OBJECTIVES: Breastfeeding is recognised as making a key contribution to infant and maternal health and there are also significant economic benefits to the health care system.Implementation of the Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) are associated with increases in initiation and duration of exclusive breastfeeding. This research aims to describe consumption and economic cost of breastmilk substitutes in a public hospital of the Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers (ISSSTE) in Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México METHODS: Observational, descriptive, longitudinal study on use of substitutes for breastfeeding in the period from January 1 st to December 31 th, 2014. The data were obtained using the database of the Comprehensive Drug Supply System (SIAM) ISSSTE RESULTS: The consumption of breast milk substitutes in the hospital in 2014 was 31 of 758 assigned  (n = 0, 0, 9, 22) for substitute term human milk, follow-up milk formula, soy protein isolate and protein formula based on amino acids, respectively. The annual consumption represents an institutional expenditure of $ 5, 644.80 MXN pesos. Chetumal Clinical Hospital is the only medical unit of the Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers  in Quintana Roo that develops a program of exclusive breastfeeding representing savings in 2014 of $39,197.00 MXN pesos CONCLUSIONS: Institutional costs can be reduced as result of exclusive breastfeeding programs that represents a cost-effective possible and inexpensive to reduce the consumption of substitutes and formulas of milk in all medical units of the National Health System in México