InternMexicoSo you want to come to Mexico City for an internship? Perhaps you are wondering, “How much money should I budget for daily life in Mexico?”
The good news is, your money can go a long way in Mexico City. You can get street food for about 30 – 75 Pesos (MXN) for a few tacos, and spend 200 – 350 MXN in a restaurant when you want to splurge! Even drinks can be cheap, with beers generally from 50-80 MXN and cocktails in the region of 170 MXN. Some bars even sell beer for as low as 20 MXN.
For travel, we recommend the Metrobús as the most convenient public transport. A single journey costs 6 MXN. You can also sign up to ecobici, a system of public bicycles which you can use to get around the city and are well maintained. You can buy a ecobici membership card for 496 MXN, which gives you unlimited 45 minute rides for the whole duration of your stay.
What is the exchange rate?
For the current exchange rates, please see here.
1 GBP = 28.45 MXN
1 EURO = 23.98 MXN
1 USD = 21.32 MXN
1 AUD = 15.34 MXN
1 NZD = 14.67 MXN
**Exchange rates as of 24/11/2021
What kind of budget in Mexico City is right for me?
Your individual lifestyle is the main factor that will determine your budget. It will vary depending on what transportation you decide to take, personal dining preferences, nightlife and more.
WEEKLY/MONTHLY EXPENSES
Below, we have put together some budget estimates of your expenses in daily life during your time with us. In general, you can live on a low budget and still be able to live quite well. For those looking to spend a little more, there are also medium and high budget estimates. See which budget is right for you!
All apartments will have kitchens, so you will have the option to cook your own meals. Making your own meals and packed lunches is a great way to save money.
Click to browse Low, Medium & High budget ranges.
For those looking to save money while still having fun and trying new things.
| Expense Type | Cost per week | Description |
| Transport | 60-100MXN/week | Metro (5MXN), Metrobus (6MXN), ecobici (free w/membership) |
| Food | 1000MXN/week | 2 lunches out (90MXN); Dinner out (150MXN); Snacks (60MXN) Packed lunches & eating in most days (700MXN/basic weekly shop) |
| Treats | 400MXN/week | One night out per week including a few drinks/taxi |
| Events/Activities | 400MXN/week | Attending an event, tourist site or fun activity every weekend |
| Avg weekly | 1,900MXN | |
| Avg monthly | 8,170MXN
|
For those who go to the gym, eat more western food or spend more in other ways:
| Expense Type | Cost per week | Description |
| Transport | 240MXN/week | Taxi (60MXN) 3x/week; Metro (5MXN); Metrobus (6MXN) |
| Food | 1000MXN/week | Lunch (50MXN); Dinner (120MXN); Breakfast/snacks (30MXN) Eating in 4x /week |
| Treats | 600MXN/week | gym, nights out with reasonable priced drinks, travelling to places within the region |
| Events/Activities | 1200MXN/week | Attending an event, tourist site or fun activity every weekend |
| Avg weekly | 3,000MXN | |
| Avg monthly | 13,500MXN |
For those who would like to spend more on cocktail bars, taxis or foreign imports:
| Expense Type | Cost per week | Description |
| Transport | 840MXN/week | Taxis (60MXN) 2x/day; Metro (5MXN); Metrobus (6MXN) |
| Food | 2,000MXN/week | Lunch (80MXN); Dinner (150MXN); Breakfast/snacks (60MXN) |
| Treats | 1,500MXN/week | Nights out at classy clubs and cocktail bars; Shopping for foreign imports; Gym; Individual travel |
| Events/Activities | 1,500MXN/week | Attending an event, tourist site or fun activity every weekend |
| Avg weekly | 5,850MXN | |
| Avg monthly | 25,000MXN |
As you can see, you don’t need too much money in Mexico City to have a good time. Be careful when you have a craving to buy a cup of coffee or give into the temptation to use cheap Ubers to get to work instead of taking the bus, as not everything is cheaper in Mexico, and all the little costs can quite quickly add up. All in all, however, you should find that your monthly budget in Mexico is significantly less than it is back at home!
For international payments, we always recommend using TransferWise. They’re cheaper than the banks, because they always use the real exchange rate – which you can see on Google – and charge a very small fee. They’re also safe and trusted by over 2 million people around the world. You can sign up here.
