How much money do I need to live in Mexico? Everything you need to know about the cost of living in Querétaro, Mexico!
One of the reasons I wanted to move to Mexico is the affordable cost of living in Querétaro.
Not only is it a budget-friendly city, but Querétaro also has a high quality of life. It’s frequently recognized as one of the safest cities in the country.
After this post, you will have a complete breakdown of my primary weekly and monthly living expenses including:
- Rent
- Utilities
- Cell phone
- Internet
- Health insurance
- Groceries
- Eating out
In every post I write for this blog, I prioritize transparency and honesty.
Where some people might feel uncomfortable discussing bills and budgets, I understand how important knowing the cost of living is when preparing to move abroad.
At the time of this update (June 2020), the United States dollar is stronger than normal compared to the peso. The costs reflected in this post are for $1 USD = $22.64 MXN.
This post was originally published May 8, 2018, and was updated June 21, 2020.
Cost of Living in Querétaro: Monthly Expenses
For reference, I share a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with my boyfriend, Taylor. We split all the bills and monthly expenses 50/50 which I note throughout the post.
If you’re thinking of moving to Mexico, check out the full (and crazy) story of how we found our apartment in Querétaro.
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How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Querétaro’s centro histórico?
Querétaro is a huge city with many different neighborhoods to offer.
If you’re interested in living in the historic city center of Querétaro, here’s what you can expect to find available and pay.
Curious about how the cost of living in Querétaro compares to Mexico City? Check out this post from Expatistan.
My apartment (it’s more like a house, really) has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an office, a separate dining area and an interior patio.
When we moved in, the apartment wasn’t furnished. Some of our larger purchases included a queen bed, dining room table, fridge, television and sofa set.
The rent is $10,800 MXN (right around $478 USD) per month.
We each pay $5,400 MXN (approximately $239 USD) per month.
For a full apartment tour, follow me on Instagram and check out my IGTV.
Utilities
Since we don’t have central heating or air conditioning, our utility bills stay pretty consistent regardless of the season.
I haven’t looked into this too much, but I actually think the government subsidizes some of these utilities to keep costs down for people who live here.
- Water: $200 MXN ($9 USD)
- Gas: $330 MXN ($15 USD)
- Electricity: $100 MXN ($4 USD)
Monthly utilities: $630 MXN ($28 USD) total; $315 MXN ($14 USD) per person.
Cell phone
As long as you come to Mexico with an unlocked phone, you don’t have to worry about buying a new phone.
All I needed was a Mexican SIM card, which I purchased from AT&T. You can even do this at the Oxxo in the Mexico City airport.
I’ve tried a couple of different plans with AT&T and recommend sticking with pay-as-you-go.
Every 30 days, I go to an Oxxo (Mexico’s version of 7-Eleven) and tell the attendant that I want recargar mi celular (recharge my phone) with $200 MXN.
For around $9 USD, I get 3 GB of data. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Whatsapp and Snapchat don’t count toward my data usage. Unlimited phone calls in Mexico and to the U.S. are also included.
Internet
When we first got to Mexico, Taylor and I were both teaching English online and needed internet that was fast enough to support simultaneous video conferencing.
Even though we’re no longer teaching English online, we still both work from home so a quality internet connection is important.
Our first internet contract was with a company called Megacable. They are a TERRIBLE company.
That’s nearly a universal opinion in Mexico. Just search Megacable on Twitter and read some of the customer service complaints if you don’t believe me.
In Feb. 2020, we switched to Telmex and now pay less for much better service.
We have a fiber-optic connection (150 Mbps download speed). It costs $550 MXN per month ($24 USD).
Dependable infrastructure at an affordable price is one of the reasons I moved to Mexico.
Laundry Service
As I mentioned earlier, our apartment was unfurnished when we moved in. While it does have an oven, we had to buy our fridge and microwave.
To do this day, we don’t have a washing machine.
I took my clothes to a drop-off laundromat in my neighborhood. But, last year, that closed.
I decided to try out a laundry service called Mr. Jeff. The service both picks up and drops your clothes off at your house.
My “membership package” includes four loads per month. Each week, when he drops off our clean clothes, Oscar (our Mr. Jeff) gives us a bag that we can fill with dirty clothes, towels and sheets.
