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Relocating to Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl: An Indie Film Scout’s Gritty Checklist

@Oscar Finch2/12/2026blog

i walked in to the bar and the bartender already had a story about how neza’s cheap‑rent flats are perfect backdrops for indie film scouts. he threw his hand in the air and said, "you can film a gritty street scene on *Nezahualcóyotl’s main boulevard without paying for a permit, because the city just says ‘hey, you’re welcome.’" it felt like i’d just stumbled into a real‑time podcast about the weird charm of moving to a place that most people think is just a traffic jam on the way to the airport. after a couple of tequilas (or two, because we’re already sloppy), i decided to write this step‑by‑step checklist, packed with the data i actually found, a handful of drunk tips, and a couple of “overheard” warnings that could save your future self from a flat tire or a missed gig.

Nezahualcóyotl - where to start the hunt



the first thing you’ll want is a real sense of the ground you’re stepping on. google maps and the city’s own open data portal say Nezahualcóyotl sits at 19.4006°n, 99.0148°w, just east of the massive polytechnic university of the state of mexico campus. the view from the highway looks like a flat‑topped concrete ocean with a few stray palm trees trying to hold on. rent? i pulled a spreadsheet from inegi’s 2023 housing survey (they love spreadsheets, everyone else loves spreadsheets). the average monthly rent for a modest one‑bedroom in the central zone runs around mxn 3,800 - about $200 usd at today’s rates. not a bargain like ixtlahuacán, but cheap enough that you can still keep a decent amount of cash for gigs, film stock, and, let’s be honest, a decent burrito budget.

jobs? the city is kind of a logistics hub. amazon’s eastern fulfillment center opened a couple years back, and the old maquiladora factories still line the outskirts. that means you’ll find a lot of assembly line work, warehouse shifts, and even a few tech‑support gigs if you have a decent english accent. the local board on facebook (see the nezawork group) shows 250+ open positions in january 2024. for an indie film scout who’s trying to get cheap night‑time permits, those warehouse jobs also give you a legitimate “reason to be there after dark,” which is handy if you want to shoot in the abandoned storage units on villa luz.

safety? the municipal police released a “crime index” last summer that puts neza at 3.2 out of 5 - moderate, but they’ve been working on community patrols in san andrés and coyoacán neighborhoods. the locals i talked to at the tostada de la noche bar say the feeling of “you’re always being watched” is lower than in central mexico city. still, they warn about the occasional pick‑pocket near the big bus terminal on av. 16 de septiembre and a stray dog that thinks you’re a snack. i’d still recommend you lock up your stuff at night, especially laptops; the hostel i stayed at had a small lock‑box and a night‑watch that actually checked the doors.

weather? i’m writing this in mid‑february, and the thermometer in the office says 28 °c with a humidity that makes you feel like you’re inside a wet towel. the breeze that comes in through the east windows is a dry, dust‑laden wind from the state of mexico highlands. think “chilly desert‑ish” but with more people. by the time the weekend rolls around you can hop into a short ride (like a quick uber or a quick avanzada bus) and hit tepotzotlán, where the mountains pull a thin veil of mist over pine trees. a quick escape to a cooler spot, plus a local market for fresh herbs that make a mean mole for lunch.

San Andrés - the “cheaper but louder” side



if you’re looking for the budget end of the spectrum, San Andrés is your place. the streets are narrower, the murals scream louder, and the rent is about mxn 2,500 for a studio with a tiny balcony that catches the occasional stray cat. it’s not exactly a “nice‑quiet” vibe, but you get a vibe that’s perfect for filming urban grit. the café tinto on calle 2 has a 4.8 rating on yelp and a view of a graffiti‑covered wall that’s been there for ten years - basically a free art set for your dslr.

drunk advice from a local at the bar: “don’t trust the mañana apartments on the second floor. the upstairs windows have a habit of leaking when it rains, and the landlord’s idea of fixing it is to send a kid with a broom.” also, the tap water in san andrés is a bit rusty, so you might want to stock up on bottled water for the first two weeks. the nezacity subreddit has a pinned thread titled “san andrés: water, wifi, and wifi issues” - scroll down for the list of neighborhoods with the best fiber.

overheard gossip: a girl at a taco‑stand said she saw a “coyote” (illegal transporter) driving a van out of San Andrés at 2 am. she didn’t know if it was a real thing or just a rumor, but the guy next to her whispered, “the police still chase those guys around the paseo de los alcaldes” - probably a reference to the police precinct on av. 94. if you’re planning any night‑time shoot, maybe you want a quick check on that area.

