How Much is a Coca-Cola in Mexico?
Before we get into how much a Coca-Cola is in Mexico, we believe it’s important to showcase the importance of Coca-Cola in Mexican culture. Coca-Cola opened its first Mexican bottling franchise around 1921. Ever since that point, Coke has become the drink of a nation. In places like construction sites, offices, and beaches where you would often expect to see water, sports drinks, coffee, or other types of beverages; in Mexico, you typically see Coca-Cola.
When Coke was first produced in Mexico, it was made with real cane sugar. This was the same base ingredient used for years to make the famous soft drink. Cane sugar was a huge industry in Mexico and the new demand for sugary beverages only increased the profitability. Over time, Mexican distributors had begun to send their Coca-Cola product across the border to the United States. 
The difference between Mexican and American Coke was the type of sweetener used; Mexico used cane sugar while the United States used high fructose corn syrup. Initially, Mexican distributors were selling their product to smaller grocery chains that typically served Mexican immigrants who were raised on the cane sugar recipe. Over time, this recipe became more and more popular due to its more “natural flavor” that stores such as Costco, Sam’s Club, and Kroger started to stock it.
When Coca-Cola first started, they wanted to be sure that anyone was able to afford it. They wanted everyone, from a high-level executive to a homeless man begging for spare change to be drinking a Coke. Back then, every bottle was just a nickel. Fast forward to 2020 and despite the fact that Coke is no longer just a nickel, it’s still affordable and accessible for all. Especially here in Mexico.
In Mexico City, the average price of a 2-liter of Coca-Cola is 28 pesos, or around $1.40 (based on an exchange of 1:20). In Cabo, you can get a 2-liter of Coke for about 35 pesos, or $1.75. For smaller portions, such as a 12-oz can, 20-oz bottle, or 1-liter bottle, the price ranges between 10 pesos to 20 pesos, but almost always under $1 USD. As mentioned earlier, drinking a 2-liter of Coke is a daily ritual for many Mexican nationals. It is something that brings people together; sharing a Coke after a long hard day of work is a bonding experience. Here in Mexico, Coca-Cola is not just a soft drink or something you eat with pizza, but something that’s deeply-rooted in Mexican culture. Whether you enjoy it after a long hot day or it’s your favorite beverage to eat with lunch, an ice cold Coca-Cola is always refreshing. And when a frosty beverage is deep-rooted into a culture, it’s hard to ask the question How Much is a Coca-Cola in Mexico; because it becomes a necessity more than a luxury.
Interesting Fact:
While this has nothing to do with this article, we felt it was an interesting piece of information to include. As most people have heard before, the original recipe of Coca-Cola included small amounts of cocaine. Creator of Coca-Cola, Dr. John Pemberton put just enough of it in his soda to “give you a fix.” It was removed in 1903, however not because of regulations or restrictions, but instead because of people’s racist beliefs. Since Coke was so affordable at that time ($.05), anyone could purchase it. This led many Americans to fear that various other (minority) cultures would become “cocaine fiends” and begin performing delinquent acts on society… Crazy, right??