Our arrangement with Mr. Jeff is that he picks up our clothes every Friday and drops them off on Monday. When he brings them back, everything is folded (including my underwear).
The laundry service costs $776 MXN per month. That’s around $34 USD.
Cost of Living in Queréraro: Weekly Expenses
Groceries
We spend between $980 MXN ($43 USD) and $1,270 MXN ($56 USD) per week to feed two people.
Although we started out doing the majority of our shopping at Soriana (a Mexican supermarket) and Walmart, we now buy almost everything from Mercado La Cruz, our neighborhood chicken guy and a veggie delivery service called FreshGoMx.
When you visit, soaking up the sights and smells of Mercado La Cruz is one of the best things to do in Querétaro.
Drinking Water
Very few people in Mexico actually drink the tap water. I brush my teeth with it, but that’s it.
Instead, we buy garrafones (5-gallon jugs) of water from the corner store. Each garrafon costs $43 MXN ($2 USD). We usually go through three a week ($129 MXN/$6 USD).
Querétaro Cost of Living: Other Expenses
Now that I’ve outlined my weekly and monthly expenses, I thought I’d share some other items that people tend to be curious about when inquiring after the cost of living in Querétaro, Mexico.
Eating out
The food is delicious and budget-friendly. In addition to eating out, I also like to order from Uber Eats.
The following approximations are for an individual:
- Breakfast: $113 MXN ($5 USD)
- A few of my favorite spots: Café Breton (And. Libertad 82); El Chamizo (Calle Venustiano Carranza 56).
- Lunch: $115 MXN ($5 USD)
- A few of my favorite spots: La Casita Guerrerense (Calle Independencia 64); Balkan Bistro (Manuel Gutiérrez Nájera 36).
- Dinner: $235 MXN ($10 USD)
- For a nice meal with attentive service, I like Mesón de Chucho el Roto (Pasteur 16, Plaza de Armas). We like to go here for birthdays, date nights and other special occasions.
- Street food: Less than $20 MXN ($1 USD) for individual tacos.
If we sit down somewhere, we always leave a 10-20% tip. For breakfast, the price includes coffee. For lunch and dinner, the price includes an alcoholic beverage.
Drinking
In Mexico, it’s all about the cerveza.
- Bottled domestic beer: $30 MXN ($1 USD)
- Michelada: $45 MXN ($2 USD)
- What is a michelada? Only the best thing ever! It’s a beer prepared with lime juice and assorted sauces and spices. I like mine with Clamato for a fizzy Bloody Mary vibe.
- Mexican craft beer: $60-100 MXN ($3-4 USD)
- Glass of house wine: $60 MXN ($3 USD)
- Mixed drink: $80-120 MXN ($4-6 USD)
A few of my favorite spots: Jardín de Cerveza Hércules (Av. Hércules Ote. 1); El Faro (Manuel Gutiérrez Nájera); Dodo Café (Calle Venustiano Carranza 50); La Celestina (Mariano Matamoros 6).
Health insurance
Between being self-employed, over 26 years of age and living in Mexico on tourist visas, there was no question that we had to seek private healthcare coverage.
Even though we’re not married, Taylor and I were able to get a plan together.
We purchased it with Grupo Nacional Provincial, which is the largest private healthcare provider in Mexico.
My yearly total is $13,282 MXN ($588 USD). Taylor’s is $10,240 MXN ($453 USD).
According to the agent we worked with, my premium is more because I’m of child-bearing age.
Our deductible is $11,000 MXN ($487 USD), and the copay is 10% of the medical services. Dental is included.
Transportation
Since we live in the city center, we walk just about everywhere we need to go.
For longer journeys, we take an Uber. It’s safe and very affordable.
Rides to the bus station or Walmart takes approximately 20 minutes and cost up to $100 MXN ($4 USD) with the tip included.
Travel
Located basically smack dab in the middle of the country, Querétaro is a great base from which to explore Mexico.
The city’s Central de Autobuses connects Querétaro to other cities in the Bajío region, Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and Mexico City.
About 20 miles outside the city center, Querétaro International Airport has daily flights to and from various locations in the United States and Mexico.
