Mexico backpacking budget & travel costs
Buddy's starting estimate for Mexico is £59 a day for an independent traveller staying in budget places, eating mostly local food and doing a few paid activities each week. It's a planning figure, not a quoted price — you can change every number in the planner.
How Buddy estimates travel costs → (costs last reviewed September 2026, shown in pounds sterling)
Daily travel budget for Mexico
Accommodation
£22 / day
- Hostel dorm
- £11–17
- Budget private / guesthouse
- £21–33
- 2–3 star hotel
- £42–66
- 4 star & boutique
- £79–124
- Luxury
- £158–248
Food & drink
£16 / day
- Self-catering
- £6–9
- Street food & local cafés
- £11–17
- Mix of local + restaurants
- £20–32
- Western restaurants & bars
- £41–64
Local transport
£6 / day
- Walk & public transport
- £2–3
- Scooter rental
- £4–7
- Regular taxis / ride-hailing
- £9–14
- Private drivers & domestic flights
- £19–30
Excursions & fun
£11 / day
- Free & low cost
- £2–3
- Regular paid activities
- £8–12
- Adventure heavy
- £19–30
Other (sim, laundry…)
£4 / day
- Lean
- £2–3
- Typical
- £3–5
- Comfortable
- £6–10
Buddy's daily estimate
£59 / day
How much money do I need for Mexico?
These examples come straight from the same daily estimate above — nothing extra is added.
7 days
≈ £413
14 days
≈ £826
30 days
≈ £1,770
90 days
≈ £5,310
What the estimate excludes
- International flights to and from Mexico.
- Travel between destinations, such as long-distance buses, trains and ferries.
- One-off costs like visas, travel insurance, vaccinations and gear.
- Big-ticket experiences you'd plan separately, such as a diving course or a trek.
You add those separately in the planner, so they never get hidden inside a daily figure.