Study Abroad: Budget For Mexico

The Guadalajara Metropolitan Zone is the second largest national hub in terms of commerce and the third largest by volume of industrial production.

Marjorie A. Cohen writing at Investopedia tells us that, "At a summit last year with the presidents of Canada, the United States and Mexico, President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico proposed a plan to increase the number of U.S. students in Mexico from the present figure of just over 4,000 to the seemingly astronomical figure of 50,000 by 2018. Recently the government of Mexico and other interested parties have prevailed upon the State Department to issue region-specific advisories, making it possible for students and their parents to choose safe destinations in that country. It is hoped that this will avoid a wholesale rejection of Mexico as a travel/study destination.

For the budget-minded student, Mexico is an inexpensive place to study and live. Numbeo, the popular cost-of-living comparison website, calculates that consumer prices in Mexico City are 58% lower than in New York City and rent is 83% lower. In the smaller cities of Mexico, the cost differential would be even more dramatic.

Transportation to and from Mexico is also quite a bit less expensive than other more far-flung destinations for U.S. students. A useful site for discount flights to Mexico for students is STA Travel where we found round-trip flights from NYC to Mexico City (September to December) for under $500.

According to GoAbroad.com, the most popular cities with U.S. students going to Mexico to study are Cuernavaca, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey, Oaxaca, Playa del Carmen, Puebla and Tulum.

That same website offers “Ten Bueno Reasons to Study Abroad in Mexico.” One is price: “Not only are the program costs in Mexico generally lower than comparable programs in Europe, but the cost of living there is extremely low, too. This allows students more opportunities for cultural activities, extracurriculars and travel.” Another is the fact that “they’re our neighbors: their culture, language and people have a huge impact on the United States.”

The official website of the Secretaría de Educación Pública of Mexico suggests yet another reason to study in that country: “According to the latest survey conducted by topuniversities.com...Mexico has undergraduate institutions that are deemed part of the most relevant and prestigious in this dynamic and emerging region called Latin America.”

The article goes on to cover:

• FINDING A PROGRAM 
• INDEPENDENT ENROLLMENT 
• A SAMPLE U.S.–SPONSORED PROGRAM 
• SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID 
• SOME TYPICAL COSTS IN MEXICO 
• The Bottom Line - It is important to be realistic about the safety of traveling into Mexico for a study abroad opportunity, but if you are guided by the U.S. Department of State's specific travel advisories you should be able to find an affordable program in a peaceful part of the country that will enhance your career prospects. As Allan Goodman, CEO and president of IIE, points out: “Globalization makes study abroad absolutely necessary for graduates. One in five American jobs in today’s market is tied to international trade.”