Travel Cheap in Mexico

Hostel Villa Colonial in Zacatecas

With the prices of gas so high, we could all use a good cheap vacation. Budget travel is fun. When you travel cheap, you meet interesting people from all over the world and you also tend to interact more with the Mexicans. Mexico is not extremely cheap like India or Thailand but it is not really expensive either. It is a mid-range country where you can easily travel from place to place on $50 a day. If you want to stay in one place for a month you can to it on $700 to $1000 a month without any problem. Actually, you can do it alot cheaper if you are creative.

Where to begin?

If you don't have a passport, get one. If you are a US citizen apply right away because there is a huge backlog and it takes several months. Passports are required to re-enter the US by plane and will soon be required at all border crossings. Next step - pick up a map of Mexico and a copy of the Lonely Planet. This is the backpacker's bible because is contains a good selection of budget accommodations and detailed information on transportation - how to get from point A to point B. A friend of mine once said if she lost her Lonely Planet she would have to go home. That is how important it is. Try to get someone to go with you so you and cut the cost of accomodation in half.

Transportation

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First of all, don't drive. Remember we are trying to escape those high gas prices! Besides that, the tolls are ridiculously high. You don't need a car in Mexico because they have good public transportation. If you live in a border area, take the bus and stop at places along the way. Expect to pay around $50 US for a day's bus trip. There are also budget airlines in Mexico worth considering - but many flights require you to transfer in Mexico City. If you live far from the border, look for a good cheap charter flight to one of the major tourist resorts like Puerto Vallarta or Cancun and take off from there. Look on the internet or the travel section of the Sunday papers for cheap flights.

Accommodations

Expect to pay $30 to $50 a night for a double. There aren't many youth hostels in Mexico but there are a few. Where you can really save money is with monthly rentals (often called bungalows). In many places you can get a good monthly rental for $250 to $400 a month. I even know of a little room close to the beach for $100 month. Some people camp on the beach, but be sure to ask about safety concerns before you do this. If you hang around long enough you might get offered a job house sitting or dog sitting and some of these places are quite luxurious. Some people get jobs managing a few bungalows and get free rent this way.

Food

The food in Mexico is fabulous and there is nothing better than a good Mexican breakfast of eggs, beans and tortillas. This would cost between $2 and $5 depending on where you are. Every town has a traditional market and you can get a cheap breakfast there along with fresh squeezed juices. The markets also serve tortas - a sandwich on a Mexican roll and these run less than $2. And of course you can buy your own food. The markets open early in the morning but close by mid-afternoon. Mexico has wonderful tropical fruits - papayas, mangos, bananas and pineapples along with imported oranges and apples. Some people are afraid of eating street food. I eat it all the time. This way you can see in advance what you are getting. Some places load up on the grease so watch out. If you are traveling cheap, tacos, tortas, fruit, and eggs will get you a long way.

Working?

What about making money in Mexico? It is of course illegal to work on a tourist visa but some tourists pick up a little extra cash selling pastries or chocolates, teaching English or Yoga, or giving massage. If you don't compete with the Mexicans there probably won't be any problem.

Where to go

Mexico is such a wonderful place there are no end of places to go. For a real adventure take the train through Copper Canyon. When you get to Creel, Casa Maria is very reasonable and includes meals. For a beach adventure, try San Blas. If you look around you can still rent a bungalow for $400 or less a month complete with peeling paint. For a colonial adventure try Zacatecas. There is a youth hotel there called Villa Colonial that is very reasonable. Then travel on to Guanajuato, another beautiful silver mining city. I haven't been there but I have heard San Cristobol in Chiapis is quite nice. Really the list could go on forever.

Diary of a Housesitter

Budget Travel Hostels & Hotels

by Pat Cordes