Mexico City becomes ‘work from home’ haven for US expats, as locals are getting priced out

“They arrived and told us we had five minutes to get everything out,” Ortiz said, recalling her family’s eviction in February.Ortiz, 55, and her four siblings had taken over Tortería Colima from their father, who started it as a bakery in 1968. The siblings expanded it into a restaurant, which grew popular among locals in Mexico City.For 54 years, the Ortiz family ran its business from the ground floor of a four-story building, located at a busy corner in the increasingly desirable Roma neighborhood.Although his grandparents were born in Mexico, Rodriguez admitted he’s not in Mexico City to rediscover his roots or improve his Spanish, of which he speaks only a little. He’s there to save money while still enjoying a quality lifestyle.”In San Diego my apartment (a studio) was probably $2,500 (a month),” he said. “Here I have a one bedroom and I pay $800 a month.”Rodriguez and other so-called, ‘digital nomads’, can be seen in city cafes or in parks, laptops open, busy at work. He said when he first arrived in Mexico City, he felt nothing but welcomed.”I think there was a sense of ‘we want people to come here to stimulate the economy. Thank you for being here.’ But I know that recently there’s been complaints from locals about the effect that expats living here has had on their own lifestyles,” he said.Rodriguez says he isn’t sure about staying in Mexico long term. But, he added, “It is starting to feel like home.”