Top sight
Top sight
City guide · Updated June 2026
Latin AmericaMexico17.1° · -96.7°
Oaxaca,Mexico.
Vibrant colonial charm meets indigenous culture in Mexico's cultural heart.
Oaxaca · MX
OaxacaMexico
★
Xoxocotlán International Airport (OAX)NEAREST AIRPORT
Population
262,679.9
Total residents
Global rank
#1,273
Wanderlust index
Best time
November through March offers the…
Peak window
Time zone
America/Mexico_City
Local time
Currency
Mexican Peso (MXN)
Money in use
Language
Spanish
Spoken locally
01 · Overview
About Oaxaca
Vibrant colonial charm meets indigenous culture in Mexico's cultural heart.
Oaxaca is a UNESCO World Heritage city renowned for its colorful colonial architecture, indigenous crafts, and world-class gastronomy. The historic center features baroque churches, artisan markets, and authentic mezcal distilleries. It's a cultural hub for travelers seeking deep connections with Mexican traditions, food, and art.
02 · Wanderlust scorecard
How Oaxaca scores
Ratings run 0 to 5 unless marked. They come from our AI-assisted research and are refreshed on a rolling basis.
1.1
/ 5
Cost of living
Affordability, 0–5. Higher means cheaper.
2.5
/ 5
Leisure
Leisure rating, 0–5.
6
Mbps
Connectivity
Median internet speed.
2.6
/ 5
Safety
Safety rating, 0–5. Higher is safer.
2.4
/ 5
Overall livability
Overall rating, 0–5.
5
/ 5
Air quality
Air-quality rating, 0–5. Higher is cleaner.
4.7
index
Index score
Wanderlust ranking, 0–10: overall, safety, internet, cost, leisure and air quality, weighted.
03 · Weather & when to go
Best time to visit Oaxaca
Current weather and the forecast, and the months our research rates best for a visit.
Month by month
Best months Either side Other months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Sweet spot: November through March offers the most pleasant weather with warm days and cool nights, avoiding the rainy season..
More cities for these months: Where to go in January · Where to go in February · Where to go in March · Where to go in November · Where to go in December
04 · Things to do
Things to do in Oaxaca
Top sights from our AI-assisted research, and other places we have photos of.
Top sight
Top sight
Santo Domingo de Guzmán Church
Top sight
Top sight
Central de Abastos Market
Top sight
Top sight
Tule Tree (Árbol del Tule)
Top sight
Top sight
Hierve el Agua Natural Pools
Top sight
Top sight
Textile Museum
Top sight
Top sight
Monte Albán Archaeological Site
05 · Monthly cost of living
Cost of living in Oaxaca
Estimated monthly totals in USD from our AI-assisted research, one per profile. Treat them as a starting point for a budget, not a quote.
$1,000
estimated monthly spend · USDProfileExpat
Price references — vs. profile benchmarks
Nomadmonthly spend · USD
$1,200
+20%
Expatmonthly spend · USD
$1,000
baseline
Familymonthly spend · USD
$2,020.5
+102%
Localmonthly spend · USD
$463.9
-54%
Median fiber speeddownload · Mbps
6
Mbps
06 · Neighborhoods
Where to stay in Oaxaca
Neighborhoods our AI-assisted research lists as popular with visitors.
Xochimilco
Jalatlaco
Centro Histórico
Guelaguetza
07 · Insider tips
Sights and neighbourhoods, with a tip each.
Practical tips on places from this Oaxaca guide, written with AI. One is free; Pro members see the rest. Double-check details before you go.
Insider tips · Wanderlust Pro
Practical tips on the sights and neighbourhoods in this Oaxacaguide — when to go, what most visitors miss. Written with AI about the guide's own places; double-check details before you go. Pro members see every tip.
08 · Practical notes
Practical information for Oaxaca
The essentials from this guide's data, in one place.
01
Getting there
- Nearest airport — Xoxocotlán International Airport (OAX)
02
Money
- Currency — Mexican Peso (MXN)
- Affordability — 1.1/5 on the Wanderlust index (higher is cheaper)
03
Internet
- Median speed — 6 Mbps
- Internet score — 1.5/5
04
Safety
- Safety score — 2.6/5 from our AI-assisted research
05
Language
- Primary language — Spanish
06
Timing
- Best window — November through March offers the most pleasant weather with warm days and cool nights, avoiding the rainy season.
- Time zone — America/Mexico_City
Questions
Frequently asked, plainly answered.
The quick answers travelers want before they commit to flights, neighborhoods, and how long to stay.
Is Oaxaca safe for travelers?+
Oaxaca has a safety rating of 2.6 out of 5.
What is the best time to visit Oaxaca?+
The best time to visit Oaxaca is November through March offers the most pleasant weather with warm days and cool nights, avoiding the rainy season..
How expensive is Oaxaca?+
Oaxaca has an affordability score of 1.1 out of 5, where 5 is most affordable.
What is the internet speed in Oaxaca?+
Oaxaca has an average internet speed of 6 Mbps.
What currency does Oaxaca use?+
The currency used in Oaxaca is Mexican Peso (MXN).
What language is spoken in Oaxaca?+
The primary language spoken in Oaxaca is Spanish.
Work-ready layer
Coworking spots and laptop-friendly anchors.
Real coworking spaces, laptop-friendly cafés, and libraries mapped near the center of the city — the closest, best-rated desks first.
Spots surfaced0
Categories—
Mapped0
No coworking-ready spots surfaced for this city yet.
Map pending
No mapped workspace points yet.
Pick a different category or check back once we’ve indexed more desks for this city.
Concierge
Ask the Oaxaca concierge.
Share your travel style, must-see spots, or work schedule and the concierge will help turn this guide into something personal.
Personal trip brief
Tell it what kind of trip you're trying to have, and it will tighten the plan.
01
Travel style
Ask for cafés, quiet neighborhoods, date-night spots, or a first 48-hour plan.
02
Work constraints
Mention calls, Wi-Fi needs, or how much of the day has to stay laptop-friendly.
03
Real tradeoffs
Get faster answers on where to stay, when to move neighborhoods, and what to skip.
Traveler reviews
Reviews of Oaxaca
Written by signed-in Wanderlust members. We don't check that a reviewer has visited.
No reviews of Oaxaca yet.
Plan a trip to Oaxaca.
Tell the planner your dates, who's coming, your budget and pace, and it drafts a day-by-day itinerary you can edit.
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