- Flight from from Querétaro to Cancun: $1,600 MXN ($70 USD) round-trip.
- Bus from Querétaro to Mexico City International Airport: $413 MXN ($18 USD) each way.
More Posts About the Cost of Living in Querétaro
- The Essential Expat’s Guide for Living in Querétaro
- 9 Things That Are Unbelievably Cheap in Mexico
- Things to Know Before Moving to Mexico
Buy Me a Taco ?: If you found this post helpful, please consider making a donation via PayPal to support future content creation. For as little as $5 USD, you can get me a cold cerveza & a tasy taco!
How much money do you need to live in Mexico?
People often ask me how much money a person needs to live comfortably in Mexico.
Of course, that answer will vary from person to person. It’s possible to live very cheaply in Mexico.
In order to apply for a temporary visa in Mexico, one of the ways you can prove economic solvency is showing that your income is around $1,300 USD per month (after taxes).
Even though it’s possible to live in Mexico for much less, I think that’s a good figure if you’re someone who likes traveling, eating out, shopping and saving a little money to boot.
While Querétaro’s cost of living is very affordable compared to the U.S., it’s far from the cheapest place to live in Mexico. Be sure to check out this roundup of the best places to live in Mexico on a budget.
Are you considering moving to Querétaro, Mexico? Be sure to follow me on Instagram for snippets of my daily life in Querétaro (@alexnotemily)!
great place
Agreed! I’m so happy with my decision to move here! Thank you for taking the time to read 🙂
I’m doing it when my Social security kicks in cost of living in America sucks
Thank you for sharing your insights, I am considering moving there next spring. I’m expact Canadian, currently living in GDL temporary, 5 years in total for Mexico. One question, how hard is it for an Expat to find an apartment. Very challenging in GDL as they want a guarantor from Mexico. Thanks Raymond
Hi Raymond! While apartment hunting in Querétaro, the majority of landlords requested a Mexican guarantor. Fortunately for me, I have an aunt who lives in Querétaro and graciously agreed to sign on my behalf. The search takes time, so I recommend coming to the city and settling into an Airbnb for at least a month. Hope that helps! Feel free to send me an email with any other questions. Thank you for reading!
Alex Wittman recently posted…Quintessential Querétaro: A Day Trip to Bernal
Hi Alex and Raymond,
I also live here in Queretaro with my husband. We didn’t have anyone to vouch for us so we needed to pay an extra 3000 pesos ($150 USD) as an extra deposit. Housing is being built like crazy all over the city so you probabl won’t have a hard time finding a place, just picking the right area for you.
Thanks so much for your input, Tiffany! If I’ve learned one thing while living in Mexico, it’s that if there’s a will, there’s a way! You can find a workaround for pretty much any situation.
Hey Alex! I’m moving to Querétaro in August to work for International House Querétaro. I also teach for VIPKID and I’m from the U.S. I’ll be reading more of your blog posts to learn more about life in Mexico and especially Querétaro. If you have any tips for someone about to move there I would love to hear them!
Hi Gretchen! Sorry it’s taken me a minute to get back to you. I’ve been traveling for the past couple weeks, but I’m back in QRO now! So exciting that you’re moving to Mexico, and wow, in just a few months! I’d love to hear more about your job with International House. If you’re up for it, we should totally get together once you’re all settled in here! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions. I’ll help however I can 🙂 Hmmm a tip for someone getting ready to move here…get used to wearing SPF every day! The sun here is strong! Also, you’ll need a residency card to open a bank account here, so if you don’t plan on getting one, try to find an American bank with low or no ATM fees. Hope that helps!
Alex Wittman recently posted…Mountains, Missions and More: Exploring the Sierra Gorda
Thank you for sharing this information, very helpful and insightful! Want to make a move for a couple of years and been looking at Querétaro!
Hi Tara! Thank you so much for reading, and I am happy you found the content helpful! Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. You can find my information on my contact page. Querétaro is a wonderful city, and I am sure you would be very happy here! Cheers!
Alex,
My wife and I are looking to settle into living in Queretaro, Mexico in the near future.
