Which place is cheaper, Dayton or Cabo San Lucas?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cabo San Lucas or Dayton?
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 Dayton 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 Dayton?
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.
Dayton
Located in southwest Ohio, Dayton is known as the "Gem City." It's the original home of Orville and Wilbur Wright, the brothers who designed the first airplane. You'll also find the Dayton Aviation Heritage Park here, which is one of the only multi-site National Parks in the United States. The cities climate has four different seasons, winter, spring, summer and fall. The winter months are quite cold and you can expect a decent amount of snow in the area. Spring remains cool and there are infrequent showers. This is also the peak time for tornadoes in the area. Summer is hot and humid and can be unpleasant at times, but fall is crisp and refreshing with occasional storms and infrequent tornadoes.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, The Best Historical Tours in Mexico, The Best Luxury Tours to United States of America, and The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCabo San Lucas $139Dayton $323
The average daily cost (per person) in Cabo San Lucas is $139, while the average daily cost in Dayton is $323. 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 Dayton in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCabo San Lucas $63Dayton $250
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCabo San Lucas $126Dayton $500
Compare Hotels in Cabo San Lucas and Dayton
Looking for a hotel in Cabo San Lucas or Dayton? 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.
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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Cabo San Lucas Hotel Prices and Dayton Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cabo San Lucas $28Dayton $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
- San Jose del Cabo to Los Cabos Airport (SJD) Departure Transfer: $31
- Los Cabos Airport (SJD) to San Jose del Cabo hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $31
- Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) to Cabo San Lucas Port - Arrival Private Transfer : $33
- Cabo San Lucas Port to Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) - Departure Private Transfer: $33
- Cabo San Lucas City to Cabo San Lucas Port Private Transfer : $33
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Airport CSL Departure Transfer: $33
- Transfer from Cabo San Lucas Airport CSL to Cabo San Lucas : $33
- Cabo San Lucas to Cabo San Lucas Airport CSL Departure Transfer: $33
- Cabo San Lucas to Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port- Departure Private Transfer: $33
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Cabo San Lucas hotels - Arrival Private Transfer : $33
- Departure Transfer from CaboSanLucas to CaboSanLucas Airport(CSL): $33
- Cabo San Lucas Airport CSL to Cruise Port Arrival Transfer: $33
Is it cheaper to fly into Cabo San Lucas or Dayton?
Prices for flights to both Dayton 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
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Food Meals for one dayCabo San Lucas $51Dayton $61
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.
- Sunset Dinner Cruise with Domestic Open Bar: $64
- Tasting Cabo San Lucas Like a Local Food Tour: $70
- Cabo San Lucas Sunset Cruise with Dinner and Open Bar: $75
- Seafood Galore, Los Cabos Food Tour: $80
- Sea to Table Fisherman's Seafood Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $80
- Sunset Dinner Cruise with Tequila & tacos: $85
- San Jose del Cabo Morning Food Tour: $86
- Parrillada dinner with a Private Chef in your villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose: $86
- San José del Cabo for Meat Lovers Food Tour: $90
- Catch of the day dinner in your private villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo: $90
- Private Mexican Cooking Class in Your Cabo San Lucas Villa or Condo: $90
- Cabo Sunset Dinner Cruise: Fajitas, Lands End and Party: $94
Typical Food Prices in Dayton
Some typical examples of dining costs in Dayton are as follows:
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Noodle Company Lunch (for 2)$17
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Indian Food Dinner (for 2)$34
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cabo San Lucas $43Dayton -
Tours and Activities in Cabo San Lucas
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Your Own Private Luxury Yacht Experience in Cabo, Lunch included: $1.20
- Tour paseo al Arco + bajada en playa: $12
- Boat Tour to Cabo San Lucas Arch and Rock Formations: $18
- Glass bottom boat tour: $19
- Cabo San Lucas Arch Tour and we go down to Playa del Amor: $19
- Glass Bottom Boat Tour: $20
- Water Taxi Tour: $20
- Glass Bottom Boat Sightseeing Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $23
- Glass Bottom Boat Tour - Cabo San Lucas: $23
- Glass Bottom Boat Tour: $23
- Classic Tour to the Arch in Glass Bottom: $23
- Tour to The Arch from Cabo San Lucas : $29
Tours and Activities in Dayton
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Dayton are as follows:
- Daytona Beach: Guided Kayaking or Standup Paddling Tour: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCabo San Lucas $28Dayton -
Sample the Local Flavors in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cabo San Lucas:
- Cabo Bar Crawl - The BEST Bar and Clubs in Cabo : $55
- Wine Tasting Sunset Cruise Tour in San Jose del Cabo: $190
Sample the Local Flavors in Dayton
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dayton:
- Dive Bar Bus Crawl: $38
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cabo San Lucas and Dayton, we can see that Dayton is more expensive. And not only is Cabo San Lucas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Dayton would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dayton 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 Dayton Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cabo San Lucas or Dayton?
Dayton has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Cabo San Lucas. When comparing the sizes of Cabo San Lucas and Dayton, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.