Guide · Renting

Rent increases in Mexico: what each state's code says

Mexico City caps a yearly rent increase at the previous year's inflation. Jalisco and Quintana Roo have other rules in their civil codes. Read from the codes.

Checked on against the official sources at the bottom of the page.

In short

Whether a Mexican landlord can raise the rent, and by how much, depends on the state. In Mexico City the rent may rise only once a year and “nunca” by more than the inflation Banxico reported for the previous year (civil code art. 2448 D, in force since the reform published on 28 August 2024). Jalisco limits the rent itself for lower-value homes (12 % a year of the tax value, art. 2041) and Quintana Roo leaves the amount to the parties (art. 2677) but allows up to 10 % more when a tenant asks for an extension (art. 2738). There is no federal cap.

Mexico City: inflation cap

Article 2448 D of the Mexico City civil code says that for leases of urban buildings used as homes, the rent “deberá estipularse en moneda nacional y solo podrá ser aumentada anualmente”. The increase “nunca será mayor a la inflación reportada por el Banco de México en el año anterior, respecto de la cantidad pactada como renta mensual”. Reading it piece by piece:

  • Frequency. One increase per year.
  • Base. The monthly rent agreed in the contract.
  • Ceiling. The inflation Banxico reported for the previous year. A formula: maximum new rent = current monthly rent × (1 + previous year’s inflation reported by Banxico). The text does not name an index; I did not read which Banxico series is meant, so ask the authority, and I give no percentage here.
  • Non-waivable. Art. 2448 says the chapter is of public order and cannot be renounced; a contract clause providing for a larger indexation is treated as not written.

The rule in force on 15 October 2026 is the one above; the reform entered into force the day after its publication in the city’s gazette.

Jalisco: a ceiling on the rent, not on the increase

The Jalisco civil code has a different design. Article 2041 applies when the commercial value of the property is up to ten thousand times the daily value of the Unidad de Medida y Actualización (UMA). With the 2026 UMA of MX$117.31 a day (in force from 1 February 2026, INEGI), that threshold is 10,000 × MX$117.31 = MX$1,173,100, a calculation from the published UMA. Under the article:

  • the rent cannot exceed 12 % a year of the tax value (“valor fiscal”) of the property;
  • if there is no tax value, or it has not been updated for the last three years, the rent cannot exceed 10 % a year of the commercial value;
  • the minimum term is one year and binds only the landlord; the tenant may end the contract at any time, while owing rent until he vacates and makes the property available.

Art. 2042 makes these rules non-waivable and art. 2043 declares void any agreement that makes the tenant’s obligations heavier. Art. 2024 adds that when the landlord carries out improvements, or the property is hit by betterment taxes or municipal contributions, the rent “podrá ser aumentada proporcionalmente a la utilidad”. The code I read does not set a general yearly percentage for higher-value homes. For those, the rent is what the parties agreed. The word “valor fiscal” refers to the tax value recorded by the authorities; ask the municipality for that figure.

Quintana Roo: freedom, then up to 10 % on extension

The Quintana Roo code (version of 7 September 2026) states in art. 2677 that the parties have “la más amplia libertad de contratación en cuanto a la fijación del monto de la renta”. That is the starting point. Art. 2738 then handles the end of a term: no later than 15 days after the contract expires, a tenant who is up to date with rent may ask for an extension of up to a year, and “podrá el arrendador aumentar hasta un diez por ciento la renta anterior, siempre que demuestre que los alquileres en la zona de que se trate, han sufrido alzas que justifiquen el aumento”. The extension does not bind an owner who wants to live in the house. If the owner then does not occupy it after three months from the judgment, the tenant can claim compensation of up to twelve months’ rent, set by the judge.

Comparing the three

QuestionMexico CityJaliscoQuintana Roo
Cap on a yearly increasePrevious-year inflation (Banxico)None general; rent ceiling for homes up to 10,000 UMAUp to 10 % on extension, with proof of market rises
Rent currencyPesosNot readNot read
Waivable?NoArt. 2041 rules: noNot stated

What it costs

The laws read fix no rent. They limit, in the cases above, how much the rent can grow or how high it can be. If you are comparing renting with buying, the mortgage calculator shows the buyer’s side.

Which professional to consult

A real estate lawyer in the state of the property can say which article applies to your lease (real estate lawyer). An appraiser can state a commercial value (appraiser). For the basic Mexico City rules, see renting a home in Mexico City.

Frequently asked questions

Can my Mexico City landlord raise the rent twice a year?

No. Art. 2448 D allows the rent to be raised only once a year (“anualmente”).

What is the maximum increase in Mexico City?

The inflation Banxico reported for the previous year, applied to the agreed monthly rent. The code gives no percentage; the percentage depends on the Banxico figure.

Is there a national rent control in Mexico?

Not in any federal text I read. The rules above are state civil codes.

Does Jalisco’s 12 % mean my rent can go up 12 % a year?

No. It is a ceiling on the annual rent as a share of the property’s tax value, for homes up to 10,000 UMA (MX$1,173,100 at the 2026 UMA). It is not a yearly increase.

Do these rules cover vacation rentals?

No. They concern leases of homes. Short stays in the capital fall under the tourism law: see short-term rentals in Mexico City.

More guides on renting

Sources

All guides · Payotte Mexico