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How to Book a Oaxaca Street Food Trip

How to · Travel

How to Book a Oaxaca Street Food Trip

Plan a late winter trip to Oaxaca for markets and mole, spread across 18 months at $98 a month without interest.

VoAtlas editorial Updated · 3 min read
Typical cost $1,750 before anything else
Across the 0% window $97.22/mo 18 months, no interest

How we got that: $1,750 spread evenly across the 18-month introductory window on the Citi Simplicity® Credit Card. Checked · at the bank Carry a balance past the window and the standard APR applies to what is left.

Late winter is the sweet spot for Oaxaca. The holiday crowds thin out by mid-January, the dry season settles in, and you can wander the smoke hall at Mercado 20 de Noviembre without fighting for a stool. You go for fresh memelas, deep moles, and the massive Sunday market out in Tlacolula.

A solid week runs around $1750 from the US with flights, central lodging, and endless street food included. Instead of draining your savings upfront, you can spread that cost across a year and a half without paying interest if you set it up right from day one.

Keep in mind that an 18-month 0% intro period is a firm deadline, not free money. If you still carry a balance when month 18 ends, the card's regular variable interest rate hits whatever is left, which defeats the purpose of planning it out.

The steps

  1. 01

    Lock in late winter

    Aim for late January through February. Flights drop once holiday travel wraps up, and the weather stays warm and dry. Make sure your dates cover a Sunday so you can catch the indigenous valley market in Tlacolula.

  2. 02

    Find a base near Centro

    Look for a guesthouse or small hotel within walking distance of the Santo Domingo church or the quiet streets of Jalatlaco. Being central means you walk everywhere and save your pesos for street stalls. Budget about $700 for a week of clean, simple lodging.

  3. 03

    Open a 0% intro card

    The Citi Simplicity® Credit Card gives you 0% for 18 months on purchases and balance transfers from date of account opening. Put the $1750 trip expenses on the card, then set up an automatic payment of $97.22 a month. That splits the cost cleanly across the entire promotional window.

  4. 04

    Plan your market days

    Oaxaca's surrounding towns run on a weekly market schedule. Keep Friday open for pottery and barbacoa in Ocotlán, and Sunday for Tlacolula. You can reach both using cheap local shared taxis called colectivos instead of paying for organized tour vans.

  5. 05

    Pull pesos from bank ATMs

    The best food stalls, comedores, and market vendors only take cash. Use an official bank ATM once you land to withdraw pesos, and always decline the ATM's offered conversion rate on the screen so your home bank gives you the real exchange rate.

  6. 06

    Check the card terms before you commit

    Every figure we publish for the Citi Simplicity® Credit Card carries the date a person verified it against Citi and a link to where they checked. Intro windows and APRs change without notice, so confirm the current terms before applying.

    See Citi Simplicity® Credit Card terms →

Common questions

How much cash should I carry in Oaxaca?

You will need cash for all street stalls, markets, and taxis. Pulling around $50 to $70 worth of pesos per day from a local bank ATM covers meals, drinks, and local transit for two people comfortably.

Is late winter a good time for Oaxaca?

It is one of the best times to visit. The rainy season has passed, daytime temperatures stay in the low 80s, and prices ease up after the heavy holiday peak in December and early January.

Does a 0% intro rate make the trip free?

No. You still have to pay back every dollar you spend. It just means the bank does not charge you interest during those 18 months, letting you spread the payments out over time.

Do I need guided tours for the markets?

No, you do not need tours. Local buses and shared colectivos leave regularly from near Oaxaca City's Central de Abastos and cost just a couple of dollars each way to reach towns like Tlacolula.