Cost Of Living For a Student in Cancun 2024
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: MXN
Average monthly spending for students in Cancun
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Cancun?
Students in Cancun spend around 32,000 MXN per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 4,900 MXN or as high as 210,000 MXN. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Cancun
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
| 410 MXN | 610 MXN | 2,400 MXN |
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 140,000 MXN | 280,000 MXN | 370,000 MXN |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
| 440 MXN | 670 MXN | 1,300 MXN |
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
| 190 MXN | 1,300 MXN | 8,400 MXN |
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
| 220 MXN | 370 MXN | 1,100 MXN |
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
| 530 MXN | 670 MXN | 1,300 MXN |
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
| 370 MXN | 510 MXN | 1,700 MXN |
Woman shoes
| 350 MXN | 480 MXN | 1,100 MXN |
Men's shoes
Men suit
| 330 MXN | 420 MXN | 2,200 MXN |
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 5,600 MXN | 8,300 MXN | 22,000 MXN |
1-bedroom apartment
| 8,300 MXN | 13,000 MXN | 33,000 MXN |
2-bedroom apartment
| 11,000 MXN | 17,000 MXN | 44,000 MXN |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 1.1M MXN | 1.7M MXN | 3.3M MXN |
1-bedroom apartment
| 1.3M MXN | 2.2M MXN | 8.3M MXN |
| $79,000 | $130,000 | $490,000 |
2-bedroom apartment
| 2.2M MXN | 6.7M MXN | 13M MXN |
| $130,000 | $390,000 | $790,000 |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
| 5,500 MXN | 6,900 MXN | 9,200 MXN |
Double Bed
| 3,700 MXN | 5,500 MXN | 6,900 MXN |
Single Bed
| 3,300 MXN | 4,300 MXN | 5,500 MXN |
Living Room
| 6,200 MXN | 7,900 MXN | 28,000 MXN |
Dining Table
| 2,800 MXN | 3,700 MXN | 6,900 MXN |
Sofa or Couch
| 3,700 MXN | 5,000 MXN | 11,000 MXN |
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
| 3,700 MXN | 5,500 MXN | 11,000 MXN |
Fridge or Freezer
| 3,300 MXN | 5,000 MXN | 6,900 MXN |
Washing Machine
| 4,300 MXN | 6,200 MXN | 11,000 MXN |
Stove or Cooker
| 4,000 MXN | 5,000 MXN | 6,900 MXN |
Mobile Phone
| 4,600 MXN | 5,500 MXN | 7,900 MXN |
Laptop or Computer
| 5,000 MXN | 6,200 MXN | 11,000 MXN |
How do students spend their money in Cancun?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost19%
19% of total expenses on average (14% to 25%)
| LOW | $69 1,200 MXN |
| AVERAGE | $450 7,600 MXN |
| HIGH | $3,000 51,000 MXN |
| Per Month |
Students in Cancun typically spend from 14% to 25% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 19% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 7,600 MXN with expenditure ranging from 1,200 MXN to 51,000 MXN. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities6%
6% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $11 190 MXN |
| AVERAGE | $75 1,300 MXN |
| HIGH | $500 8,400 MXN |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Cancun ranges from 4% to 10% of total expenses with 6% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 1,300 MXN with 190 MXN and 8,400 MXN being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel5%
5% of total expenses on average (5% to 11%)
| LOW | $20 340 MXN |
| AVERAGE | $130 2,200 MXN |
| HIGH | $870 15,000 MXN |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 340 MXN to 15,000 MXN in a month on commuting with 2,200 MXN being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 5% of total spending on average but can go as low as 5% or as high as 11%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost22%
22% of total expenses on average (16% to 26%)
| LOW | $57 970 MXN |
| AVERAGE | $370 6,300 MXN |
| HIGH | $2,500 42,000 MXN |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Cancun is 6,300 MXN. The cost of groceries can range between 970 MXN to 42,000 MXN. Students spend on average about 22% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 16% and 26% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare8%
8% of total expenses on average (5% to 11%)
| LOW | $17 290 MXN |
| AVERAGE | $110 1,900 MXN |
| HIGH | $750 13,000 MXN |
| Per Month |
Students in Cancun allocate 5% to 11% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 8%. The range of medical expenses range from 290 MXN to 13,000 MXN with 1,900 MXN being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping3%
3% of total expenses on average (2% to 7%)
| LOW | $14 240 MXN |
| AVERAGE | $93 1,600 MXN |
| HIGH | $620 11,000 MXN |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 240 MXN to 11,000 MXN with 1,600 MXN being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 7% of total expenses with an average of 3% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling19%
19% of total expenses on average (12% to 24%)
| LOW | $54 920 MXN |
| AVERAGE | $350 6,000 MXN |
| HIGH | $2,400 40,000 MXN |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 19% of the monthly expenditure of students with 12% and 24% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 6,000 MXN per month with 920 MXN being the minimum spent amount and 40,000 MXN being the maximum.
