Living in El Marqués

El Marqués is a fast-growing municipality northeast of Querétaro city, built almost entirely around gated communities. Zibatá is the largest and most established of the group, anchored by the region's only public 18-hole golf course. Paseo Zibatá, its commercial plaza, sits right alongside the campus of Universidad Anáhuac Querétaro. Zákia, a short drive away, has grown quickly near the airport, pulling in younger professionals. Zarú keeps a quieter, more residential feel around its own artificial lake, closer to Juriquilla and Plaza Antea than the other two. For a more affordable option nearby, Villas del Refugio has a smaller but active pool of apartments and houses for rent.

What to consider before renting

Furnished houses are common enough in Zákia to be worth asking about directly; Zibatá offers that mostly in apartments, and Zarú rarely offers it at all. Being developments on the outskirts of the city, a car remains the more practical way to get around day to day: QroBús routes reach Zibatá and Zákia, though stops tend to sit several minutes' walk from the gated entrances, and errands often mean a short drive rather than a walk.