A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Cabo San Lucas vs. Bonaire for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Cabo San Lucas or Bonaire?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Cabo San Lucas and Bonaire can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Cabo San Lucas or Bonaire?

Cabo San Lucas

Cabo San Lucas ("Cabo") is on the far southern end of the Baja Peninsula. It has countless resorts and activities for visitors. There are world class golf courses, fine dining options, and five star resorts. Prior to the 1980s, Cabo was a quiet fishing village but with the construction of a nearby airport in 1977, the city rapidly grew into one of Mexico's most popular resort vacation spots. Today, Cabo has one of the country's most vibrant nightlife scenes. It also has plenty of water sport activities, and a great beach scene.

Bonaire

An island municipality of the Netherlands, Bonaire resides in the Caribbean, east of Central America and north of Venezuela. It is a part of the ABC Islands together with Aruba and Curaçao, and is best known as a tropical vacation destination with many great dive spots, beaches, lagoons, and wildlife.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.


Which place is cheaper, Bonaire or Cabo San Lucas?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Cabo San Lucas is $161, while the average daily cost in Bonaire is $299. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Cabo San Lucas and Bonaire in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cabo San Lucas $58
    Bonaire $155
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cabo San Lucas $116
    Bonaire $310
Compare Hotels in Cabo San Lucas and Bonaire

Looking for a hotel in Cabo San Lucas or Bonaire? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Cabo San Lucas


Hotels in Bonaire


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cabo San Lucas $26
    Bonaire $65

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:

  • Los Cabos Airport Roundtrip Shuttle Transfer: $36
  • Los Cabos Airport Private Transfer SJD to Multiple Destinations: $38
  • Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Airport CSL Departure Transfer: $71
  • Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Cabo San Lucas hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $71
  • Cabo San Lucas Port to Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) - Departure Private Transfer: $71
  • Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) to Cabo San Lucas Port - Arrival Private Transfer: $71
  • Los Cabos Private One-Way Airport Transfer: Zone 1: $72
  • Cabo San Lucas to Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL)-Departure Transfer: $77
  • Private transfer from the airport to the tourist corridor.: $94
  • Private Transfer from Airport to San Jose del Cabo Hotels: $95
  • One Way Private Transfer Los Cabos Airport to Cabo San Lucas.: $95
  • Los Cabos Airport (SJD) to Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port - Arrival Private Transfer: $96

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bonaire

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bonaire:

  • Airport Transfer Return Included: $80
  • Private Transfers between Bonaire airport and any local address: $40

Is it cheaper to fly into Cabo San Lucas or Bonaire?

Prices for flights to both Bonaire and Cabo San Lucas change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Cabo San Lucas $81
    Bonaire $101

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cabo San Lucas

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cabo San Lucas.

  • Mexican Cooking Class and Garden Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $75
  • Flavors of Authentic Mexican Food Tour: $79
  • Seafood Galore, Los Cabos Food Tour: $80
  • Cabo Sunset Tour with Dinner and Open Bar: $80
  • Small-Group Food Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $82
  • Sunset Fajita Dinner Cruise in Cabo San Lucas: $89
  • Private Mexican Cooking Class in Your Cabo San Lucas Villa or Condo: $90
  • Catch of the day dinner in your private villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo: $90
  • Sunset Mexican Dinner Cruise and Live Music in Cabo San Lucas: $95
  • Yo Ho Pirate Sunset Dinner Cruise in Cabo San Lucas: $99
  • Cabo Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Music & Open Bar on Cabo Wave: $99
  • Cabo San Lucas Catamaran Sunset Cruise with Dinner and Open Bar: $99

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bonaire

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bonaire.

  • Dinner at Sea: $95

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cabo San Lucas $39
    Bonaire $40

Tours and Activities in Cabo San Lucas

Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Cabo Clear Boat Tour to the Arch: Hotel Pickup Available: $14
  • Glass Bottom Boat Tour to the Arch in Cabo San Lucas: $15
  • ATV and Camel Experience Los Cabos: $17
  • Ultimate Camel Safari Experience in Los Cabos: $17
  • ATV Ride and Camel Experience A Double Adventure: $17
  • Cabo San Lucas Arch and Lover's Beach Boat Tour: $19
  • Cabo San Lucas Glass Bottom Boat Tour to the Arch with Beach Time: $19
  • Shared Tour to the Arch of Cabo San Lucas: $19
  • Cabo San Lucas Glass-Bottom Boat Tour to the Famous Arch: $20
  • The Original Adventure of Cabo: Arch and Love Beach: $22
  • Glass Bottom Boat Sightseeing Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $25
  • Cabo San Lucas Arc Transparent Boat Tour: $28

Tours and Activities in Bonaire

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bonaire are as follows:

  • Semi Submarine Boat Experience to Klein Bonaire: $33
  • Walking Tours & Private Tours on Bonaire: $36
  • 4 Hours Open Air Party Bus Tour with Beach Stop in Caribbean: $39
  • Half-Day Bonaire Island Tour with Hotel Pickup and Drop-off: $46
  • Bonaire Essentials Island Tour: $49
  • Walking Tour with Lunch & Ice Cream: $55
  • Clearbottom Mangrove Kayak & Snorkel tour: $59
  • Highlights of Bonaire & Cultural Experience: $59
  • Tour in North and South Bonaire Guided: $63
  • Small-Group Guided North & South Tour of Bonaire with Pick Up: $65
  • Explore North & South Tour: $65
  • Indian Inscriptions Tour with Local Guide: $68

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cabo San Lucas $26
    Bonaire $33

Sample the Local Flavors in Cabo San Lucas

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cabo San Lucas:

  • Wine Tasting Sunset Cruise Tour in San Jose del Cabo: $280


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cabo San Lucas and Bonaire, we can see that Bonaire is more expensive. And not only is Cabo San Lucas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cabo San Lucas is in North America and Bonaire is in Caribbean Islands, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Cabo San Lucas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cabo San Lucas and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Bonaire would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bonaire than you might in Cabo San Lucas.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive? and Is Bonaire Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Cabo San Lucas or Bonaire?

Cabo San Lucas has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Bonaire. When comparing the sizes of Cabo San Lucas and Bonaire, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

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