Other Expenses18%
18% of total expenses on average (12% to 24%)
| LOW | $43 730 MXN |
| AVERAGE | $280 4,800 MXN |
| HIGH | $1,900 32,000 MXN |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Cancun
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Cancun?
Around 83% of surveyed students think that living in Cancun is affordable with proper budgeting while 17% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Low-cost alternatives in Cancun
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options71%
Few low-cost options29%
Based on the survey, 71% of the students living in Cancun have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 29% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Cancun whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes82%
No18%
Based on the survey, 18% of the students living in Cancun said that they don't have an emergency fund while 82% said that they do.
Financial Literacy in Mexico
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy65%
We asked student guardians and parents in Cancun whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 35% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 65% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of Mexico have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 28% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 72% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance28%
Easily manages finances72%
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Cancun
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Cancun
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 5,600 MXN | 8,300 MXN | 22,000 MXN |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 8,300 MXN | 13,000 MXN | 33,000 MXN |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 11,000 MXN | 17,000 MXN | 44,000 MXN |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 13,000 MXN | 22,000 MXN | 61,000 MXN |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 27,000 MXN | 67,000 MXN | 130,000 MXN |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 22,000 MXN | 33,000 MXN | 95,000 MXN |
House monthly rent cost
| 27,000 MXN | 67,000 MXN | 130,000 MXN |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 33,000 MXN | 83,000 MXN | 130,000 MXN |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Cancun ranges between 5,600 MXN and 22,000 MXN, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 8,300 MXN to 33,000 MXN. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 11,000 MXN and 44,000 MXN per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 13,000 MXN to 61,000 MXN. The average rent of a townhouse in Cancun is around 33,000 MXN while house rental costs can be as high as 67,000 MXN per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 33,000 MXN to 130,000 MXN per month.
Apartment and house prices in Cancun
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 1.1M MXN | 1.7M MXN | 3.3M MXN |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 1.3M MXN | 2.2M MXN | 8.3M MXN |
| $79,000 | $130,000 | $490,000 |
2-bedroom apartment price
| 2.2M MXN | 6.7M MXN | 13M MXN |
| $130,000 | $390,000 | $790,000 |
3-bedroom apartment price
Townhouse price
House price
Villa price
The average price of a studio apartment in Cancun can range from 1.1M MXN to 3.3M MXN depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 1.3M MXN to 8.3M MXN. A villa can cost you 74M MXN on average with prices ranging from 13M MXN to 110M MXN.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Cancun will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 51 | x149 monthly income | 256 |
Property prices in Cancun can be x149 to x256 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x149 multiples of the average monthly salary in Cancun.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Cancun is around 39%. This means that people pay 39% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 27% to 51% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
36% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
| 97 MXN | 1,300 MXN | 13,000 MXN |
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Cancun
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Cancun
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
| 190 MXN | 1,300 MXN | 8,400 MXN |
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
| 220 MXN | 370 MXN | 1,100 MXN |
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 1,300 MXN. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 280 MXN to 740 MXN with 550 MXN being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 370 MXN but can range between 220 MXN and 1,100 MXN depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Cancun is around 5.9%. This means that people pay 5.9% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 2.4% to 11% depending on salary and location.
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Cancun
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Cancun
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Cancun is approximatly 110 MXN with meal cost ranging from 55 MXN to 180 MXN. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 200 MXN and 610 MXN with 310 MXN being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Cancun.
Fine dining meal for one price
| 410 MXN | 610 MXN | 2,400 MXN |
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 410 MXN to 2,400 MXN with the average cost being 610 MXN for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Cancun.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Cancun is around 74 MXN. Price ranges between 46 MXN and 110 MXN depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Cancun is 44 MXN. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 55 MXN and the minimum being 37 MXN depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 37 MXN on average with 28 MXN and 55 MXN being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Cancun is between 63 MXN and 120 MXN depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 81 MXN.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 110 MXN. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Cancun costs around 41 MXN on average with prices rangeing between 30 MXN and 58 MXN depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 11 MXN to 28 MXN. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 26 MXN on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio
( monthly grocery expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average grocery-to-income ratio in Cancun is around 30%. This means that students spend 30% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 20% to 37% depending on salary and location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 970 MXN to 42,000 MXN with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
