Magdalena Contreras is located in the southwest area of the Federal District of Mexico City. It is bordered to the north, south, and east by the boroughs of Álvaro Obregón and Tlalpan with the State of Mexico to the west. It has a territory of accounting for 5.1% of the Federal District. It has an average altitude of above sea level. The borough is divided into forty seven official neighborhoods called colonias. The oldest of these are La Magdalena Contrereas, San Jerónimo Aculco, San Bernabé Ocotepec, and San Nicolás Totolapan.