With a population of 22 million, Mexico City is one of the biggest cities in the world, which means there is something for EVERYONE there. It was founded about 500 years ago by Spanish conquistadors on the site of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec Capital, and is 2,200 metres (6,500 feet) above sea level. It’s so high up that lots of people even report getting altitude sickness there. This also means it gets a bit chilly at night so bring a jumper or coat. It was built on a lake which means the city is slowly sinking, some parts as much as 10cm (4 inches) a year, and you can actually see some of the buildings (the Cathederal for example) tilting. This blog post will go through everything you need to know when visiting Mexico City on a Budget
How to get to Mexico City
FLY TO MEXICO CITY
If you’re coming from either coast, your best bet is to fly. We got flights for 30€ but then had to add bags on for an extra €20. Mexico city would also be a great place to start your Mexico backpacking trip. Once you arrive, an Uber into the city centre should cost anywhere between 100 and 200 pesos (€4.2-€8.4) depending on the time of day. I recommend using KIWI.COM to find the best deal!
BUS TO MEXICO CITY
If you’re coming from the other side of Mexico you can get an Ado bus from Oaxaca (about 600 pesos – €25) and takes about 7 hours. You can get busses from any of the major cities that surround Mexico City.
Getting around Mexico City
BUS AND TRAIN IN MEXICO CITY
Mexico city has great bus and train systems that are one of the cheapest in the world (5 pesos or 20 cent per trip) and supposedly quite safe (lots of police and guards) as long as you have your wits about you and watch your pockets. Google maps will tell you easily how to get from one place to another too which is so handy.
UBER AROUND MEXICO CITY
To be quite honest we never got the bus or train because the Ubers were so quick and cheap. If we had had more time to explore public transport would have been a better option but because we only had a few days and limited time, Uber made the most sense. It took half the time and never cost more than a few euros to cross the city. It’s also the safest way to travel around, particularly at night.
Where to Stay in Mexico City
I always recommend booking through BOOKING.COM. It gives you so much flexibility, with free cancellation and no deposits, which is essential when backpacking as your plans change so much!
Hostel Suites DF: This was a great hostel in an amazing and in such a safe location. We got a private room for €20 and it was great. They do free breakfast and also have an amazing terrace where you can drink your own drink and the music goes until 1 am. Not the best place to stay if you’re looking for a really good night’s sleep as the music can be quite loud, but apart from that I loved it.
Casa Pepe: Probably the most popular, boutique hostel with a great bar. Prices are a little more expensive (€17 a night for a dorm) but it has an amazing atmosphere and really nice rooms.
Where to Eat in Mexico City
5 Caudillos: Not the best food i’ve tried but worth visiting for the atmosphere and the prices. Pretty much every meal was 60 pesos (€2.5) and there was live music and everybody was up dancing. It was a 2 minute walk from our hostel (Hostel DF Suites).
Black Burger: We actually got this as a delivery via the food delivery app ‘Rappi’ to our hostel, and it was AMAZING. Best veggie burger I had in a while.
La Pitahaya Vegana: Vegan tacos in Roma Norte. Not the cheapest but really delicious (and the tacos are pink which is fun).
Croasan: Go here for breakfast when you go to the Frida Kahlo museum! It’s a two minute walk and I got the most delicious mushroom toast and a green juice for 120 pesos (€5).
Mercado de Coyacán: Big market beside the Frida Kahlo Museum. All the food inside is so good and so cheap.
Where to Drink in Mexico City
Casa Pepe Bar: If you want to meet people, Casa Pepe is great for going to meet other backpackers.
Pulquería El Templo se Diana Mx: Sells all sorts of Pulque. Pulque is a traditional drink made out of agave (the same thing tequila is made out of) that has a nearly sour smoothie like consistency. We went to this Pulquería on our way back from Xochimilco (it was maybe 10 minutes by Uber) and it was so cool. We tried so many different flavours (I personally loved banana) and all the pulques were 35 pesos (€1.5).
Departamento: Nightclub that is supposed to be quite good on the weekend (we didn’t make it there) with good music.
What to do in Mexico City
XOCHIMICLO: My favourite thing we did in Mexico City. Go to Xochimilco and go on a trajinera (boat) trip around the canals. Try to go with a group to make it as budget friendly as possible. I have a full blog post in detail of how to get there and breakdown of prices here.
FRIDA KAHLO HOUSE: Book a ticket online to skip the queues and get a better price. The museum is in the house she grew up in and lived in with Diego Rivera, Casa Azul (blue house) and is so beautiful and interesting. We booked through https://www.boletosfridakahlo.org/ and the tickets were 250 pesos (€10) for foreigners. It’s cheaper to go if you go Tues-Fri, and it’s also only 50 pesos with a valid student card.
MUSEO DE BELLAS ARTES: Most museums are free on Sundays, so it’s worth trying to fit in a few while you’re there if you happen to pass by on a Sunday. The Museo de Bellas Artes is in one of the most beautiful big buildings in the city, and is home to incredible murals and has a huge Diego Rivera collection.
MUSEO NACIONAL DE ANTROPOLOGÍA: (Anthropology Museum). Also free on Sundays! (80 pesos normally). Huge and takes hours to see it all, full of exhibitians about indigenous cultures. Home to the Aztec sun stone (12 foot Aztec Calendar.)
FREE BIKE RIDE AROUND THE CITY: Free bikes are available between 8:00am and 2:00pm on Sundays at a booth on the north end of Glorieta de la Palma. It’s first come first served and you need to take some ID. Paseo de la Reforma is closed off from cars until 2pm so it’s super safe to cycle around.
VISIT THE CATHEDERAL: Mexico City Metropolitan Cathederal is right beside the beautiful Zocalo Square. It is the biggest Cathederal in the Americas. It is free in and massive. You can see cracks where it is sinking, and it’s at an uneven tilt – it’s worth checking it out before it is damaged beyond repair from sinking. It is covered in gold more so than any European Cathederal I have ever seen. You can even go to mass here (no pictures allowed during mass though.)
HOT AIR BALLOON: Not a budget activity by any means but one of the most magical experiences of my life. We flew over the Teotihuacan Pyramids at sunrise. Full price breakdown and review in this blog post.
TEOTIHUACÁN: Ancient Pyramids that no one knows the exact origin of. Entrance to the site costs 80 pesos (€3). You can get to Teotihuacán without a tour by getting the public bus which costs about 106 pesos for a round trip (€4.5) and goes from the Autobuses del Norte bus station and going to puerta 8. You could also get an Uber but its a long journey so won’t be cheap. (More info in the Instagram post linked below!)
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[…] gardens’ of Xochimilco is, in my opinion, a must do in your trip to Mexico City. (Check out my blog post on Mexico City here!) Some go as far as to call the place the Venice of Mexico (which is a bit of a stretch but I can see […]
[…] Looking for more things to do while in Mexico City? Check out my Mexico City Budget Travel Guide! […]