In order to avoid any ATM fees and conversion fees, I would suggest you look into opening an account with Charles Schwab. No minimum balance required, interest bearing checking account. The way it works on ATM fees is you are charged the fees and Charles Schwab will reimburse all your ATM fees at the end of the month. There are no Conversion fees at all . Last year while my wife and I were visiting Lake Chapala, Charles Schwab refund over $100 in ATM fees. Also you will be reimbursed the ATM fees anywhere in the world. No monthly fees on the checking account.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding Charles Schwab.
Hi Alex, thanks for your comment! I did, in fact, recently open a checking account with Charles Schwab. Super easy, and I’m totally kicking myself for not doing it sooner. Next month, I plan on writing a recap of my first year in Querétaro and will be sure to include this info. Best of luck to your and your wife!
Hey Alex!
I just read your article because my boyfriend and I are thinking about spending a month or so in Queretaro later this year. We are both US citizens but work remotely and live the majoriry of the year outside of the US. Since you mentioned taxes, have you looked into the FEIE tax break? If you spend between 365-330 days outside of the US in a calendar year you pay no income tax on $ made while abroad.
This gives me 35 days in the US this year and ill only pay tax on income i make while in the US.
Just wanted to give you a heads up if you didnt know!
Great read 🙂
Hey Alex!
I read your article because my boyfriend & I are considering spending some time in Queretaro this fall!
We are both US citizens but work remotely & travel full time. Since you mentioned taxes, have you looked into the FEIE tax break? If you spend 330-365 days per year outside of the US then you don’t have to pay any income tax on $$ you make while abroad.
So, for this year i’ll have spent 27 days IN the US and only pay taxes for those 27 days. Saves us a LOT of money and is the main reason we work remotely and stay outside the country.
Thought it might be helpful if you don’t already know 🙂
Great read! Thanks for the info!
Keri
Hi Keri! I actually just looked into the tax break but won’t qualify for it this year as I spent about six weeks in Michigan. It’s something I’m keeping in mind for 2019 though! When you and your boyfriend get to Qro, drop me an email. Maybe we can grab drinks. Let me know if you have any questions about the city! Cheers!
Hi Alex,
My daughter and I are planning a visit to Queretaro in the new year. I have been researching possible locations for my retirement and some of the young engineers from Mexico City that are working temporarily here mentioned this city. Do you know of anyone that runs any sort of relocation tour which would introduce us to the city, real estate for rent, requirements for getting a resident visa, etc… Something that would give us a more in depth look at living in Queretaro?
Thanks for any information you can provide.
Chris Chipps
Hi Chris, thanks for reading! I think you’ll be very pleased with Qro when you get down here in the new year. As far as a relocation tour, I’m not familiar with that kind of service in Qro. If I were you, I’d reach out to the tourism office and see if someone there can put you in touch with the right people. Best of luck, and feel free to reach out with any other questions!
Alex Wittman recently posted…Everything You Must Know About The Camino de Santiago
Thanks for all these helpful insights. I plan to move to Mexico within a year. Queretaro seems to be a nice, not too warm place. Is it green? I don’t want anything like desert. Is it an industrial city? What about pollution, quality of water? Public transportation?
Thank you much for banking advice. I currently have TD Bank, they assured me, they, too, do not charge conversion fee, and reimburse foreign ATM charges.
egr5458@gmail.com If you find time and desire to write to me about anything of QRO or Guanahuato ( which has a cooler climate?), I would be so grateful . How I would like to connect with some single older female expat from any country ( I will be both American and Russian expat). To know more from our age perspective, and about safety of living alone there. Financially I do not need to save, but with safety in mind I’d think about sharing a good rental with a retired or self-employed professional with no addictions, smoking especially.
I hope to get heard.
