How Mexico City's 22 Million People Access Goods & Services

Mexico City (CDMX) — metro population ~22M — operates through a dense, layered, and increasingly digital commerce ecosystem.

Traditional & Informal Channels

• Public markets (mercados): 300+ (La Merced, Jamaica, San Juan) — fresh produce, meat, prepared food, household goods. Heart of daily life.
• Street vendors (puestos, tianguis): Sidewalk tacos, fruit, clothes, electronics. Informal but essential; 50%+ of employment.
• Neighborhood stores (abarrotes, misceláneas): Corner shops for staples, phone credit, bill pay.

Modern Retail

• Shopping malls: 50+ major centers (Perisur, Santa Fe, Antara, Artz Pedregal) — department stores, cinema, food courts.
• Supermarkets: Walmart (Bodega Aurrerá, Sam's), Soriana, Chedraui, La Comer — dominant for packaged goods.
• Specialty chains: Liverpool, El Palacio de Hierro (upscale), Office Depot, Petco.

Digital & Delivery

• E-commerce: Amazon.mx, Mercado Libre, Liverpool.com, brand D2C sites.
• Quick commerce: Rappi, Uber Eats, Didi Food, Cornershop — groceries, pharmacy, meals in 30–60 min.
• Social commerce: WhatsApp Business, Instagram shops, Facebook Marketplace — huge for micro-entrepreneurs.

Mobility Enables Access

• Metro (12 lines, 226 km): 4.5M rides/day — connects homes to markets/jobs.
• Metrobús (BRT), RTP, microbuses: Feed metro, cover gaps.
• Ciclovías, Ecobici: Last-mile for dense centers.

Logistics Backbone

Central de Abasto (world's largest wholesale market, 30,000 vendors, 30M tons/yr) + peripheral CEDIS (distribution centers) + last-mile moto fleets.

CDMX's system is chaotic, resilient, and remarkably effective at matching vast supply to vast demand.