MEXICO TRAVEL COSTS

Accommodation

The cost of accommodation in Mexico varies greatly depending on the city and the type of hotel. In popular tourist destinations like Mexico City, Cancun, or Playa del Carmen, you can find a range of options from budget hostels ($25 USD per night) to mid-range hotels (around $100 USD per night) and luxury resorts and hotels starting at $150 USD per night, with the sky the limit. Prices may be higher during peak travel seasons. The great news is that Mexico has accommodation for literally all kinds of budgets!

Transportation

Mexico is a big country, but fortunately, it’s home to a solid public transportation system. The country´s extensive transportation network, is generally reliable and low-cost, depending on your chosen mode of transportation. Public transportation such as buses and metro systems in cities are generally affordable, with fares ranging from a few pesos. Domestic flights between major cities can vary in price but usually start around $50-100 USD for shorter distances. Taxis and ride-sharing services are also available, with prices varying by location and distance.

Air

If you are thinking about flying in Mexico. If the distances are large, it makes more sense to fly. Mexico is a vast country and overland distances can take many days. You can fly from Guanajuato to Cancun for example to save on the journey time and it can cost as low as $50.

Bus

The long-distance buses are one of the cheapest, ways to travel around Mexico. If you’re going to be traveling south of Mexico City, the bus company ADO is excellent. They run luxury buses throughout this part of the country, offering comfortable reclining seats, air conditioning, and Wi-Fi. They’re seriously up-market buses and well worth paying for.

Collectivos

For smaller distances, you’ll be able to utilize colectivos, which are minivans that fit around 12 people. Just jump on board, tell the driver where you want to go, wait for the other people to get in, and then stop when you’re at your stop. They’re very affordable. Travel by colectivo between Playa del Carmen and Akumal (M$25/$1) it is super-efficient, easy to use, and reasonably comfortable.

Train

Unfortunately, trains don’t really exist in Mexico, with a couple of exceptions. Something that’s been on my Mexico wishlist for a while now is the Copper Canyon Railway, which runs through Mexico’s Copper Canyon and takes around 16 hours. There’s also a train that runs between Guadalajara and Tequila, which is known as the Tequila Express. Aside from those two journeys, though, you won’t be riding the rails while you’re in Mexico.

Taxi

Taxis are prevalent and Uber is available within several major destinations, like Mexico City, Cancun, Guanajuato, Tijuana, and Puerto Vallarta. There’s also the Cabify app, which works similarly to Uber, to check out, too. If you take regular cabs, you can expect to pay around M$20 to M$25 per km — as with basically every country in the world, expect to have the struggle to find a taxi driver that’s using their meter!

Car Hire

If you’re confident about driving in another country, you could always look into renting a car to explore the country. I have several friends who have done this and were surprised by how safe it felt to do so. They had no major incidents! A week-long car hire out of Cancun costs $100 for an economy option, so the prices aren’t too bad. Use Skyscanner to find the cheapest car rentals.

Here are some typical overland transportation costs you’ll come up against while you’re traveling in Mexico:

• Bus ride from Cancun Airport to Tulum: M$262 ($14)
• Bus ride from Tulum to Playa del Carmen: M$88 ($5)
• Bus ride from Playa del Carmen to Valladolid: M$156 ($8)
• Bus ride from Mexico City to Oaxaca: M$332 ($17)
• Bus ride from Mexico City to Puebla: M$98 ($6)
• Bus ride from Puerto Vallarta to Sayulita: M$42 ($2)
• Ferry ride from Playa del Darmen to Cozumel: M$200 ($11)

Food

Mexico is famous for its delicious and diverse cuisine. The cost of food can range from very affordable street food options (tacos, tortas, etc.) that can cost a few dollars per meal, to mid-range restaurants with prices averaging $10-20 USD per meal. Fine dining establishments and upscale restaurants will naturally have higher prices.

Activities

Let’s now take a look at the typical activities you can do in Mexico, as well as their costs. Mexico offers a wide range of attractions, from ancient ruins to beautiful beaches and vibrant cities. Entrance fees to archaeological sites, museums, and natural parks can vary drastically so here is a rundown of popular costs. The cost of your activities is going to vary based on which part of the country you’re going to be visiting. In the Yucatan, much of your pesos will be spent on ruin-hopping and jungle-trekking; on the Pacific Coast, it's all about whale-watching and surfing.

These are the entrance fees (2022) to many of the popular attractions across the country:

• Entrance to Chichen Itza: M$242 ($13)
• Entrance to Coba ruins: M$75 ($4)
• Entrance to Tulum ruins: M$70 ($3.50)
• Entrance to Cenote Dos Ojos: M$350 ($18)
• Entrance to Guanajuato’s Mummy Museum: M$50 ($3)
• Entrance to Mexico City’s National Museum of Anthropology: M$70 ($4)
• Entrance to Oaxaca’s Hierve el Agua waterfalls: M$25 ($1.50)
• Entrance to Mexico City’s Frida Kahlo Museum: M$25 ($1.50)
• Entrance to a Lucha Libre wrestling match: M$100 ($5)
• Rio Secreto underground river tour: $85: $144
• Sightseeing and Snorkelling catamaran cruise from Cancun: $65
• Luxury sailing and snorkelling tour from Cabo San Lucas: $84