Villa Luz - the coworking hub and the hidden movie‑set



last but not least, Villa Luz is the neighborhood where the nezahualcóyotl cultural center lives, plus a handful of coworking spaces that have popped up over the past three years. the nezahualcóyotl art & tech hub rents a 4‑meter desk for mxn 1,200 a month - cheap enough for a freelancer who wants a printer and a decent internet connection. the yelp page for café luz (the coworking space) lists a free coffee refill every morning, which is a lifesaver when you’re scouting for locations at 7 am.

job scene? the local newspaper el sol de neza runs a weekly column about “new openings in the tech sector” and it mentioned a few graphic design agencies opening shop on villa luz’s main boulevard. that means a chance to network with folks who might know hidden alleys that look like the matrix just after a rain.

drunk tip: the hostel i stayed at had a “night‑shift security guard” that liked to chat about the abandoned 1970s movie set on avenida villa luz. he said it’s a “secret courtyard” with an overgrown garden, perfect for a low‑budget outdoor scene. he also warned about “the stray horse that occasionally hangs out near the xochimilco train station” - it’s more of a novelty than a danger, but you don’t want to spook the horse while you’re filming a chase.

weather again? it’s still hot, but the villa luz area feels a little more “shaded” because of the parque del centenario and its old oak trees. if you’re a yoga instructor (that’s a different persona, but still relevant) you can swing by for a quick “sunset stretch” - the park has a free yoga class on fridays that draws locals and expats alike.

real data: according to the municipal government’s 2023 economic report, neza’s unemployment rate sits at 5.4 % - lower than the national average of 6.2 %. the average salary in the logistics sector is mxn 6,200 (~$325 usd) per month. that’s not enough to quit your day job, but combined with cheap rent it can keep you afloat while you chase film gigs. also, the inegi crime index shows a 12 % drop in violent crimes compared to 2020, thanks in part to new cctv cameras installed on av. 16 de septiembre and boulevard nezahualcoyotl.

if you’re looking for a concrete, data‑driven checklist (and maybe a few oddball survival tips), here’s a quick rundown that works even if you’re half‑asleep:

- housing - start with a airbnb search for a month‑long stay; watch for “utility included” listings on the cheaper side.
- banking - open an account at bbva or banorte; the branch on calle 4 offers a free debit card for the first month.
- transport - get a mexico city metrobús pass (line 7 stops at nezahualcóyotl) and a local avanzada bus card for quick hops to ecatepec or tultitlán.
- cellular - telcel’s prepaid plans are cheap, but movistar’s coverage on villa luz is surprisingly solid for the price.
- food - the almacén de la ciudad grocery chain sells cheap fresh produce; the taco de la noche near san andrés has the cheapest mole you’ll ever find.
- wifi - most cafes on coyoacán (if you go there) have free wifi, but for a consistent signal you’ll want a fiber optic plan from adroit - they have a deal for expats with a 30 % discount if you pay yearly.
- security - lock up your stuff at night, especially laptops; the hostel i stayed at had a small lock‑box and a night‑watch that actually checked the doors.
- health - the clínica xochimilco in neza offers a 24‑hour pharmacy; it’s not fancy, but you can get the basics (painkillers, antacids) cheap.
- legal - if you plan to film commercial content, you’ll need a permiso from the municipal cultural department; they’re surprisingly responsive and often give you a one‑day permit for free if you’re working on a documentary.

now throw a couple of links in for good measure:

- for the best‑rated hostels, check out tripadvisor’s list of casa de los amigos (https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationInfo-g187277-d161961-Ciudad_Nezahualcoyotl_State_of_Mexico-Mexico.html).
- for café recommendations, yelp points out café tinto (https://www.yelp.com/search?cflt=restaurant&find_loc=Ciudad_Nezahualcoyotl) as the go‑to spot for a strong espresso and a side of street‑art.
- if you want to ask locals who actually live there, jump into the r/mexicocityexpats subreddit - they have a pinned thread called “neza safety 2024” (https://www.reddit.com/r/MexicoCityExpats/).
- and for job listings, the nezawork facebook group is a decent place to start; they post everything from warehouse shifts to graphic design gigs (https://www.facebook.com/groups/NezaWork).

i’ll leave you with a picture of the villa luz park, where the sunset gives a golden glow on the old murals, and a reminder that Nezahualcóyotl* isn’t just a gray‑scale map point - it’s a place you can chase cheap coffee, cheap film locations, and cheap heartaches all at the same time. so, what’s next? pack that camera, grab a cheap laptop, and remember: the city’s only as hostile as you make it. happy scouting, and may your shots never be too blurry.

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About the author: Oscar Finch

Optimist by choice, realist by necessity.

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