Hi Eslanda, thank you for reading the blog and taking the time to leave a comment. Because it is located in the central highlands, Querétaro does have a desert climate. It’s hot in the day and cool (sometimes cold) at night. Outside of the rainy season, precipitation is rare. However, there are a few parks in the city that provide green spaces. And, the Sierra Gorda (about four hours from QRO) is quite green in parts. Guanajuato and Querétaro are only a few hours from one another, and therefore, the two have fairly similar climates. As for connecting with other expats, there are several groups in Qro, so I don’t think you will have a problem making new friends. I hope this information is helpful. Best, Alex
Alex Wittman recently posted…How To Learn A Language Online With italki
Hi Alex,
A super big thanks for your site and sharing all this great info. I am interested in what you are doing on several levels. I am an in my early 60s and got the ax recently from my fairly long-term employer. I’m contemplating taking early SS and heading for Queretaro to start a new chapter in my life. It sounds like I should be able to get by on my SS of say around $1500 per month? I also am looking at doing what your are doing, creating a (for me) supplementary mobile income, doing something freelance over the internet. I am interested in the teaching you are doing with the Chinese company, I have a BA in English and MFA in writing so I should be able to handle the teaching English part pretty well.
Any feedback on these plans would be greatly appreciated, for starters thoughts on if I could get by on my $1500 SS monthly income alone?; and if you think I could be able to teach the English online with the Chinese company you’re working for?
Thanks.
Paul
Hi Paul, Thanks for taking the time to read and leave a comment. I’m glad you found the information helpful! I don’t know all the details of your financial situation, but I don’t think it should be difficult to live on your social security here. If you’re interested in VIPKID, I encourage you to apply. The hiring is process is pretty rigorous, as I mentioned in my post. But, there are lots of other online ESL companies you could work for. Check out 51Talk! My boyfriend worked for them and liked the experience. There are also a few English academies in Qro that might be worth looking into. I hope this information helps, and best of luck with this new chapter in your life! Cheers, Alex
You’re welcome. And, Oops, sorry, I just found this earlier post of mine, which I thought disappeared, and I apologize for more or less double posting the same question now on another of your entries. I thought I’d see a “response was made to your message” in my own email if and when you responded, but didn’t so thought my post here was lost.
Thanks for the reply, and again, apologize for double posting more or less the same questions.
I will check out VIPKID, not sure what vigorous means but unless it means I have to already have ESL certification, then yeah, maybe I’ll skip them, and I will also check out 51Talk.
I expect I’ll be opening a Schwab account, too, based on your other post. Thanks!!!
Paul
Great write-up! Excellent information, thank you.
Is it possible to do better than $500/mo. for a 1 bedroom apartment even if it’s away from Centro?
Also, any idea how much Spanish lessons cost?
Thanks in advance.
Brad
Hi,
If everything goes well, I will be moving to Queretaro from India in a couple of months, and my wife will be coming in maybe in another six months. My workplace will be in Carrillo, so wanted to understand what would be a good place to stay.
I am sure I will have plenty of queries going forward – but this is a start!
Thank you in advance
Hi, Anirban. How exciting you and your wife are considering moving to Qro! Personally, I love living in the historic center. Since I don’t have a car, it’s much more convenient. I love being so close to so many cafes and restaurants as well as Mercado La Cruz where we do most of our shopping. I’m not sure what your needs/budget is, but I hope that information helps. All the best, Alex
Hi alexi I’m a bit older I’m thinking of moving to Mexico after living in thailand for the past 25 years the situation here is not that stable I am a american so easy to get a retirement visa . Will they direct deposit ss to a Mexican bank as I haven’t a us bank for a atm as some use I haven’t been back for over 20 years and and will be coming direct to mexico thanks ron
Hi, Ron. If you don’t have it already, I recommend opening a checking account with Charles Schwab. I don’t have a Mexican bank account, but Charles Schwab reimburses me for all ATM fees. It could be the solution you’re looking for! All the best, Alex
Hi Alex.
Great articles. After living in Arizona most of our lives, we’re ready for a break from the summer heat. When you say it is hot, how hot is hot? Is there a city that is safe but at a cooler elevation that you could recommend? I’d love to teach ESL online & have 84 college credits but no degree. I did graduate from a 26 credit translation studies certificate program and have translated several thousand documents from Spanish to English for my employer but am now retired. I speak Spanish at a college level. Suggestions?
