The guide to travel Mexico on a budget
In this article I'll help you to plan your trip and share my tips on how to travel Mexico on a budget.
10min
Mexico.. a lot of us dream of going to Mexico for its white sand beaches, amazing food, cheap tequila and beer, and festive culture.
There are many different types of travel experiences one can think of when associating travel to Mexico: the Cancun luxury resort travel, the rough backpackers travel style, the hostel and partying type, the big cities and metropolitan sorts…
I’m the type of traveler who likes to mix all of those but let me tell you how to ultimately travel through Mexico on a (small) budget.
Planning a solo trip to Mexico? Check out this guide for safety and fun.
Travel Mexico on a budget: saving on transportation
I left from Europe, with a one-way ticket to Mexico. Usually one-way tickets, first of all, are more expensive than returns, but I managed to find one that was just under 500 euros.
It was from Madrid and had a stopover in Amsterdam, before flying directly to Mexico City. I used skyscanner.com to find my flights and the main airlines were KLM and AeroMexico.
Just as a side note, traveling to, and in Mexico during a worldwide pandemic was one of the best decisions of my life.
In terms of transport within Mexico, flights are relatively cheap, but I would recommend going by land.
Hitchhiking is evidently the cheapest method you’ll find, but realistically it doesn’t guarantee 100% security and you need to have (a lot of) time on your hands. Here is a list of travel methods I used which were cheap and safe:
1. Bus
I used websites like busbud.com to search bus routes, but your best bet would be to go directly to the bus stations.
The main bus line within Mexico is ADO, and I’ve only had good travel experiences with them (except for one trip where the toilet was blocked).
The seats are comfortable, there’s space, it can get cold at times (so bring a sweater, but I think that’s common sense), they do pit stops during long trips, and they’re surprisingly quite punctual.
A 7h bus ride could range from USD 15 to 30.
2. Blablacar (carpooling)
I was quite surprised to hear that that even existed in Mexico (I thought it was a French thing first of all).
I wouldn’t say it’s the most reliable method of transportation, but you can find pretty cheap rides, it’s much faster than the bus, and it’s a great way to meet the locals.
I had gone from Mexico City to Cuernavaca for under USD 4.
3. Local buses/camiones/colectivos
One of the cheapest ways (on average USD 1), and great if you want the real rough local way of getting from point A to point B.
A few safety tips that should be common sense, whilst traveling in any type of public transportation:
- Always keep your bags with you (or at least your main backpack with valuables).
- Have water and snacks: I always had a day’s stock in case something went wrong, and believe me, you’d rather have too much water than not enough.
- A jumper or scarf to keep warm, or keep bugs off you.
- A plastic bag and tissues – not the most glam, but you never know how this could come in handy being used for vom bags/bins or lack of toilet paper stranded in the middle of nowhere.
- Hand sanitizer/disinfectant wipes – hygiene is always key, in covid times or not!
Read "Is Mexico safe to visit?" for a comprehensive guide about safety in the country.
Travel Mexico on a budget: Accomodation
Now that you’ve figured out how to travel relatively cheaply from one point/city/town to another, let’s talk about accommodation.
1. Volunteering in Mexico
I mostly used Worldpackers, which meant that I didn’t pay for accommodation as it was part of the volunteer exchange, so that would be number 1 on my suggestions list.
Most volunteer opportunities in Mexico offer accommodation and food (at least 1 meal per day), and what’s great about WP is that you can filter opportunities according to their accommodation type (private room, shared room etc..).
The variety of volunteering opportunities is very wide, from being part of the staff of a hostel to eco-villages that need a hand with gardening and construction.
Know more about Worldpackers: Traveling with Worldpackers: your top questions answered.
2. Meet locals with Couchsurfing
If you haven’t heard of CS yet, it’s basically where locals can host travelers for free.
The website/app is easy to use and you can filter out if you prefer a private room, or don’t mind the actual couch, but CS is a great way to meet the locals and have an authentic experience.
