There’s not a lot of information out there about the cost of living in Mexico, especially in Oaxaca. When I first moved to Oaxaca, I used my budgeting tracker [download my free travel itinerary and budget tracker here] to track all my expenses for the first 3 months, so that I could break down the cost of living and basic things. Now, I’ve put it all together in one quick and easy place for you. Here’s how much money you need to live in Oaxaca, Mexico!
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Accommodation + WiFi & Utilities
My place is a 3-story house with 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, an office, a rooftop terrace, a small patch of grass for a backyard, and located at the top of a very very steep hill a 15-minute drive outside of Oaxaca Centro. My rent is $325 USD or $6,500 MXN and includes all utilities and WiFi. When I first moved in, I lived here solo for 2.5 months, it was blissful but after a while I got roommates.
House Cleaner
When living abroad, it’s quite typical to have a house cleaner but the services they provide vary. My house cleaner comes twice a week for $50 USD or $1,000 MXN.
Laundry
One of my least favorite things to do is laundry, so having someone else do my laundry is a huge pro for me! I send my laundry away about twice a month for clothes, bedding, and towels and it’s about $17 USD or $340 MXN.
Laundry Pickup Recommendation: Lavanderia Victoria on WhatsApp: +52 951 149 4924
Filtered Water
Filtered water is a must in Mexico and I go through at least (1) 5-gallon jug per week. Each jug is $1.10 USD or $22 MXN.
Groceries
I typically get fresh fruits and vegetables for the week from the market for about $10 USD or $200 MXN and then go to the grocery store for certain items once a month which is about $40 USD or $800 MXN. Totaling about $100 USD or $1,996 MXN for the month.
Eating Out
The food scene in Oaxaca ranges from extremely cheap street food (.50 cent USD or $11 MXN for a taco) to fancy dinners ($45 USD or $898 MXN for a 5-course meal) and everything in between. In a typical month, I spend about $200 USD or $3,993 MXN for eating out including beverages at cafes I work at.
Language Lessons
Learning the local language is super important. In addition to my Duolingo practice, I hired a private Spanish tutor twice a week for 90 minutes each class and it costs me $72 USD or $1,437 MXN.
Transportation
Walking around Oaxaca is one of my favorite things, so I rarely use transportation. It’s mainly Didi (similar to Uber ride-sharing) for nighttime and my private driver that picks me up from the airport. Some months when I’m traveling more and back and forth from the airport, it’s a bit more but on average I spend $50 USD or $998 MXN.
Gym Membership
The multi-functional gym that I go to has 1-hour classes Monday-Friday and monthly gym membership costs $20 USD or $400 MXN. There are also rooftop yoga classes that I attend every once in a while and they are $4 USD or $80 MXN per 90-minute class.
Hair Cut
For a women’s haircut at a general salon, it is $17 USD or $350 MXN and for a man’s haircut, it’s $10 USD or $199 MXN.
Salon Recommendation: Chulada Beauty Room on WhatsApp +52 951 292 3591
Nails
A manicure is about $15 USD or $300 MXN and a pedicure is $25 USD or $500 MXN and nail techs can either come to your house or you can book an appointment via WhatsApp to go to the salon.
Waxing
It’s quite common for an esthetician to come to your home which is super convenient, pricing varies a little between in the salon but on average, an eyebrow or upper-lip wax is $5 USD or $100 MXN, a Brazilian wax is $25 USD or $500 MXN, leg waxing is $28 USD or $550, and underarm waxing is $10 USD or $220 MXN.
Facial
Depending on the type of facial you’re getting, they can range from $200 USD or $400 MXN to $40 USD or $800 MXN.
Spa Recommendation: Mami Chula on WhatsApp +52 951 581 4073
Lashes
Lash lifts and lash extensions range between $17 USD or $350 MXN and $25 USD or $500 MXN and can both be done in the salon or at your house.
Spa Recommendation: Mami Chula on WhatsApp +52 951 581 4073
Botox
The way Botox is priced is a bit different. In the United States, it’s normally $9-$14 USD per unit and roughly $500 USD or $9,985 MXN every 3-4 months. In Mexico, it’s per bottle which is $340 USD or $6,800 MXN and is usually split between 2 people. That means you’re only paying roughly $165 USD or $3,295 MXN.
Recommendation: Carolina on WhatsApp +52 951 228 0106
Read more about my Botox experience here
Dentist
There are plenty of dentists in Oaxaca that are fluent in English and provide the same services as in the United States. General cleaning is about $25 USD or $500 MXN and teeth whitening is $50 USD or $1,000 MXN per session.
Dentist Recommendation: Emilio Cortés on WhatsApp +52 951 129 5443
Optometrist
To go in for an eye check-up and receive a prescription, it’s about $5 USD or $100 MXN. A new pair of frames is $25 USD or $500 MXN.
iPhone Repair
The most recommended shop in Oaxaca for Apple product repairs is Mac Luis. Prices are typically half of what they would cost in the US at an Apple Store.
Mac Luis on WhatsApp +52 951 105 7298
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Are there any other expenses you’re curious about in Oaxaca or Mexico? Drop a comment and let me know!
