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- Here's What You Can Buy With 200 Pesos In Mexico This Year
Summary
- Mexico offers affordable options for meals, with 200 pesos ($1
- allowing you to enjoy 2-3 square meals a day, including street food and cheap eateries.
- Budget travelers can find low-cost accommodation options in Mexico City, with hostels costing around 300-600 pesos per night. Public transport is also affordable, with metro trains charging 5 pesos per ride.
- Pampering yourself with a manicure and pedicure or purchasing a SIM card for convenient communication during your stay in Mexico can be done at affordable prices. Non-touristy areas can offer cheaper options for these services.
Perched beautifully astride the Tropic of Cancer, Mexico has a galaxy of jaw-dropping attractions that’ll sweep any traveler off his feet. Its haunting beauty will blow away the first-time traveler and hook the seasoned one like a drug. For American travelers, Mexico is literally cheek-by-jowl. Tijuana, the multi-faceted city in Baja California, Mexico, is just about 16.8 miles from San Diego. But it’s not just because it’s a stroll away. The ecosystem in Mexico is breathtakingly diverse. At one end are burning, inhospitable deserts; at the other end, thick, tropical rainforests. Towering mountains stand side by side with vast, unending grasslands.
Mexican fauna is even more of a treasure trove. Whether it's the spider monkeys or the endangered, strange-looking Axolotl, Mexico has a fair share of beautifully unique rare sights, many of which cannot be found anywhere else on the globe. It also has thousands of beautiful sandy beaches elegantly spread out on its 5,800-mile coastline. And this is not just some legend: Mexicans are some of the warmest, friendliest people on the planet.
And while Mexico is beautiful, is it kind to the wallet? We take a deep dive into what 200 pesos can get you in Mexico.
UPDATE: 2023/08/05 15:45 EST BY LUANA FERREIRA
Here's What You Can Buy With 200 Pesos In Mexico This Year
Inflation can rapidly change purchasing power. Therefore, it's important to check prices before traveling. Currently, 200 Mexican Pesos are worth approximately $11. This list has been updated with what people can buy with 200 pesos in Mexico.
Where To Eat For 200 Pesos In Mexico
200 pesos comes to about $10. With this amount in California, you’ll just be scraping by, perhaps just able to afford one Grilled Cheese sandwich, if you’re lucky, with a bottle of Coke. A mention of these price points on Twitter actually made a post go viral. In Mexico, however, this is an amount that can afford you 2 or 3 square meals in a day. The country is also an interesting destination for vegetarians, and they will find great places to eat. And you’ll not just be eating steamed Tacos on the streets, though that may not be a bad choice after all.
- Caution: With high Inflation, Prices Will Rise Quickly
Street food is the cheapest in Mexico. A basket of Tacos, locally known as Tacos de Canasta, may set you back about 20 pesos, and that’s 4 or 5 of them. These filled tortillas are a common sight in Mexico and are driven about on either bicycles or screeching pushcarts or served in the many street stalls that compactly line Mexico’s streets and alleys.
Hole-in-the-wall eating places usually look weird for first-time travelers. But these joints are easy on the pocket and serve fairly decent food. They are great for Tacos and other quick, simple meals like Mexican pork dishes, locally known as cochinita pibil.
There are also many food markets, locally known as mercados. One of the cheapest is Central de Abasto. The food in this market is pleasantly fresh as the produce comes directly from the farmers. You’ll be fine with about 20-40 pesos. With 80, you’ll eat like a Moroccan king. Mercado Medellin in Roma Sur is also a pretty fine place to graze through.
- Location of Medellin Market: Calle Campeche 101, Mexico City 06760 Mexico. A 10-minute walk from Chilpancingo.
- Neighborhood: Cuauhtémoc District.
Still, street food can be a little intimidating. That’s the reason Fondas are also an excellent budget-friendly alternative. These are small restaurants where one person (or two) is in charge of everything: from buying food supplies, cooking, serving customers, and processing payments. A meal, typically Mexican homemade, will set you back about 80 pesos. For a new traveler, just ask any local for directions. The servings are large, filling, and if you get a good one, very delicious—if a little spicy. At that price point, you’ll most likely get some salad, rice, vegetable, or chicken soup, and some pieces of meat.
For those who want a different cuisine environment, there are many pocket-friendly restaurants where one can savor sumptuous meals in a more classy ambiance. El Parnita, on Yucatan Street, serves quality food at unbelievable prices. With 100-150 pesos, you’ll enjoy crisp, tasty tacos in addition to a meal of your choice–and actually get to sit down in a super cool environment. Pali restaurant, located in Colonia del Valle, within the Benito Juarez borough of Mexico City, on Oregon 751, is a vegan’s paradise with unbelievably low prices as well. But while food can be a top attraction, a traveler will ultimately need to travel.
