Back to School 2026: Your Guide to Affordable School Supplies in Mexico City
The 2026 back-to-school season is fast approaching, and with it comes the significant expense of school supplies for Mexican families. Local estimates suggest that furnishing a complete list of materials can exceed 5,000 pesos per student. While many self-service stores offer ‘discounts,’ the reality is that the lowest prices and widest variety, without sacrificing quality, are concentrated in one specific area: the Historic Center of Mexico City.
Where to Find Affordable School Supplies in CDMX?
The ultimate reference point for savings is Mesones Street, located in the heart of Mexico City’s Historic Center. This street is renowned for its dozens of stationery shops and wholesale businesses where it’s possible to complete entire school supply lists at a fraction of their commercial cost.
One of the main advantages of Mesones Street is that most establishments sell both retail and wholesale. This allows parents to organize group purchases, enabling them to buy in bulk and secure significant discounts.
How to Get to Mesones Street by Metro?
Mesones Street is situated in the Cuauhtémoc borough. The main stretch of stationery shops is located between José María Pino Suárez and Jesús María avenues.
- By Metro: The quickest and easiest way is to get off at the Pino Suárez station (Lines 1 and 2). Upon exiting, you only need to walk a couple of blocks east to enter the commercial zone.
What Can You Buy on Mesones Street and What Payment Methods Are Accepted?
Practically everything necessary for school is available in this corridor of stationery stores:
- Professional notebooks (grid, lined, drawing)
- Pencils, pens, colored pencils, markers, and highlighters
- Geometry sets and plastic rulers
- Liquid glues, glue sticks, and blunt-tip scissors
- Backpacks, lunch boxes, cardstock, and craft foam
- Basic school uniforms
Payment Methods: Most large establishments accept credit and debit cards (Visa and Mastercard), bank transfers, or even PayPal if they have an online store. However, carrying cash is essential, as smaller businesses often offer better discounts or wholesale prices for cash payments.
Official SEP School Supplies List for Primary School (2026 School Year)
To help you prepare your budget, here is the suggested list of materials by grade published by the Public Education Secretariat (SEP):
First Grade
- 2 large grid notebooks (professional size)
- 1 lined notebook (professional size)
- Pencil, eraser, sharpener, blunt-tip scissors, and glue stick
- Wooden colored pencils or wax crayons
- 50 white sheets of paper
Second Grade
- 2 large grid notebooks (professional size)
- 1 lined notebook (professional size)
- Pencil, two-color pencil, eraser, sharpener, blunt-tip scissors, and glue stick
- Wooden colored pencils or wax crayons
- 50 white sheets of paper
Third Grade
- 2 small grid notebooks (professional size)
- 1 lined notebook (professional size)
- Pencil, two-color pencil, pen, sharpener, eraser, blunt-tip scissors, and glue stick
- 1 plastic ruler
- Wooden colored pencils
- 50 white sheets of paper
Fourth Grade
- 4 small grid notebooks (professional size)
- 1 lined notebook (professional size)
- Pencil, two-color pencil, pen, highlighter, sharpener, eraser, and glue stick
- Blunt-tip scissors
- 1 box of wooden colored pencils and 1 geometry set
- 50 white sheets of paper
Fifth Grade
- 4 small grid notebooks (professional size)
- 1 lined notebook (professional size)
- Pencil, two-color pencil, pen, highlighter, sharpener, eraser, and glue stick
- Blunt-tip scissors
- 1 box of wooden colored pencils and 1 geometry set
- 50 white sheets of paper
Sixth Grade
- 4 small grid notebooks (professional size)
- 1 lined notebook (professional size)
- Pencil, two-color pencil, pen, highlighter, sharpener, eraser, and glue stick
- Blunt-tip scissors
- 1 box of wooden colored pencils and 1 geometry set
- 50 white sheets of paper
Is It Mandatory to Buy Everything on the List?
No, the SEP materials are not mandatory. The agency clarifies that these lists are minimum resources and pedagogical suggestions to support learning. Group teachers may modify, reduce, or supplement the items according to the group’s needs.
It is important to remember that free textbooks are distributed in Mexico, which serve as the basic resource for the school year.
Tips for Smart Shopping
- Go during the week in the morning to avoid crowds.
- Combine your children’s lists with those of family members or neighbors to buy by the box (wholesale).
- Check which materials from last year you can reuse or recycle.
Source: adn40.mx
