Oaxaca
Mexico's culinary heart at below-average prices.
A day in Oaxaca
$89
- Lean
- $40
- Comfort
- $208
Real change, 12 months
+1.4%
Flat. Tracks Mexico as a whole.
Against the rest of Mexico
−10%
Cheaper than the national figure of $99 a day.
The short answerIn US dollars, as of November 12, 2026
As of November 12, 2026, a mid-range day in Oaxaca costs about $89 per person, excluding flights: about 10% less than the average for Mexico. Prices for US-dollar travelers are about where they were a year ago in real terms. Mexico's culinary heart at below-average prices.
What your money buys in Mexico
Exchange rates and inflation are national, so the city follows this line. The dashed line is the exchange rate alone; the solid line is after inflation.
Nov 12, 2026After inflation 106.2Exchange rate only 108.7
Oaxaca, in five questions
City costs are the national model scaled by a premium of −10% that we set by hand. To cite: “Trip Arbitrage (triparbitrage.com), reading of November 12, 2026.”
- How much does a day in Oaxaca cost?
- About $40 on a lean budget, $89 mid-range and $208 in comfort, per person per day as of November 12, 2026, excluding international flights. These are modeled estimates: the national figure for Mexico, updated daily, scaled by a city premium.
- Is Oaxaca expensive compared with the rest of Mexico?
- Oaxaca costs about 10% less than the national average for Mexico, which is $99 a day mid-range. Mexico's culinary heart at below-average prices.
- Is Oaxaca cheaper to visit than last year?
- The exchange rate moved +1.7% for US-dollar holders over twelve months while prices in Mexico rose +3.8%, a real change of +1.4%. City prices broadly follow the country.
- When is the best time to visit Oaxaca for lower prices?
- For Mexico the shoulder months, with workable weather and lower prices, are May, October. Peak season is November, December, January, February, March, April.
- Is Oaxaca safe?
- The US State Department rates Mexico at Level 2: Increased caution. Country-wide levels can hide large differences between cities and regions, so read the full advisory.