How much does it cost to travel to Mexico City?
You should plan to spend around $214 (M$3,560) per day on your vacation in Mexico City. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $27 (M$458) on meals
- $13 (M$220) on local transportation
- $83 (M$1,381) on hotels
A one week trip to Mexico City for two people costs, on average, $2,994 (M$49,833). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Mexico City has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Mexico City expensive to visit?
Prices in Mexico City are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.
Within North America, which is known to be an expensive region, Mexico City is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Hershey or Denver.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Mexico City Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Mexico City?
The average Mexico City trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Mexico City travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
| Category | Cost |
|---|---|
| Accommodation1(Double Occupancy) | M$1,381($83) |
| Local Transportation1 | M$220($13) |
| Food2 | M$458($27) |
| Entertainment1 | M$253($15) |
| Tips and Handouts1 | M$20 -61($1 - 4) |
| Alcohol2 | M$172 -515($10 - 31) |
Accommodation Budget in Mexico City
Average Daily Costs
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Mexico City is $41 (M$690). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Mexico City is $83 (M$1,381). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Accommodation1Hotel or hostel for one person
$41
M$690
Accommodation1Typical double-occupancy room
$83
M$1,381
Hotel Prices in Mexico City
Looking for a hotel in Mexico City? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Find the best hotel for your travel style.
Actual Hotel Prices
The average hotel room price in Mexico City based on data provided by Kayak for actual hotel rooms is $63. (Prices in U.S. Dollars, before taxes & fees.)
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world.
Recommended Properties
Transportation Budget in Mexico City
Average Daily Costs
Calculated from travelers like you
The cost of a taxi ride in Mexico City is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $13 (M$220) per person, per day, on local transportation in Mexico City.
Transportation1Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$13
M$220
Recommended Services
Flights to Mexico City
How much does it cost to go to Mexico City? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
Rental Cars in Mexico City
The price of renting a car in Mexico City will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
What did other people spend on Transportation in Mexico City?
Typical prices for Transportation in Mexico City are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Mexico City, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
Metro
M$20
Uber Ride
M$70
Food Budget in Mexico City
Average Daily Costs
Calculated from travelers like you
While meal prices in Mexico City can vary, the average cost of food in Mexico City is $27 (M$458) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Mexico City should cost around $11 (M$183) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Mexico City is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
Food2Meals for one day
$27
M$458
Recommended
What did other people spend on Food in Mexico City?
Typical prices for Food in Mexico City are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Mexico City, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
Lunch for Two
M$221
Coffee and Snacks
M$78
Dinner for 2
M$455
Entertainment Budget in Mexico City
Average Daily Costs
Calculated from travelers like you
Entertainment and activities in Mexico City typically cost an average of $15 (M$253) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Entertainment1Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$15
M$253
Recommended Activities
Tips and Handouts Budget in Mexico City
Average Daily Costs
Calculated from travelers like you
The average cost for Tips and Handouts in Mexico City is $2.45 (M$41) per day. The usual amount for a tip in Mexico City is 5% - 15%.
Tips and Handouts1For guides or service providers
$2.45
M$41
Scams, Robberies, and Mishaps Budget in Mexico City
Average Daily Costs
Calculated from travelers like you
Unfortunately, bad things can happen on a trip. Well, you've just got to deal with it! The average price for a scam, robbery, or mishap in Mexico City is $4.68 (M$78), as reported by travelers.
Scams, Robberies, and Mishaps1
$4.68
M$78
Alcohol Budget in Mexico City
Average Daily Costs
Calculated from travelers like you
The average person spends about $21 (M$343) on alcoholic beverages in Mexico City per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcohol2Drinks for one day
$21
M$343
Recommended
Water Budget in Mexico City
Average Daily Costs
Calculated from travelers like you
On average, people spend $4.85 (M$81) on bottled water in Mexico City per day. The public water in Mexico City is considered safe to drink.
Water2Bottled water for one day
$4.85
M$81
Last Updated: Feb 28, 2023
Mexico City On a Budget
Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.
