What should I budget for food on a 7-day trip to Tijuana?

Posted by Particular_Care6055@reddit | Shoestring | View on Reddit | 26 comments

I don't eat out much so I'm not familiar with what to expect for my 8 night trip. I typically have one large meal a day (lunch/dinner) with some snacks throughout, and I'll be bringing oats for breakfast. I'm not one to splurge on fancy restaurants but I might visit a couple.

Any tips on saving money here would be great, sounds like it might end up being my biggest expense after accommodation.

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kyreyz24@reddit

Take a day trip to Ensenada and eat some fish tacos. Then take a day trip to Mexicali and eat the street tacos in Colonia Mira Flores. Then try the Chinese in Mexicali it's great. Basically don't eat in Tijuana. Seriously.

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Soft_Tangerine_5083@reddit

Why not? Lots of really good food in TJ

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No-Ideal_@reddit

I really don’t understand why people travel to other countries to live out of McDonalds and KFC and go to an expensive restaurant just one day to say they “tried the food” 💀 stay in the US and just travel to a different state.

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Low-Ambassador-6316@reddit

This. And especially because you can feast like a king for a dime…

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Soft_Tangerine_5083@reddit

You really cant though. Prices in TJs nicer restaurants isnt too far off from prices in the US

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Actuator-Salt@reddit

This is the way. Food trucks and street vendors are going to give you amazing meals at super low cost .

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Maduro_sticks_allday@reddit

Since every meal should be street tacos and 🍺, $60 per day would be enough to slide in the occasional “nicer” meal

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BackgroundRoad711@reddit

Tijuana is dirt cheap! I'd say like $30 USD per day will feed you like a king. Ubers are dirt cheap too

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thebiggestandniggest@reddit

You are relying on old information, restaurants in Tijuana are on par with Toronto, Canada. 30 USD could be stretched to 3 meals but to eat like a king with that you would have to go to stands instead of sit down places.

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BackgroundRoad711@reddit

I quite literally go to Tijuana. It's DIRT CHEAP

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rodimusmtb@reddit

I was just there in july and found it affordable. I had two excellent loaded street tacos and a Pepsi for 7 bucks. The food was incredible.

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littleadventures@reddit

It is affordable but to relate to the original commenter, that’s not “dirt cheap”. For $7 you could also get 2 street tacos ($2.50 each) and a $2 Pepsi in the states. I did it last week.

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rodimusmtb@reddit

I should have mentioned that my tacos were loaded with guac, beans, meat , etc. there's no comparison to the street tacos in the states, especially for the price, quantity, and freshness. I bet there was 100 people in the taco stand and I did zero price comparisons.

I considered it an absolute steal.

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rodimusmtb@reddit

5 bucks for dinner with a water is dirt cheap in 2024, especially when the street tacos come loaded with beans, guac, meat, etc.

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thebiggestandniggest@reddit

Man you'd love Canada then, all the cheap food and escorts without the danger

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I_hold_stering_wheal@reddit

For nice restaurants. You can check out the menus at lion fish and Caesar’s.

Lion fish was by far my favorite meal. It was upscale but still casual.

Caesar’s took close to 2-3 hours for lunch just because its a slower pace there.

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littleadventures@reddit

I enjoy visiting Caesar’s, what a nice throwback!

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Actual-Test5728@reddit

Check out a donkey show!!!

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knocking_wood@reddit

Why TJ?

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valeyard89@reddit

Eating barbecued iguana

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summerofgeorge75@reddit

I get that reference! 🤣

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roynewseditor@reddit

Airbnb is a nice start. look for them on residential areas near Downtown Tijuana or Zona Rio

You can eat cheap if you eat on the street. Where you see a lot of people eating on the street. that a right place. its very dificult to find bad food in Tijuana

And there not too much to do beside Eating, Drinking and some museums and art activity. you can go to see the border in Playas de Tijuana but it's something more symbolic that interesting, or at least you have a context of the Border situation.

Go to Ensenada or in a bigger budget (and more time) to Baja California Sur.

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