Nezahualcóyotl's Job Jungle: A Digital Nomad's Chaotic Career Guide

so i’m sweating like a sinner in church here in neza, and not just from the humidity. the sun’s been beating down like a hangover, but the afternoon turns into a steamy mess of rain that smells like wet asphalt and tacos. classic. anyway, i’ve been couch-surfing and laptop-jockeying around this concrete maze to scope the job scene. spoiler alert: it’s not exactly the silicon valley of mexico city’s suburbs.

first off, the big money makers here are basically the government and factories. the municipal government’s a beast for jobs - clerks, admin, you name it. then there’s the state of mexico’s offices scattered around. manufacturing’s where it gets spicy though: think small plants grinding out auto parts, textiles, and random plastic junk. i overheard this while dodging street vendors:

> 'working at the city hall? steady-ish if you know el jefe. otherwise? learn to sell chicharrones. my cousin’s kid made more last month flipping carnitas than my engineer brother.' - some guy with a mustache and a tequila stain


the markets are their own ecosystem. mercado de la laguna’s a beast - thousands of butchers, candy peddlers, and bootleg dvd hawkers. chaotic? hell yeah. but it works. about safety? mixed bag. heard stories, heard counter-stories. one thing’s concrete: rent’s cheaper than DF but not by much. expect 5k-7k pesos for a decent one-bedroom. jobs? if you’re in the informal sector, you’re golden. if not? bring references.

something a local warned me over pulque:

> 'don’t flash your phone after 8pm. and if you do? make sure it’s a burner. real talk.' - lady who looked like she’d seen three lifetimes of weird


neighbors? iztapalapa and ecatepec are practically breathing down neza’s neck. mexico city’s a short, traffic-laden ride away when you need decent coffee or sanity. speaking of caffeine, this hole called ‘café de la esquina’’s got sketchy wifi but good vibe. check it. if you’re into history, parque ecológico los remedios’s worth a peek. tripadvisor link. job-wise? r/mexicocityjobs sometimes posts state gigs. and for desperate desk days? espacio coworking - overpriced but has AC.

here’s what the daily grind looks like:

and why you’ll never get bored:

and another gem from the pulque lady:

> 'blend in. wear the same faded t-shirt as everyone. never trust a taxi who won’t turn the meter on. never.' - same lady, now eyeing my laptop


so yeah, neza’s not exactly a remote worker’s paradise. but it’s got this raw, unfiltered energy. if you can handle the chaos, dodge the potholes, and learn to love carnitas, it might just work. now if you’ll excuse me, my phone’s about to die and i think i hear thunder.

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