Ciudad Juarez – City Guide for Nomads and Expats

Located on the United States border across from El Paso, Texas, it is an important trading post between Mexico and the US.

Ciudad Juarez is the largest city in the state of Chihuahua and was previously known as Paso Del Norte (pass to the north in Spanish).

POPULATION: 1,500,000


RENT AN APARTMENT IN CIUDAD JUAREZ

$500-600 near the city center.

 

NIGHTLIFE IN CIUDAD JUAREZ

6/10

Most of the nightlife in Ciudad Juarez is concentrated in and around downtown, mostly along Avenida Juarez. If you’re visiting Ciudad Juarez for the first time, Kentucky Bar is a must see. You’ll also find bars near Paseo Triunfó de República but not as in abundance as downtown.

 

IS CIUDAD JUAREZ SAFE?

Ciudad Juarez was notorious for turf wars between rival drug cartels from 2008 to 2011. But recently, the drug violence has drastically lessened. And local police now patrol the city routinely. However, drug violence is still a problem. Juarez is a long way from Mexico City – here they have there own set of unwritten rules. But if you’re not looking for trouble, you’ll be safe. In particular, avoid the northwest section of the city, especially at night.

 

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

If you have a US passport, your best bet is to work in El Paso or teach English. There are many American companies, but they want cheap labor, so they would rather hire a local than a foreigner.

 

COST OF LIVING IN CIUDAD JUAREZ

The following data is from Expatistan, a crowdsourced database of prices and cost of living around the world. In our experience, the data tends to underestimate cost of living, so take the following as the minimum you might need to live here.

*Figures are listed in USD

You’ll need a minimum of $965 USD/month to live in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

cost-of-living-ciudad-juarez

FINAL THOUGHTS

This place is good for short term stays or if you’re getting your first taste of Mexico. After a while, you’ll want to go to the interior of the country. Much of the infrastructure is shabby, and poverty is still rampant.


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