Hi, Ron. Thanks for reading my blog! After two years in Qro, I can say I really love the climate here. Winter is absolutely perfect, and really, the only hot HOT months are April and May. After that, the rainy season starts and everything cools down. It sounds like you might be a good fit for private English lessons. You could advertise with flyers around wherever you choose to live in Mexico and find students that way. A lot of people here are eager to learn English. I gave private lessons when I lived in Madrid, and it was a great way to supplement my income. All the best, Alex
I’m getting ready to move to Querétaro to start my own ESL teaching career, and I stumbled across your blog while Googling around for info. I’ve visited Mexico multiple times but know little to nothing about Querétaro. Thanks for all the insight 🙂
Hi Mattie, I’m so glad you found my blog posts helpful! Best of luck to you as you start your new adventure in Qro. Feel free to reach out via the email address on my contact page with any questions! Best, Alex
Alex Wittman recently posted…7 Underrated Cities You Need To Visit In Mexico
I live in CDMX but really enjoyed Queretaro. I am also on a tourist visa, but you can definitely open a bank account. Go with Santander or shop around. I even got my Mexican drivers license through the official office. Just need a statement from your landlord and the final bill not older than 3 months.
Thanks for the info, Stefan! I’m going to look into this! All the best, Alex
Hi! I’m living in Queretaro and I’m having trouble finding an apt of my own. Do you have any tips?
Hi, Yanina! Have you read my post about how I found an apartment in Qro? I recommend hitting the streets and using whatever Spanish you have to ask anyone and everyone if they know of a place for rent. It seems like a lot of the rental market here is purely word of mouth. Good luck!
Hello Alex
I enjoy your blog post very much and thank you so much for the important information, so helpful in living in Queretaro. I am retired in the USA, now living in Puerto Vallarta, but decided to move to Queretaro on May 2021. My daughter 35 years old needs health insurance, like your policy. Would you please send us your angent contact information, web site, email and cell number? We would appreciate your response highly.
Hi, Suzanne! You can send me an email via the address on the “contact me” page under “About Alex.” The company I use is GNP, which is the largest private health provider in Mexico.
Is it cheaper than the US?
Yes, I find the cost of living in Queretaro to be significantly less than the cost of living in the U.S. Thanks for reading!
Hi Alex! I just discovered your blog and YouTube channel today and am loving it! Can you please reply with a link to your health insurance provider? I did a search for Grupo Nacional Provincial, with no luck.. I could only find information on their car insurance.
Thanks for reading, Tani! GNP does provide car insurance, but they also definitely provide healthcare coverage. Here’s the link: https://www.gnp.com.mx/personas/seguro-de-gastos-medicos/cotizador-salud/cotiza-seguro-de-gastos-medicos/#root I plan on doing a video/blog post about health insurance in Mexico, so please let me know if you have any questions! All the best, Alex
Thanks so much for the reply and the link! I’m looking forward to your upcoming post about health insurance. One thing I would like to know more about are the INSABI hospitals/facilities in Queretero.
I will make a note of that, Tani & do my best to get some answers for you!
Wow!! I just did a quote for myself and GNP health insurance is the most expensive quote I have gotten yet. I am 58, but that isn’t that old! My premium would be $1246 CAD a month!! That’s about $996 USD a month. Just for fun I changed my age to 30 and the quote was $310 a month. Still way higher than the $588 USD a year that you pay. Most companies quote me about $500 CAD a month. I don’t get it!
Yikes! Have you talked to an agent from GNP or another insurer yet? Perhaps they can provide a more personalized (and reasonable) quote.
Hi Alex, I enjoy reading your articles about your experiences and living in Mexico. I have never been to Mexico before but currently live in Santa Rosa, California and considering moving to Mexico. I watch one episode of house hunters international in which a couple moved to Queretaro, never heard of it but felt like it’s the city for me. I don’t like heavy tourist areas, and l’m interested in immersing myself in the culture. Are there established realtors in the area that one can work with regarding accommodation?
Yes, there are! I recommend reaching out to Ivonne Pavaan at Host Relocation: http://hostrelocation.com.mx/
We lived in the D.F. (Mexico City) from 2002-2007. We visited Queretaro twice during that time. My husband said he would love to move there if we ever returned. It was such a peaceful town.
With the current drug wars climate in Mexico, how safe would you say is it to live in Queretaro now?
Thank you for the insightful post!
Queretaro has a solid reputation for being one of the safest cities in Mexico.