🇲🇽 Mexico travel essentials
Everything you need to plan a trip to Mexico — climate, currency, packing essentials, public holidays, voltage and plug types, and what locals actually wear.
Top cities in Mexico
Local style + dress code
CDMX is at 2,240m — cool evenings even in summer. Smart-casual; locals dress up. Centro Histórico is cobblestoned.
Dress code: smart casual
Public holidays in Mexico
Plan around national holidays — many businesses close, transport gets busier, and prices for flights/hotels can spike.
Money & currency
The Mexican Peso (MXN, symbol MX$) is the official currency. Live exchange rates are updated daily.
Cost of living & travel — Cancún
Estimated daily budgets per person across three travel tiers. Lodging assumes single occupancy or shared dorm; food covers 3 meals + a coffee/drink; transit covers metro and short rides; activities cover one paid attraction per day.
| Per person per day | 🎒 Budget | 🏨 Mid-range | 🥂 Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lodging | $30 | $110 | $320 |
| Food | $18 | $50 | $135 |
| Transit | $5 | $12 | $45 |
| Activities | $20 | $50 | $110 |
| Daily total | $73 | $222 | $610 |
Estimates as of 2025-2026, in USD per person. Actual spend varies with season, neighborhood, and trip style.
Visas & entry rules
Top-passport entry rules for Mexico — quick reference, but always confirm with the destination's official consulate before booking flights:
| Passport | Rule | Stay | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 US passport | Visa-free | up to 180 days | — |
| 🇬🇧 UK passport | Visa-free | up to 180 days | — |
| 🇪🇺 EU passport | Visa-free | up to 180 days | — |
| 🇨🇦 Canadian passport | Visa-free | up to 180 days | — |
| 🇦🇺 Australian passport | Visa-free | up to 180 days | — |
Last reviewed 2025-2026. Visa rules change with little notice; this table is informational and not legal advice.
Plan a trip to Mexico
Use one of our planning tools to figure out exactly when and how to go:
What to pack
Each city has month-by-month packing lists computed from local climate data — temperatures, rainfall, peak hazard seasons, and Mexico's dress code.