Moving to Mexico City with kids: schools, areas and costs

Last reviewed: November 2026 by David from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.

Moving to Mexico City with kids is mostly a question of geography. The metropolitan area is huge, traffic is heavy, and the international schools most families shortlist sit on the western and southern edges of the city or just over the border in the State of Mexico. A home in the right area turns the school run into a short drive or bus ride; a home in the wrong one can mean an hour each way.

This guide covers the areas families choose, three schools with what they publish, the visa for dependent children, how school records from abroad are recognised, the calendar, altitude and air quality, and what the main bills look like in pesos.

Where do expat families live in Mexico City?

Most international families settle in a handful of areas in the west and south of the city.

• Polanco: central, with flats near Chapultepec Park and a large choice of shops and restaurants.
• Lomas de Chapultepec: houses and large flats on tree-lined streets west of Polanco, with many embassies and corporate residences.
• Santa Fe: the business district on the western edge, mostly modern towers, chosen by families whose employer is based there.
• Condesa and Roma: walkable neighbourhoods around Parque México and Parque España, with older buildings and smaller flats.
• San Ángel and Coyoacán: quieter southern districts with cobbled streets and houses, closer to schools in Álvaro Obregón.
• Interlomas: gated developments in Huixquilucan, State of Mexico, west of Santa Fe.

Map the drive at school times before you sign anything; the distance on paper says little about the commute.

International schools in Mexico City worth a visit

The American School Foundation

ASF is a day school at Bondojito 215 in Colonia Las Américas, Álvaro Obregón, and has educated students since 1888, according to the school. Its 2026-27 schedule lists the IB Diploma and AP alongside SEP and UNAM certificates, with an annual UNAM accreditation fee of 4% of tuition for Upper School students in that programme. Entry starts at K1 for children who turn 3 before 1 September, applications open a year ahead, and students from Grade 1 need a strong command of English and at least an 80% average, the school says. A full bus service costs MXN 4,880 a month for the first child.

The Edron Academy

The Edron Academy was founded in 1963 and sits on Desierto de los Leones in Olivar de los Padres, Álvaro Obregón, a short drive from San Ángel. It combines the English National Curriculum with the Mexican programme in kinder and primary, takes students through the IGCSE and finishes with the full IB Diploma, according to its website. It does not post fees online, so ask admissions for the 2026-27 schedule.

Greengates School

Greengates, part of the Nord Anglia group, is on Avenida Circunvalación Poniente in Balcones de San Mateo, Naucalpan, north-west of the city. It teaches children aged 3 to 18, from the British curriculum through the IGCSE to the IB Diploma, which all students take, and says it has students of more than 45 nationalities. Admissions are rolling, so a mid-year start is possible if there is space. Families from abroad upload the birth certificate, passport, immunisation records, recent reports and a teacher's recommendation. Fees are available from admissions.

How much does school cost in Mexico City?

At ASF, tuition is charged in ten monthly instalments in pesos, with registration billed separately in March and December, and the admission fee in US dollars at the official DOF exchange rate.

Figures from ASF's 2026-27 fee schedule. Also listed: a USD 7,000 admission fee per student, a MXN 2,045 admission test, MXN 2,000 a year for books in Middle and Upper School, and MXN 4,390 a month for the bus from the second child.

Worked example: the monthly school bill. A Grade 3 child at ASF who takes the full bus service costs MXN 32,050 in tuition plus MXN 4,880 for transport, or MXN 36,930 a month from August to May, before registration and the admission fee. Our guide to international school fees in Mexico City compares more schools.

Which visa do children need to live in Mexico City?

Children usually enter on a temporary resident visa as dependants of a parent who already holds a Mexican temporary or permanent resident visa or card. The Mexican consulate in New Brunswick, New Jersey, lists the 2026 requirements: the visa form, passport, a certified birth certificate, the parent's Mexican visa or card (with the parent present) and a USD 56 processing fee. If the parent holds only a resident visa, the family also shows a bank balance of at least USD 1,450 over the last 12 months, or net income of at least USD 1,450 a month over six months. Both parents sign for a minor, or the absent parent sends a notarised authorisation.

Moving from the US or the UK. That consulate asks for an apostille and an official Spanish translation for documents issued outside the US or Mexico, so British certificates presented in the US need both; families applying in London should confirm the rules with the consulate there. After arrival, each family member goes to the National Migration Institute (INM) to obtain the resident card.

How are school records from abroad recognised?

For primary and secondary, the receiving school does the work. Acuerdo 286 of the SEP, published in 2000 and last amended on 18 April 2017, lets the school place a child from abroad in the right grade using the SEP correspondence tables, with no extra steps outside the school. Birth and school certificates issued abroad need no apostille or legalisation, only a plain (non-certified) translation into Spanish. For the preparatoria years, the SEP's Dirección General de Bachillerato handles revalidation, according to the Mexican embassy in Canada. Bring report cards for the last two years either way. To compare entry steps school by school, see our guide to choosing an international school in Mexico City.

School calendar, altitude and air quality

The official SEP year for 2026-27 runs from Monday 31 August 2026 to Friday 9 July 2027 for preschool, primary and secondary. International schools publish their own calendars; ASF, for example, bills tuition from August to May.

Mexico City sits at about 2,240 metres, according to the city government's visitor portal, so expect the first days to feel tiring for children and adults alike. Air quality is the other health question. The Atmospheric Monitoring System records that the Environmental Contingency Programme was activated seven times between January and September 2026, every time at Phase I: six times for ozone and once for PM2.5 on New Year's Day. Ask each school how it handles outdoor sport on contingency days.

Compare schools across Mexico

Once you know which side of the city suits your work, compare curricula and fees in the best international schools in Mexico, then book visits for the months before you move.

Sources: The American School Foundation 2026-27 fee schedule and admissions FAQ; The Edron Academy; Greengates School admissions pages; Consulate of Mexico in New Brunswick, 2026 visa requirements; SEP Acuerdo 286 (DGAIR text, amended 2017); Embassy of Mexico in Canada; Acuerdo 07/07/26, Diario Oficial de la Federación; Mexico City Government visitor portal; Mexico City Atmospheric Monitoring System, contingency record.

More guides to schools in Mexico City

• International school fees in Mexico City
• International school admissions in Mexico City
• Bilingual schools in Mexico City
• How to choose an international school in Mexico City
• Best international schools in Mexico City
• best international schools in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

Do children need a visa to move to Mexico City with their parents?

Yes. A child normally applies at a Mexican consulate for a temporary resident visa as the dependant of a parent who holds a Mexican resident visa or card. In 2026 the New Brunswick consulate charges USD 56, asks for a certified birth certificate and needs both parents' signatures or a notarised authorisation. After arrival the child is registered with the INM for a resident card.

Can my child start school in Mexico City in the middle of the year?

Often, yes. Greengates School runs rolling admissions and accepts students at any point in the year if a place is free, while ASF opens applications a year in advance and keeps no waiting list. For primary and secondary, SEP rules let the receiving school place a child from abroad in the right grade without a separate revalidation.

What should families moving to Mexico City from the UK prepare?

Gather certified birth certificates, passports, immunisation records and two years of school reports. If you apply for visas through a Mexican consulate in the US, British documents need an apostille and an official Spanish translation; in London, confirm the rules with the consulate. For school placement, SEP accepts a plain (non-certified) Spanish translation without an apostille.