The city's climate can be divided into two seasons. The dry season is between November and April and the rainy season is between May and October. The spring months are usually warm and the summer months have frequent rain, particularly in the afternoons. The winter months can be quite cool with temperatures dropping to freezing at night or in the early morning.
Sights
Many of the city's major sights and landmarks are found in the downtown area. This part of the city dates back to the pre-Columbian 12th century, so there are countless historical buildings. Popular landmarks in Mexico City include Plaza de la Constitucion, La Catedral, Angel de la Independencia, Basilica de Guadalupe, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacan, and Plaza Garibaldi-Mariachi.
Popular parks in the city include Chapultepec Park and Zoo, Xochimilco, Parque Mexico and Parque Espana, and Viveros de Coyoacan.
Popular museums include the National Museum of Anthropology, Plaza de las Tres Culturas, the Museum of Modern Art, Dolores Olmedo Museum, the Fine Arts Palace Museum, Rufino Tamayo Museum, and Jose Luis Cuevas Museum, among many others.
Neighborhoods
Mexico City is divided into many districts, some of which are more influential than others. Centro Historico is the original district of Mexico City. It includes Zocalo and Plaza de la Constitucion and has many colonial buildings of importance. Polanco is one of the wealthier residential neighborhoods that also has many embassies and some high end shopping. Zona Rosa has much of the city's entertainment, but it is also a business district. Many museums as well as much of the city's culture can be found in Coyoacan. Condesa and Roma have many of the area's trendy restaurants and clubs, as does the recently gentrified area known as San Angel.
Activities
There are countless activities that you can enjoy while you're in Mexico City. Many of them are quite affordable, especially if you're backpacking through Mexico. Sporting events include soccer or baseball games, both of which are thrilling and adrenaline filled. Estadio Azteca is the biggest soccer stadium in the world and was built for the 1968 Olympic Games. It seats 129,300 people and is home to Club America, which is one of the most famous soccer clubs in Mexico. Other stadiums and arenas around town include Estadio Olimpico de Ciudad Universitaria, Foro Sol, Palacio de los Deportes, Arena Ciudad de Mexico, and Estadio Azul.
There are several amusem*nt parks in the city as well including Six Flags Mexico and La Feria de Chapultepec. Seasonal festivals include Independence Day "Yell", the Independence Parade, the Day of the Dead, and Wise Men's Day.
Food and Dining
Mexico is a large and diverse city and its restaurant scene can be quite diverse. In addition to the typical Mexican fare which you can find everywhere, there are international restaurants with cuisine from Poland, China, Japan, France, Italy, and Argentina among many others.
The most popular restaurant neighborhoods are found in Polanco, Condesa and Roma, Centro, Zona Rosa, and along Avenida Insurgentes from Viaducto to Copilco. There is also a growing scene in Santa Fe.
Transportation
Mexico City can be overwhelming to navigate. Driving is not a realistic option for tourists and it is not recommended that you attempt it. Public transportation options include a metro system that is generally good as well as a bus system and an electric trolley bus system. There are also plenty of private buses that cover routes throughout the city.
The metro system is one of the largest and most used systems in the world. There are 12 lines with trains the run every few minutes. Convenient lines for tourists include Line 1 (pink) that goes through Centro Historico, the Chapultepec Forest, Condesa and Roma neighborhoods, and the Northwest Bus Station. Line 2 (blue) also goes through Centro Historico to the South Bus Station. Line 7 (orange), Line 9 (brown), and Line 3 (green) also hit several tourist attractions.
For many visitors, taxis are the easiest option. Make sure you only accept rides from official taxis, which have a red box with the word "TAXI" in the center lower area of the license plate.
Related
Looking for a party hostel in Mexico? Heading to San Diego or LA?
We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.
1 Categories averaged on a per-item basis.
2 Categories averaged on a per-day basis.
For example, the Food2 daily average is for all meals for an entire day, while Entertainment1 is for each individual purchase. Thus, the overall daily average cost is not a summation of the individual categories.