I’ve been using it for years and have only had positive experiences! There is a small membership fee to pay to ensure the verification of profiles but once you’re on it, you can literally stay anywhere in the world for free.
Most hosts are generous and also offer meals, and to take you around the area to explore, whilst others might just give you a set of keys and tell you to go live your best life!
Plus, if you don’t want to stay at someone’s house, you can also just see other travelers in the area and meet up with them. It’s another community like WP- very open-minded travelers.
3. Hostels
Sure, this is beyond obvious. If you’re a bit manic with organization (like me), I liked to use websites like hostelworld.com or booking.com to book a bed in advance; but on days where I was more in f*ck it mode, I would rock up in new towns and just walk into random hostels.
The best experiences I’ve had were from doing that, or from meeting other travelers that would recommend hostels.
4. Airbnb and Hotels
Of course, you can always find cheap private room if you prefer, especially if you’ve met someone and you’re not traveling alone anymore.
However even being 2, Couchsurfing was always a great way to be budget-friendly and meet interesting people.
What to pack for your backpacker trip to Mexico
Here are a few reminders of what you should have in your backpack to facilitate your travel experience:
- A towel: I got one from Decathlon that folds up really well.
- Mini toiletries.
- A roll of toilet paper or tissue (better be safe than sorry).
- The least clothes you actually need: I basically had 1 of everything, except underwear and socks – yes, it is possible to travel with the minimum, even as a girl!
- Mosquito/bug spray.
- Paracetamol and some basic meds (anti diarrhea, band-aids, disinfectant, UTI meds, probiotics).
- A hat.
- A scarf: I had a sort of scarf that could be used as a bandana/hat also.
- A silicon water bottle (was a life saver and eco-friendly).
- A lock and key.
- Adapters and a portable charger.
Travel Mexico on a budget: the food
As aforementioned, if you’re volunteering through Worldpackers, you’re sure to have at least one meal covered – which helps the budget a lot!
When I was in those situations, and had access to a kitchen, I’d go to local supermarkets to get some groceries – this is probably the most budget friendly way to travel.
Food in local supermarkets in Mexico is very cheap (even if you go to Walmart, the basic foods are very affordable).
If there’s one lesson I have learnt is to not stinge on food – you need to be in good physical shape to travel efficiently and that comes through eating well, drinking enough water, and getting enough sleep.
My thoughts on street food? Super yummy, evidently! But also very risky. I wouldn’t recommend hitting the street tacos just yet if it’s your first time in Mexico, and go easy on the spice, which you will have A LOT of.
My stomach was upset the first couple of weeks even if I wasn’t eating street food and that was simply because it was getting accustomed to new food. If you do venture to street food, make sure you stick to cooked, piping hot foods, and avoid raw vegetables and fruits.
That being said, the best tacos (tacos al pastor) I’ve ever had in Mexico were in a carpark in Playa del Carmen (the taco stand in front of the MEGA Soriana - 30 Avenida Nte & C 14 Nte Bis). It was 15 pesos (USD 0,70) a taco and never got sick there.
Prioritize local drinks (often flavored waters) instead of canned Coke, it’ll be cheaper too!
Going local is always the cheaper option, wherever you are and the best way to find local restaurants… hanging with locals (which brings us back to WP and CS).
People often ask how much money should they budget for food, and that’s a really tough question to answer as it depends on how many times you eat per day, which areas of Mexico you are in, and your restrictions/preferences.
If you can live off a banana for breakfast, a couple of tacos for lunch, and a soup for dinner, you could get by for under USD 4 per day, probably even less.
Travel Mexico on a budget: The regions
I can only tell you my experience/personal preferences, and what I’d advise you based on my 7 months spent in Mexico, so here it goes:
Relax on the beaches of Quintara Roo
Stay in Playa del Carmen (PDC) and from there travel to Tulum and Cancun if you want to explore those areas.
