Mexico Trip Budget Calculator
Enter how many days and travelers you have, pick a travel style, tick the regions you will visit, and the calculator returns a daily and total budget as a low-to-high range in US dollars and Mexican pesos, split into lodging, food, transport, activities and a 10 percent buffer. Museum and archaeological-site fees use the figures published by INAH and the museums themselves; lodging, food and transport are planning ranges, labelled as estimates, anchored to bus fares and our own guides. It is for first-time visitors sketching a trip, not a quote: international flights, insurance and shopping are not included, and prices move with season and exchange rate.
Rate assumed: 18.5 MXN per USD (2026-10-16 (Banxico FIX 18.4930, rounded)). Edit it above. Everything except the museum and ruin fees is an estimate range.
Fees we verified (foreign adult, MXN)
| Attraction | Admission | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Teotihuacan pyramids | 210 MXN | Source |
| Monte Alban | 210 MXN | Source |
| National Museum of Anthropology | 210 MXN | Source |
| Frida Kahlo Museum (Casa Azul) | 320 MXN | Source |
Teotihuacan listing hours: daily 8:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30). Nationals pay half or enter free on some days; check the source pages. The calculator adds an estimated getting-there allowance for Teotihuacan and Monte Alban.
Estimated ranges the calculator uses (MXN)
| Item | Low | High | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lodging, backpacker (per bed per night) | 200 | 450 | Estimate; two travelers share a room |
| Lodging, midrange (per room per night) | 1300 | 2800 | Estimate; two travelers share a room |
| Lodging, comfort (per room per night) | 4500 | 11000 | Estimate; two travelers share a room |
| Food, street (per person per day) | 200 | 400 | Estimate |
| Food, mixed (per person per day) | 450 | 900 | Estimate |
| Food, restaurants (per person per day) | 1000 | 2000 | Estimate |
| Bus, intercity leg (per person) | 350 | 1000 | ADO-operator fares on obilet, 2026-10-22 |
| Flight, domestic leg (per person) | 1100 | 2800 | Estimate |
| Rental car incl. insurance (per car per day) plus fuel and tolls | 950 | 2100 | Estimate |
| Private taxi or transfer, intercity leg (per car) | 1200 | 3500 | Estimate |
| Local rides (per person per day): bus / taxi | 60 / 150 | 150 / 400 | Estimate; CDMX metro is a few pesos |
How the estimate is built
Nights are your days minus one, split evenly across the regions you tick, and the same goes for days. Lodging multiplies the nightly range for your travel style by a regional factor (Oaxaca and Merida cheaper, the Caribbean and Pacific resort coasts dearer) and by the number of beds or rooms, assuming two people per room. Food does the same per person per day. Transport adds one intercity leg between each pair of consecutive regions, plus local rides, with every transport option you tick taking an equal share of the legs and days; a rental car is priced per car per day for up to four people. Activities add the official admission for each attraction you tick plus an estimated cost of getting there, and a small daily allowance for other sightseeing and tips. Then 10 percent is added as a buffer.
Why a range, and how to use it
The low number assumes shoulder season, advance booking and frugal choices; the high number assumes peak dates and less shopping around. Our money guide gives daily tiers of about 25 to 60 USD (budget), 75 to 160 USD (mid-range) and 220 to 550 USD (premium) per person excluding intercity transport, and the 10-day itinerary prices the Mexico City, Oaxaca and Pacific coast route; the calculator is built to land in the same neighbourhood and then adapt to your mix.
What it does not cover
International airfare, insurance, visas, SIM cards, shopping, spa days, multi-day tours and nightlife beyond ordinary meals are excluded, as are children's and student discounts, and the free or half-price days some sites offer to Mexican nationals. Exchange rates move, so edit the rate, and check live fares on ADO and airline sites before booking. Pay in pesos and decline dynamic currency conversion, as explained in the money guide.
Data last verified 2026-10-22. Prices, hours and rules change; confirm with the official source before you go.
Sources
- INAH: Teotihuacan archaeological zone (210 MXN)
- INAH: Monte Alban archaeological zone (210 MXN foreign visitors)
- Museo Nacional de Antropologia: general information and rates
- Museo Frida Kahlo: visit and rates
- Banxico: FIX exchange rate
- obilet: Mexico City to Oaxaca bus (ADO fares)
- obilet: Cancun to Playa del Carmen bus
- ADO (official bus operator): check live fares
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
How much does a trip to Mexico cost per day?
Excluding international flights and intercity transport, the planning tiers in our money guide are roughly 25 to 60 USD per person per day for budget travel, 75 to 160 USD mid-range and 220 to 550 USD premium, with beach resort zones running 20 to 50 percent above the interior. The calculator turns your own mix of regions, transport and meals into a range for your trip.
Are the museum and ruin prices official?
The admission fees for Teotihuacan (210 MXN), Monte Alban (210 MXN), the National Museum of Anthropology (210 MXN) and the Frida Kahlo Museum (320 MXN general admission) are taken from the INAH and museum pages listed under Sources on the verification date. Discounts for Mexican nationals, residents, children, students and seniors differ, and fees can change, so confirm before you go.
Why is there a low and a high number?
Lodging, food and transport vary enormously by season, city and choice. Showing a range, rather than one number, is more honest than a false average. Plan around the high end for peak dates such as Christmas, Holy Week and Day of the Dead.
What exchange rate does it use, and can I change it?
It starts at 18.5 pesos per US dollar, rounded from the Banxico FIX rate of 18.4930 for 16 October 2026. You can type your own rate and every USD figure updates.
What is not included?
International flights, travel insurance, visas or entry fees, SIM or eSIM, shopping, nightlife beyond ordinary meals, and large tours such as multi-day guided trips. Domestic flights are included only as the transport-mix estimate between the regions you tick.