BIG UPDATE: On December 31st, 2020…we decided to embrace the uncertainty that we all became accustomed to in 2020 and indefinitely relocate to Mexico! We flew from Atlanta and arrived in Cancún at around 9 pm, just in time to bring in the New Year! We’re going to be posting a lot about this experience so make sure to follow along on our social media sites (links at the bottom). In this blog, we just wanted to cover the basics involving costs, logistics, and how the situation has changed with the pandemic and also answer the questions we’ve been getting the most so far.
Why Mexico? So many reasons! But let’s be real- the biggest reason is that Mexico is open and extremely accessible for those of us that live in the US. Besides that the weather, culture, history, amazing food scene, and beautiful scenery make Mexico the best travel destination right now! We had been in Mexico several times before, once in Baja California (Tijuana) in 2018 and also to Quintana Roo (Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Chetumal) in 2018. We absolutely love the country, despite having seen so little of it, and were eager to explore more.
What has Covid-19 changed? Quite a lot actually since the pandemic started, but it’s still fairly easy to safely travel in 2021.
Our flight on December 31st was our first international flight since the first week of March, 2020. When we flew from NYC>Madrid, Madrid>Marrakesh and back. Not a lot has changed at the airports since then. You can still expect lots of notices and safety warnings about the virus by various outlets like emails and text messages from your airline. You’ll also likely get a prompt to sign off on while you’re printing boarding passes that state you’re aware of any possible travel restrictions and that you agree to wear a mask. Beyond that, you will of course have to wear a mask through the whole process and middle seats on the plane are left empty. However, couples flying together and friends can simply move into the empty seats beside each other. Currently, on short flights, many airlines are not offering meals or drink services. We flew with Delta and they provided a free snack bag for everyone. (It included hand sanitizer, sanitary wipes, crackers, cookies, bottled water, etc). No drink services were offered, but luckily it was a short flight! The change that affected us the most was that a majority of restaurants and stores were still closed in the Atlanta airport, and apparently this is common for other airports as well so make sure to eat a good meal before heading out! Especially if you’ve got a lengthy flight.
Despite us being extremely hungry by the time we reached Cancún, the changes at the airport were honestly really insignificant and for us, were nothing that couldn’t be fixed with a quick taco binge-eating session. 😉 However, in Mexico there are quite a few changes and the virus is taken quite seriously. Here’s a few examples of that: Both the Q. Roo and Yucatán states have many restaurants that still do not have dine in, they will check your temperatures upon entering any establishment as well as give you hand sanitizer. In Cancún, roughly 50% of people overall wore masks on the street (albeit that percentage was much lower in the touristy Hotel Zone compared to downtown).
The Yucatán State is where we’ve been since January 2nd, specifically the small colonial city of Valladolid and the covid precautions here are more serious than in Cancún. More than half of restaurants do not offer dine in. Many stores will allow only one person per party to enter, while some convenience stores will not allow you to enter at all, they’ll simply get what you need from outside. All stores check temperatures, give hand sanitizer, have a sanitization mat for your shoes, and many will even spray you down with sanitizer as you walk in. On top of that, around 99% of people on the streets here in Valladolid are masked at all times.
Although Mexico is currently not requiring a negative PCR test to enter, we personally got one to be sure we were not spreading it around.
*It’s important to note that these things can and do change constantly, and in future blogs we’ll do our best to keep you updated but always do your own research relevant to your exact time of travel. An example of this is that starting January 27th, 2021, ALL passengers coming back into the US will be required to show a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours BEFORE they board their flight home.
What are the flight prices like? Not as good as they were in the beginning of the pandemic, but still not bad! We paid $120 for a one way, direct flight from Atlanta with Delta. Spirit had them for under $100 with a layover, but it wasn’t worth it for us since we were bringing so many bags, we would have spent the extra $30-40 saved in bag fees anyway. Some friends of ours who just flew from Atlanta-Cancun last week round trip with Delta paid about $240 for a direct flight. Prices obviously vary depending on what day you’re booking and how far in advance, but this gives you a general idea.
Other Costs: We’ve been averaging $25 USD (493 Mexican pesos) a night at hotels and Airbnb’s. Basic accommodations with AC, WI-FI, and a clean and comfortable bed. You can spend more or less than this depending on how you travel. For instance in Cancún, if you want to stay on the beach in the Hotel Zone…expect $50-200 USD per night, on the flip side if you stay outside of downtown you could easily get accommodation for $10-15. We stayed in the heart of downtown Cancún at a place called Hotel Carrillo’s for $25 USD and had no complaints. There was even a swimming pool there!
Staying downtown is a big way to save because the public transportation buses ‘R1’ and ‘R2’ run CONSTANTLY (about every 5-10 minutes) back and forth between the hotel zone and downtown at a cost of only $0.60 USD (12 pesos), for one way fare and it’s about a 15 minute ride each way.
It can also be cheaper to book Airbnb’s if you’re staying long term. For example, here in Valladolid, we paid an average of $19 USD a night for a 3 bedroom Colonial style house located within walking distance to the city center. (With an orange and lemon tree in the backyard!) Thanks to a nice monthly discount. Many Airbnb’s also offer weekly discounts so be sure to check that out!
Meals at an average sit-in restaurant have been averaging about $5 USD per entrée. We’ve been told that as tourism keeps picking back up, things are getting back to a similar price that they were pre-covid. If anything, we’ve actually been spending a bit more here than we did back in 2018. That’s because we aren’t really negotiating with taxi drivers as much and are leaving larger than usual tips. Just as a personal choice since tourism was basically non-existent here for so long recently.
Anything else? If there’s anything we didn’t cover here that you have questions about, feel free to reach out to us and ask! We’d be happy to help. We’ve got lots of content coming, all about being expats in Mexico in 2021. Including what we do for money here, what there is to do and see in Mexico (hint- there’s a LOT!), and more! Make sure to follow us on any of our platforms. We’ll leave some links below as well as other helpful links that can save you money and time when traveling to Mexico!
With this blog, we just wanted to update you guys and cover the basics of our trip! Hope you enjoyed and are able to benefit from some of this info!
No regrets! After 2+ weeks so far in Mexico and 100 tacos, quesadillas, marquesitas, and empanadas later we’re still having a great time and have a ton to talk about! Moving to a new country is an experience that we can only compare to being reborn. Everything is new…the words, the smells, the tastes, the people. It makes everything unknown and everyday a new adventure! This experience has reminded us that uncertainty isn’t always a cause for fear, it can also become an opportunity for learning and growth. Also, let us tell you, the feeling of international travel after our 9 month hiatus, is simply unmatched!
Cheers and safe travels,
Extravellganza
*Info relevant as of 01/14/2021
*Current exchange rate: 1 USD=19.69 Mexican Pesos
*New to Airbnb? Use this link to get a discount on your first booking:
https://www.airbnb.com/c/jessec7023
*Check out some of these unique Airbnb listings in the Yucatan state of Mexico! As Airbnb Associates, if you end up booking through this link you’ll have no extra cost or hassle, but we may get a small fee! 🙂
https://www.airbnb.com/associates/345072?s=67&c=.pi115.pk0_9&a4ptk=23617_0_9_345072&af=115
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