PDC is also a great spot for cenotes not too far and Chichen Itza being a full day trip. There’s also a port to visit some of the nearby islands for a day like Isla Mujeres or Holbox.
Cenotes and ruins in Yucatan
I’d also recommend Bacalar and Mahahual. You can find relatively cheap hostels and food in both areas and the Bacalar lagoon and Mahahual beaches are beautiful places to visit.
Up north, Merida is a colonial city worth visiting. It isn’t expensive if you’re sticking to local street food and Couchsurfing (which is what I did).
Chiapas: one of the cheapst regions in Mexico
This region is definitely one of the cheaper parts of Mexico and definitely a top recommendation.
I spent longer than expected in San Cristobal de Las Casas, volunteering with Worldpackers (shoutout to Trece Cielos Hostel).
The food is cheap there, and it’s quite a spiritual Unesco town in the mountains, filled with culture and some sort of magic.
It’s not the easiest to get to, but definitely worth it. If you do end up going, do a temazcal in the mountains (should be free or based on donations)!
Explore Oaxaca
This region is definitely another go-to place; the city itself is quite cheap (shoutout to Iguana Hostel) and there are so many hidden beach paradises there: Mazunte, Zipolite, and for the more tourist/surf areas, Puerto Escondido.
Accommodation can be relatively “expensive” in those beach towns depending on the season, but then again we all have our own definition of expensive.
Keep reading: 10 cheap places to visit in Mexico and Ultimate list of the best places to visit in Mexico: the top 13.
Extra tips to Travel Mexico on a Budget
Here are a few other extra tips to be super budget friendly in Mexico:
1. The drinking culture is big there, and if you like to party, you’ll find yourself spending quite a bit on beers, shots, cigarettes and perhaps other things.
I have spent hundreds, if not more, on the nightlife in Mexico as the parties are really good and let’s face it, once drunk, who really cares about budgeting?
But if you can avoid all of that, you will save a lot, even though the Tecates and Victorias are cheap.
2. If you need to withdraw money from an ATM, withdraw “a lot” in one go so you get the commission in one go.
There are some banks with lower commission fees than others, like 80 pesos instead of 150 but that all depends in the area of Mexico you’re in. HSBC was a bank I could rely on throughout Mexico, that didn’t have ridiculously high fees.
3. Use a card whenever possible, especially with banks/apps like Revolut. I was able to save literally hundreds on exchange fees and commissions.
Another similar app/card/bank is N26 but I can only vouch for Revolut and being a metal user.
4. Do not fall for the tourist tours. Sure, in some cases, they’re just easier to do especially in terms of transportation and ticket entries, but if you’re on a truly strict budget, you can get away without the tours.
A simple example: in the Quintana Roo area, find the free or cheaper cenotes, instead of the paying ones, and go there by public transport, not with a tourist bus or private taxi.
If you’ve found yourself a group of people to hang with, sometimes renting a car for a few days can be much more cheaper and time saving. I went with Hertz in Quintana Roo.
Lastly, Couchsurfing and Worldpackers would always be my recommendations as hosts will usually have the best tips to see tourist attractions, and often, take you there themselves!
5. Get a travel insurance: yes, this sounds like the old granny advice, but I’m glad I had travel insurance in times when I needed medical attention, because I had everything reimbursed after.
I used Chapka Insurance and got the Cap Adventure one (it’s specifically for backpackers) and I did use it (for gynecologist, dentist, and an allergy I had).
6. Learn to say yes and accept “gifts” (whenever safe, obviously). The Mexican culture can be very generous and I felt bad or guilty saying yes to invites, to meals, to staying over in family houses but it’s all part of the experience.
These few tips should give you a good basis on how to go to Mexico cheap, or at least more insight on backpacking Mexico. I’m always happy to chat to anyone in Mexico at the moment and help however possible! Enjoy!
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