I think you'd be safe either place. Although certainly more caution would be in order for Mexico City.

The bigger problem, it seems, is that your friend and you have widely different ideas as to what type of vacation you want.

You really need to resolve that issue first.

Maybe you could talk your friend into flying into Cancún but staying further south, like Playa del Carmen, Akumal, or Tulúm. In addition to beaches there are wonderful sightseeing options - cenotes, Maya sites, etc. Loads of photos and recommendations in the 2010 collections below. ¡Buena suerte!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections

Like choosing between Paris & Rome.

Mexico is perfectly safe as long as you avoid the obvious danger zones. Yucatan peninsula, chiapas etc are all as safe as anywhere in the US.

Biggest danger for either place would be risk of drowning in Hawaii.

Not sure if Mexico City plus beach is plausible given time constraints and budget.

Love them both and been to both many times. Right now I would pick Mexico, Riviera Maya, the peso is about 13 to 1 USD so using pesos you will save a lot of money. Good bang for your
buck.

From a purely pragmatic POV, your budget will stretch a LOT further in Mexico than Hawaii and Mexico is lot closer to LV than is Hawaii.

If you want a vacation that has:

A beach and great diving/snorkeling
Vibrant night life and fabulous dining
Natural and historic sites for side trips
Relatively crime free and safe

Then you want the Yucatan, Playa del Carmen, Cancun or Isla Mujeres.

I like Mexico much better than Hawaii. I like that I am in a different country with a wonderfully different culture. I even feel that in Cancun! Have been to Hawaii twice, nice but didn't love it anywhere near the feeling I have for Mexico...

Have been to Mexico x 10 and returning in December. Been to Hawaii once. That really says it all right there.

We went to Maui and Oahu in a February. We were highly disappointed that it wasn't really tropical. It was cold and rainy. We did not pack correctly for the weather and ended up at Walmart buying jeans and jackets. We also found the ocean rough and cold with not very much visiabilty. Forget snorkeling. Could have been just our trip or the time of year, but we spent 3 time more for that trip than any trip we've done in Mexico.

I would consentrate on the Playa del Carmen/Riveria Maya area of Mexico. Lots to see and do in that area. 5th Avenue has tons of restaurants, bars, shopping and entertainment.

I love them both. The tourists areas in Mexico are safe for tourists. Mexico City takes a bit more savvy and planning just because it's a huge city. Going into somewhere like Cancun (or better yet Playa del Carmen) or Puerto Vallarta, no worries.

Either place could have coolish weather in January though.

When I'm trying to decide between PV or Waikiki, I just get online and price airfare and hotels and see where I can snag the better deal.

But from your post... sounds like you want to go to Hawaii!

I was talking to a Mexican doctor at a local get-together. I asked the usual question about whether it was dangerous to travel in Mexico. I liked his response. He said that he had lived in Detroit for a while, and "THAT was dangerous. Mexico isn't."

Obviously you are much younger than I am, but I was bored to death the last time I went to Hawaii--in late October, early November. It's very expensive and jammed with tourists.

Peg, You can't really make a comment like that about ALL of the Hawiian islands, every destination, right? Hawaii doesn't have to be expensive and you can choose somewhere not "jammed with tourists"! There's near limitless options of places to go there.

<b?Where would you rather go: Mexico or Hawaii? (January 2013)

Hawaii, without a doubt. But with your budget, I'd choose Mexico, one of the less touristy areas. We're getting a great deal on a trip to Zihuatanejo over New Year's.

I know that your budget will go much further in Mexico than it will in Hawaii. So from a strictly monetary point of view, I'd go to Mexico.

Try Cozumel. The diving is amazing there. Much better than Hawaii. It is perfectly safe. Cozumel feels much more like a Caribbean island and a lot less like "Mexico" than anyplace else. The restaurant and entertainment scene is great.

Personally, I wouldn't consider Mexico City. I just flew with a woman who works there every week. She showed me photos. The pollution literally forms a cloud over the city that is visible in photos. She said she could hardly breath there. That's not my idea of a great vacation.

I don't know what "my friend is too desperate" means, so not sure how to address that part of your holiday. But on Cozumel you could eat and drink in local places quite safely.

Zihuatanejo and Cozumel are excellent suggestions for Mexico!

Or stick with Waikiki if you do choose Hawaii. There's lots of hotels and restaurants (and good public transportation) so you can pull off a reasonable budget with little effort.

I like both Hawaii and Mexico, but what suze suggested makes the most sense. See which one better fits your budget. The biggest issue is going to be you and your friend agreeing on what to do. Safety is really a non-issue if you use common sense......

Hi:
I go to Mexico City at least 5 times a year and find it fine from a safety point of view. Of course, I watch my back at night and don't just get in any taxi but I would do that in New York City where I live too. Mexico City, especially Polanco, Condesa and Roma has a vibrant night life and the Centro has many, many things to see. Enjoy!
Galina

Mexico City air is truly disgusting--it smells like a combination of a chemical dump and cigarette smoke.

I'm sure there's fantastic cultural/nightlife opportunities there, but the air is just bad, bad, bad.

Yes, you can see the pollution of Mexico City from the air SOMETIMES. Unless you plan to be spending your vacation in traffic you might miss the smell of pollution, as I do. Actually, the city has done a lot to clean up the pollution and it's not what it once was. I wouldn't let the fear of pollution stop me from enjoying a unique place.
Galina

I LOVE Mexico (used to live there and we go back to a different beach every winter), and much prefer it over Hawaii, which is overpriced and not exotic enough for me. But I don't think it's a good idea to convince those who are reluctant to go. No fun to be on a vacation with someone who is paranoid - so my vote would be to go to Hawaii. Kauai is the least touristy of the islands, but weather in January is iffy. See if you can get an Expedia package for the Big Island where the weather will be better.

crosscheck, I absolutely agree with that. While I personally love Mexico, it's not a place I'd ever try to convince anyone else to go who was hesitant. Because it's more challenging to travel there (language, money, infrastructure, food/water, etc.) and often presents a bit more unexpected "adventures" than Hawaii.