Oaxaca · Month comparison

December vs October

October ranks #1 overall vs December at #4. Día de Muertos — the single greatest cultural event in Latin America unfolds across Oaxaca

Oaxaca zócalo decorated with Christmas lights and festive market stalls

December

#4 of 12 months

Best match

Noche de Rábanos and Christmas processions make December genuinely magical in Oaxaca

  • Noche de Rábanos (Dec 23) — Oaxacans carve elaborate scenes from giant radishes; utterly unique
  • Posadas processions through the centro histórico create candlelit street theatre nightly
Día de Muertos altar covered in marigolds and candles in Oaxaca cemetery

October

#1 of 12 months

Best match

Día de Muertos — the single greatest cultural event in Latin America unfolds across Oaxaca

  • Día de Muertos (Oct 31–Nov 2) is incomparable — candlelit cemetery vigils, marigold carpets, sugar skulls and genuine emotion
  • Rains almost finished; dry bright days and cool evenings make the festival setting perfect
FactorDecemberOctober
Weather score
7
7
Value score
5
4
Crowd score
6
8
Events score
8
10
Atmosphere
8
10
Avg high temp26°C27°C
Monthly rain8mm52mm
Daily sunshine9hrs8.5hrs

December trade-offs

  • Christmas week prices rise; popular boutique hotels book out for the holiday period
  • Can be cold at night (6–9°C) — bring a proper jacket for evening events

October trade-offs

  • Hotel prices peak at annual high; accommodation within the city sells out months ahead
  • Crowds from CDMX and international visitors make the most famous cemeteries (Xoxocotlán) extremely busy on Nov 1
Scores compare months within Oaxaca. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →