Generally speaking, Mexico is pretty affordable. However, the prices vary greatly depending on where in Mexico you are. As a rule of thumb: the more touristy, the more expensive it is. In some parts of Mexico you can get by with as little as 20-25USD per day, while in other parts you can expect to spend closer to 50-60USD per day.
The currency in Mexico is Mexican Pesos (MXN). Strangely, they use the $ sign, which can be confusing as it’s the same one as for the USD, which is also widely accepted in Mexico. In this post I will list prices in USD, for reference, 1 USD is about 0,05 pesos.
So let’s look at how much you can expect to spend per day in various cities in Mexico.
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Tulum
So let’s get the one of the most expensive one out of the way. Tulum has become a tourist hot spot in the last couple of years, and as such, has become pretty expensive. Here you can also expect to be charged in USD, rather than in the local currency, which just shows how touristy it has become.
Accommodation
Hostels in Tulum range from 10-40USD per night
Private rooms/hotels in Tulum range from 30 USD per night for a very basic room, up to a couple of hundred or even thousands of dollars, which would be the all included beach front hotels
Food
Street food – tacos for example, can be found as cheap as 20 pesos (1USD). You could get a full meal for around 4 USD.
Basic local restaurant a meal in a very basic local restaurant will cost around 70-100 pesos (3,5-5USD) . This is not gonna be anything fancy, you can expect plastic chairs and very basic facilities.
More fancy/boho type of restaurant – these are the avocado toast and ice coffee types of places, with cute decor and usually some plants and stuff. These are usually aimed at foreigners and prices will be higher. I eat at these type of places far too much 🙂 Here you can expect to pay around 200-300 pesos (10-15 USD) for a meal with a drink. Smoothie bowls in Tulum cost about 180-220pesos (9-11USD).
Cafés/restaurants at the beach – cafés and restaurants at the beach charge prices similar to those you would expect in a bigger city in the US. Many charge from 15-20USD for a main course, but you can find some that charge closer to 10-15USD.
Transportation
Bike/scooter rentals – bikes are a very popular way to move around Tulum. Bike rentals are around 5-8USD per day, but some hostels have bikes available to their guests free of charge. Scooters rent from 400-600 pesos a day (20-30USD).
Taxis – for a 10-15 minute ride you can expect to pay 200-250 pesos (10-12USD). Make sure to negotiate the fare upfront.
Colectivos – these are shared buses (mini vans) that you can used when going to cenotes or to neighbouring towns. They are very cheap, fares range from 10 pesos (0,5 USD) for shorter rides and up to 60 pesos (3 USD) for longer rides (40-60 minutes).
How much you can expect to spend in a day in Tulum
Low budget – eating mostly street food or at local restaurants and sleeping at cheaper hostels and taking colectivos: 35 USD per day
Mid range budget – eating mostly at more upper class restaurants, sleeping in fancier hostels or cheaper hotels, taking a taxi here and there: 60-70 USD per day
“Money is no issue” kind of budget – if you feel like splurging, you can easily spend a couple hundreds or even thousand of dollars per day in Tulum. There is no shortage of fancy and expensive beach clubs, restaurants and beach front hotels and whatnot.
Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen, just like Tulum, has become a popular destination for expats and tourists in recent years. Prices are among the higher you’ll find in Mexico, especially when it comes to accommodation. So lets look at how much you can expect to spend in a day in Playa del Carmen!
Accommodation
Hostels in Playa del Carmen range from 12-40USD. The difference here, compared to Tulum, is that the cheapest ones (12-15USD) have pretty bad reviews and I would not really recommend them. In general, you get much more for your money at hostels in Tulum than in Playa del Carmen.
Private rooms/hotels in Playa del Carmen range from 25USD (outside of the centre) and from about 40-45USD for ones in the centre.
Food
Street food – is cheap. You can have a meal for as little as 3USD (not including drinks). Note that you will not see those prices directly in the city center around 5th avenue (Quinta avenida), you’ll need to go a couple of blocks away from there to find affordable street food.
Basic local restaurants – these can be found a few blocks away from 5th avenue. Tacos range from as little as 15 pesos (0,8USD). A full meal can cost around 3-4USD.
More upscale restaurants – I’m not talking real fancy, just fancier then the basic local restaurants. You can expect to pay around 6-8USD for a meal, not including drinks. Prices will be a little higher on and close to the 5th avenue. Smoothie bowls are usually 130-170 pesos (6,5-8,5USD).
Transportation
Bike rentals – bikes are a popular and convenient way to get around Playa del Carmen. Bike can be rented from 10USD per day, but if you’re renting it for a couple of days you’ll be able to get a lower daily rate. There is also bike rental system called Bici Playa, they have various passes available, from a day pass to a year long. The pass will include unlimited trips of up to 30 minutes.
Taxis – for a 5-10 minute ride you can expect to pay around 120 pesos (almost 6USD). Note that taxi drivers will try to overcharge you, some bargaining might be required. Always negotiate the fare up front.
Colectivos – these are shared buses (mini vans) that you can used when going to cenotes or to neighbouring towns. They are very cheap, fares range from 10 pesos (0,5 USD) for shorter rides and up to 60 pesos (3 USD) for longer rides (40-60 minutes).
How much you can expect to spend in a day in Playa del Carmen
Low budget – eating mostly street food or at local restaurants and sleeping at cheaper hostels and taking colectivos or walking: 30 USD per day
Mid range budget – eating mostly at more upper class restaurants, sleeping in fancier hostels or cheaper hotels, taking a taxi here and there: 55-60 USD per day
Not on any sort of budget – if you feel like splurging, you can easily spend a couple hundreds dollars per day in Playa del Carmen. There are quite a few all inclusive resorts around, as well as some beach clubs.
Cancún
I wouldn’t really recommend Cancún as a destination, unless you’re coming to party hard. However, as the international airport is located in Cancún, you will likely end up spending at least a night in Cancún whether you like it or not.
Accommodation
Hostels in Cancún range from 10-35USD per night, with a few solid options for under 20$.
Private rooms/hotels in Cancún range from 15-20USD per night. For a nice hotel you can expect to pay upwards of 40-50USD per night.
Food
Street food – cheap. You can score a basic meal for as low as 3USD (not including a drink)
Basic local restaurants – a meal in a very basic local restaurant will cost around 60-100 pesos (3-5USD). This is not gonna be anything fancy, you can expect plastic chairs and very basic facilities.
More upscale restaurants – More fancy and trendy cafés and restaurants usually charge from 5-8USD for a meal, not including a drink. Smoothie bowls are around 130-160pesos (6-8USD).
Transportation
Bike rentals – bikes can be rented for 10-12USD per day.
Taxis – can be fairly affordable, unless you’re going to/from the airport (in which case I’d recommend taking the ADO bus). You can expect to pay from 5USD for a 5-10 minute ride. Make sure to negotiate the price upfront.
Colectivos – in Cancún you can take colectivos within the city. Fares are 20-40pesos (1-2USD), which makes it the cheapest way to move around Cancún – besides walking 🙂
How much you can expect to spend in a day in Cancún
Low budget – eating mostly street food or at local restaurants and sleeping at cheaper hostels and taking colectivos or walking: 25-30USD per day
Mid range budget – eating mostly at more upper class restaurants, sleeping in fancier hostels or cheaper hotels, taking a taxi here and there: 55-60USD per day
No budget – in the hotel zone you’ll find plenty of all inclusive resorts that will charge a couple hundred dollars per day.
Isla Holbox
Holbox is a bit on the expensive side, especially accommodation, but it’s very much worth it in my opinion.
Accommodation
Hostels in Holbox range from 20-45USD per night. Note that hostels in Holbox tend to sell out, so you might need to book a week or two in advance.
Private rooms/hotels in Holbox range from 35USD per night, which would be pretty basic. More decent rooms will be around 60-70USD per night. Holbox has quite a few beach front resorts, which cost up to 400-500USD per night.
Food
Street food – a meal from a street vendor will be around 3-4USD
Basic local restaurant – at a basic local restaurant you can expect to pay 4-5USD for a meal, not including a drink.
More upscale restaurants – here a meal will cost you anywhere from 6 to 15USD, depending on how fancy it is. That price would not include a drink.
Transportation
Holbox is a very small island and has no cars, only golf carts. The town itself is walkable, but if you want to explore the other parts of the island, you’ll need to get your hands on one of those golf carts, or take a “taxi”, which would be a golf cart.
Taxis within the Holbox town range from 30-50 pesos (1,5-2,5USD), while longer rides can cost up to 150 pesos.
The going rate for a 3-hour golf cart rental is around 700 pesos (35USD). You also have the options of renting one for 12 hours (around 70USD) or 24 hours, for around 2000 pesos (100USD).
How much you can expect to spend per day in Isla Holbox
Low budget – eating mostly street food or at local restaurants and sleeping at cheaper hostels, walking everywhere: 35-40USD per day
Mid range budget – eating mostly at more upper class restaurants, sleeping in fancier hostels or cheaper hotels, using a golf cart here and there: 55-60USD per day
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Valladolid
Valladolid is very affordable, possibly thanks to the fact that it doesn’t attract as many tourists as Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
Accommodation
Hostels in Valladolid cost around 10-15USD per night.
Private rooms/hotels in Valladolid can be found for as little as 15-20USD per night. If you want to treat yourself to a fancy hotel at some point during your trip, Valladolid would be a great place for that. For 40-60USD per night you can find some very nice hotels.
Food
Street food – like elsewhere, cheap. Expect to pay from 3USD for a meal.
Basic local restaurant – you can get a nice local meal for 3-4USD, not including drinks.
More upscale restaurants – Meals will cost from around 4-6USD, which would not include a drink. Smoothie bowls are hard to come by in Valladolid, I only found one place (Casa Maca), where they cost around 6USD.
Transportation
As Valladolid is fairly small, so you shouldn’t need any form of transportation unless you plan on going on day trips.
Taxis – range from 50 pesos (2,5USD) for short rides within Valladolid. A longer taxi ride, to Chichen Itza for example, will cost something around 500 pesos (25USD).
Colectivo – fares from 40-60 pesos (2-3USD), this would be for rides to nearby cenotes or to Chichen Itza, for example.
How much you can expect to spend in Valladolid per day
Low budget – eating mostly street food or at local restaurants, sleeping at cheaper hostels and walking rather than taking taxis: 20-25USD per day
Mid range budget – eating mostly at more upper class restaurants, sleeping in fancier hostels or cheaper hotels, taking a taxi here and there: 40-45USD per day
Not on any budget – even if you aren’t on a budget, you would have a hard time spending more than 150-200USD per day in Valladolid.
Mexico City
In Mexico City you can get a lot for your money. It’s a very affordable city with lots of food and accommodation options.
Accommodation
Hostels in Mexico City range from just under 10USD, to 25USD per night.
Private rooms/hotels in Mexico city can cost from as little as 12USD per night for a very basic private room. More upscale hotels will cost from 25-40USD and upwards per night.
Food
Street food – you can fill up on tacos or other mexican street food for just about 2-3USD.
Basic local restaurants – you can expect to pay as little as 4USD for a meal at a local restaurant. That could even include a drink.
More upscale restaurants – here you would be paying closer to 5-7USD for a meal, not including a drink. This could go up to 10-20USD if it’s a really fancy one.
Transportation
As Mexico City is huge, and in no way walkable, you’ll need to rely on some form of transportation to get from one part of the city to another. Luckily, Uber is available throughout Mexico City, works great and is really affordable. My Uber from the airport, which took about 20 minutes, was around 100pesos (5USD). A 10-15 minute ride will be around 3-4USD.
Another option would be to use public transport, such as buses and the metro system, where fares are as low as 6 pesos (0,3USD).
How much you can expect to spend in Mexico City per day
Low budget – eating mostly street food or at local restaurants and sleeping at cheaper hostels and walking or using public transportation to get around: 25USD per day
Mid range budget – eating mostly at more upper class restaurants, sleeping in fancier hostels or cheaper hotels and using Uber to get around: 45-50USD per day
San Cristobal de las Casas
San Cristobal de las Casas is located in the state of Chiapas, which is one of the poorest states in Mexico. It’s among the most affordable places in Mexico. If you are planning to visit San Cristóbal de las Casas, I highly recommend that you read this San Cristóbal travel guide!
Accommodation
Hostels in San Cristobal de las Casas range from 7-20USD per night.
Private rooms/hotels will cost from 12-15USD per night.
Food
Street food – can be found for as little as 2-3USD for a meal.
Basic local restaurants – a meal at a local restaurant will cost around 4-5USD, including a drink.
More trendy restaurants – here you can expect to pay around 5-10USD for a main course. Smoothie bowls are not widely available, but those I found were around 6USD. Local cocktails like margaritas and mojitos are usually around 3-5USD.
Transportation
Taxis, like other things in San Cristobal de las Casas, are cheap. The city can easily be explored by foot, but you might need transport to/from your accommodation as the cobblestone streets, while being pretty, are a nightmare for dragging around luggage.
Taxis – We paid 40 pesos (2 USD) for a 5-10 minute ride from the bus station to our apartment. On the way back we paid 50 pesos. So that’s what you can expect to pay within San Cristobal.
How much you can expect to spend in San Cristobal de las Casas per day
Low budget – eating mostly street food or at local restaurants, sleeping at cheaper hostels and walking rather than taking taxis: 20-25USD per day.
Mid range budget – eating mostly at more upper class restaurants, sleeping in fancier hostels or cheaper hotels, taking a taxi here and there: 40-45USD per day
Bacalar
Bacalar is a small town that has grown a lot during the last couple of years, but still feels very authentic and not very touristy. Prices are therefore very mexican, meaning: affordable.
Accommodation
Hostels in Bacalar range from 10-30USD per night.
Private rooms/hotels in Bacalar range from 25USD per night.
Food
Street food – is not widely available in Bacalar as it’s a small town. But there are some street vendors where you can find a meal for about 3USD.
Basic local restaurants – a meal at a basic restaurant shouldn’t cost you more than 4-5USD, that’s including a drink.
More trendy restaurants – there are a few trendy/more upscale in Bacalar. Here you can expect to pay from 5-10USD for a main course, which would not include a drink.
Read my guide about where to eat in Bacalar (all are vegetarian friendly):
Transportation
Bacalar can easily be explored by foot, as it’s quite small. However, if you want to visit different parts of the lagoon, you will need to take a taxi.
Taxis within Bacalar can cost from 40 pesos (2 USD) and shouldn’t cost more than 5USD.
Taxis to other parts of the lagoon will cost more. You can expect to pay around 200pesos (10USD) for a 20-30 minute ride.
How much you can expect to spend in Bacalar per day
Low budget – eating mostly street food or at local restaurants, sleeping at cheaper hostels and walking rather than taking taxis: 20-25USD per day
Mid range budget – eating mostly at more upper class restaurants, sleeping in fancier hostels or cheaper hotels, taking a taxi here and there: 40-45 USD per day
I hope this post helped you estimate how much you can expect to spend per day in Mexico! If you want to get notified when I publish new blog posts, just click the red bell in the bottom right corner or follow me on Instagram where I usually announce new posts :))
If you are planning a trip to Mexico, you might also want to check out:
- Four day Tulum Itinerary: Things to do in Tulum
- Five must visit places in Mexico
- Where to eat in Bacalar
- Visiting Izamal: The yellow city in Mexico
- Your guide to visiting Isla Mujeres
- 10 Things to do in Mexico City
- San Cristóbal de las Casas Travel Guide
- Best cafés to work from in Cancún
- How to get from San Cristóbal to Guatemala
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