Mexico City · POLICY
Key Facts
- —What happened: Mexico City’s opposition PAN party wants to revive a tax on foreign remote workers.
- —How big: The plan would charge about 117.31 pesos per night (roughly US$6.90) — based on the UMA, a Mexican inflation-linked unit normally used to set official fines — starting after 20 nights.
- —What it means: Backers say the fee would target long-staying foreigners renting rooms in gentrifying neighborhoods.
- —The catch: Morena controls Mexico City’s Congress and has blocked this same idea twice already.
- —Who it affects: It would apply to foreigners staying more than 20 nights in hotels, hostels or apartments.
- —What comes next: Guillén would need a new bill, committee approval, and a full Congress vote.
PAN wants remote-working foreigners to pay a nightly fee, an idea Mexico City’s Congress has rejected twice.
Mexico City deputy Frida Guillén Ortiz belongs to the opposition National Action Party, known as PAN. She first raised this tax idea, and has proposed nearly the same plan twice, in 2023 and 2024.
The rival Morena party controls Mexico City’s Congress and has never approved the idea. Both of Guillén’s earlier attempts stalled without reaching a final floor vote.
Who’s Behind the Proposal, and What It Would Charge
The fee equals one UMA per night, a peso-based unit Mexico uses for official fines. That unit is worth 117.31 pesos in 2026, about US$6.90 at today’s rate.
The charge would start after 20 straight nights in one hotel, hostel or apartment. That threshold targets long-term remote workers, not short-term tourists passing through.
The plan does not rely on immigration status to define a digital nomad. It targets anyone paying for long-term lodging while earning income from abroad.
A Tax Mexico City Has Rejected Twice
Guillén first pitched the tax in September 2023, aiming at foreigners renting flats in gentrifying areas. She said at the time that roughly 90,000 foreign remote workers were living in the city.
That bill stalled in committee, so she reintroduced it in October 2024 with similar terms. Morena’s majority let that version stall too, without a final vote.
Guillén has said the tax is not meant to punish anyone. She argues foreigners who earn dollars can afford costs that price out local residents.
Part of a Bigger Gentrification Fight
Mexico City has taken other steps against gentrification as the 2026 World Cup nears. A rule tying rent increases to inflation has applied since 2024.
Mayor Clara Brugada’s government launched a mandatory registry for short-term rental hosts in May 2026. It covers platforms like Airbnb operating in the capital.
Separately, another PAN deputy has proposed a 3 percent tax on foreign tourists’ hotel and restaurant spending. That plan is different from Guillén’s nightly nomad fee.
Mexico City already applies a lodging tax to short-term rentals booked through platforms like Airbnb. Guillén’s proposed nightly fee would come on top of that charge.
What Would Have to Happen Next
Guillén would need to file a new bill and win committee approval. Morena’s majority in Mexico City’s Congress makes that a steep climb for PAN.
Mexico City is set to host World Cup matches in 2026, drawing more foreign visitors. That spotlight could give the nomad-tax idea fresh attention if PAN revives it.
More: Mexico news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What tax has Mexico City’s PAN party proposed?
PAN wants foreign remote workers to pay 117.31 pesos (about US$6.90) per night of lodging. That charge would start after 20 straight nights in one hotel, hostel or apartment.
Who proposed the digital nomad tax?
Frida Guillén Ortiz, a PAN deputy in Mexico City’s Congress, proposed the tax. She first pitched it in 2023 and again in 2024.
Has Mexico City tried to tax digital nomads before?
Yes, PAN has proposed nearly the same tax twice already. Both the 2023 and 2024 versions stalled in Mexico City’s Morena-led Congress.
Sources: El Universal; Proceso; El Informador; Infobae; Publimetro; INEGI (UMA value); Mexico City Congress (Congreso de la Ciudad de México).
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