Cost of travel in Mexico

Lined with pristine beaches, crammed with fascinating ruins, bursting with buzzing towns and dominated by misty mountains. Mexico has much to offer. But is it expensive? It often comes as a great surprise to hear that travelling around Mexico doesn’t have to leave a hole in your wallet. By no means is it a cheap destination, but it is well worth the money.

The cost of a trip to Mexico can differ incredibly depending on how you like to travel. Mexico suits all travel styles and budgets from dazzling five-star hotels to rough and ready hostels and beach huts. Do you want to relax on a private beach, cocktail in hand? Or do you like to hit the local festivals and feast on street food and tequila?

For a holiday to Mexico, we recommend a daily allowance of M$800 (USD 41). For travellers with a mid-range budget, we suggest you’ll need between M$800 - M$2300 (USD 119) a day, and for people who live a more luxurious lifestyle, budget for upwards of M$2300 a day. These prices exclude accommodation. The currency in Mexico is the Mexican Pesos (M$).

Food & Drink

A trip to Mexico is worth it for the food alone, and best of all, local Mexican food is cheap! With a cuisine as influential as Mexican, it would be an utter shame if you missed out. If you’re on a strict budget, you can easily grab a meal for M$19 (USD 1). A mid-range to fancier meal can cost as little as M$96 (USD 5) - M$192 (USD 10). A popular option in Mexico is to order a ‘Comida corrida’ - a fixed lunch. These will usually set you back M$60 (USD 3) - M$90 (USD 4.60). The average cost of meals for a day in Mexico is around M$250 (USD 12).

Transport

Mexico has a relatively reliable public transport system, and it’s a great way to keep your holiday costs down. A taxi usually costs around USD 1 per 10 miles. Buses inside the cities are generally very cheap, approximately $0.15 a ride. To hire a taxi for the day would cost around USD 50. We estimate a daily spend of around M$370 (USD 19) for transport around Mexico.

budgeting for attractions in Mexico Chichen Itza

Admission Fees

Mexico is bursting with attractions and activities. Luckily, entrance into the majority of the sites are reasonably well-priced. For example - entrance to Chichen Itza costs $13, Tulum Ruins are $3.50, and Cenote Dos Ojos is $18. One of the best parts of joining a group tour to Mexico is that most of these extra costs are included!

Tipping & costs in Mexico

Tipping is generally expected in Mexico. Wages in the service industry tend to be modest, and employees rely on tips to supplement their wages. Leaving a small tip can go a long way.

Restaurants

It is standard practice in Mexico for customers add a 10 - 20% tip onto their bill if the service was agreeable. Fancier restaurants will often include a service charge on the bill, in which case there is no need to tip. For drinks, the standard custom is to tip the bartender 10 to 20 pesos per drink.
Guides
We always advise to tip your guides wherever you are as the majority of their wages comes from their tips. In Mexico, guides generally expect a tip. If you are on a reasonably small tour, 15-20% is the standard amount. If you are on large tour, we recommend putting aside around 50-70 pesos per day to tip the guide with at the end. If your guide is also your driver, add on a little more.

Transport
Taxis in Mexico usually operate with a meter or a fixed price is agreed before the journey begins, so generally, you will not need to tip a taxi driver. If your driver provides any extra services such as a small tour, add a tip of around 5-10% of the total amount.

Top Tip!

Keep small notes and coins in a separate wallet so that you are prepared for tipping.

View Tours to Mexico

Can you haggle in Mexico?

Yes and no. Bargaining for prices is relatively common in Mexico; however, it’s not always suitable to haggle. Market stalls, street sellers and usually anything which doesn’t have a price tag (apart from food) can be bargained for. Shops, supermarkets and pharmacies will only sell items with fixed prices, so you should never haggle in stores.

Mexico country page

Mexico travel advice

Food & drink in Mexico

Best beaches in Mexico

Best time to visit Mexico