How To Travel For Cheap In Mexico
To travel cheaply, you’ll need to stay in a central location where you’ll not have to spend money commuting. Fortunately, Mexico City has many low-cost accommodation options. And for that, budget travelers may have to opt for basic hostels, not fancy hotels. While hotels can charge anywhere between $40 and $4,000 a night, the charges for most hostels will hover around 300-600 pesos per night. Hostel Mundo Joven Catedral, at the heart of Mexico City, is perfect for its centrality though a little noisy. One room in a 6-bed mixed dormitory goes for $18, or about 320 pesos–including breakfast. From such a central location, many attractions are a walking distance.
For instance, Alameda Central Park is only ten minutes away. The same with Bellas Artes Palace. You can have amazing views of the city from the hostel’s rooftop bar as well. If you’re confident, you can rent a bike for about 370 pesos a week. That translates to just above 50 pesos per day. Otherwise, public transport is also fairly inexpensive. Metro trains charge 5 pesos for a ride. With negligible variations, the same goes for buses and microbuses. Also, instead of taxis or Uber, travelers should consider collectivos, which are shared public vans.
That’s just how a traveler can get by in Mexico City with no more than 200 pesos in his wallet every day.
The Cost Of Living In Mexico
The cost of living in Mexico is, of course, much lower than in the United States (although Mexico is still far from the cheapest country in the world to visit.
According to numbeo.com, 200 Pesos or $10.00 will get a meal at an inexpensive restaurant (ranging from $4.00 to $15.00 and averaging around $7.50 per meal). Some other costs in Mexico to give an idea of the prices there are:
- McMeal: $6.00
- Domestic Beer: $1.95 (0.5 Liter Draught)
- Imported Beer: $3.23 (0.33 Liter Bottle)
- Cappuccino: $2.44
- Local Transport: $0.50 (One-Way Ticket)
- Taxi: $1.00 Per Kilometer
- Apartment Rent: $455 (One Bedroom in City Center)
Not that in times of inflation, all these expenses may change quickly. Also, these are just general expenses for the whole country, and Mexico is a large country. Expenses may vary significantly depending on where one is; e.g., expenses may be significantly higher in Mexico City than in some provincial regions.
200 pesos will gain admission to a couple of archeological sites (e.g., the famous pyramids in the Teotihuacán Archaeological Zone cost 80 pesos).
Pamper Yourself With Manicure And Pedicure
The costs of a hairdresser and pedicure tend to be higher in the U.S. if compared to other countries. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to check those places when visiting countries such as Mexico, as they are more affordable.
The secret is checking non-touristy areas, which is a chance to be immersed in how locals live and their lifestyles. The price in Mexico for a basic manicure costs between 150 and 300 pesos out of upscale or touristy areas, so travelers must search for places where locals go. Of course, the prices can vary depending on the saloon and the services included.
Make Traveling Easier With A SIM Card
While it’s possible to use phone providers abroad, it’s a good idea to purchase a SIM card when visiting Mexico, as the process is simple as they don’t even ask for an ID, and cheap. Upon arrival, major airports, convenience stores, and mobile provider kiosks offer tourist-specific SIM cards. These affordable cards offer local numbers, cost-effective data plans, and convenient communication throughout your stay.
Buying a SIM Card overseas often guarantees better coverage when traveling to multiple cities. Different data plans are available, so travelers can choose what suits them better.
- 200 Mexican Pesos: 3 GB Internet valid for 30 days
- Most popular providers: Telcel, Movistar, AT&T, Virgin Mobile.
Let's Talk About 500 Pesos In Mexico
To travel around Mexico, really the amount needs to be increased. 10 bucks is just too low (especially in these days of hire inflation).
For traveling (even on a backpacker budget), it is perhaps better to consider what 500 pesos (or $25 will buy). That is enough to rent a car for a way (minus non-specified expenses). It is also enough for dormitory accommodation in some of the cheapest hostels in Mexico City for two nights (around $8 per night).
What 500 Pesos Will Buy:
- 2x Nights Cheapest Hostel Accommodation
- 4x McMeals
- 2/3 Of A Tour To Teotihuacán
Alas, Mexico may be cheaper than the United States - but it is still not that cheap. 500 Pesos is still not enough to get a guided tour of Teotihuacán from Getyourguide.com - those tours start at around $35 USD or 675 Pesos.
When planning a trip to Mexico, travelers can also think about what can they buy with $100 in the country. Have fun and be safe!