrolling). also the r/NEZARents subreddit is gold - locals post photos of “apartment on the left side of the road, no guarantee” with timestamps and phone numbers. i printed a few screenshots and showed them to my landlord; he quit trying to hide his identity.

final checklist (quick, in case you’re scrolling while your drum kit is on a table):

- verify title deed - ask for a copy, run it through the Notary office.
- meet in person - no video‑only deals; a mask‑off handshake is better.
- request a move‑in inspection - bring a friend, a small flashlight, maybe a leaf from the nearest park to check dust.
- ask for rent receipts - write on the same day, don’t rely on the landlord’s memory.
- double‑check utilities - water, electricity, internet - ask for monthly rates.

That’s about it. i still lost a gig because i trusted the first ad i saw on a flyer that said ‘Luxe - 1‑bhk - $1,200 USD’. turned out it was a trap; the landlord wanted me to “deposit” the first month via a M‑Pay code and never gave me the keys. i learned the hard way: if the ad includes a currency conversion that’s weird, walk away.

Now, the map:

and a couple of visuals for the vibe:

References & Resources

- TripAdvisor - Neza Tourist Guide
- Yelp - Mercado de Neza Restaurants
- r/NEZARents on Reddit - Scam Thread

If you’re still standing on a corner with a suitcase and a drum, remember: do the math, talk to locals, and never pay for a promise that comes with a broken beat*. Good luck, and may your rent be as steady as a metronome.

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