A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Cancun vs. Berkshires for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Cancun or Berkshires?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Cancun and Berkshires can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Cancun or Berkshires?

Cancun

In the northeast corner of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular destinations. The area that is now Cancun was actually selected specifically by the Mexican government for development as a tourist destination. The area was chosen because it has fourteen miles of beautiful white beaches, nearby Mayan ruins, and turquoise blue water with nearby snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Prior to its development as a tourist destination, there were few inhabitants in the area.

Berkshires

The Berkshires are a popular highland destination in the western part of Massachusetts and northwest Connecticut. The region has scenic landscape, hiking, lakes, recreational opportunities and other outdoor experiences. The Berkshires also has an impressive cultural scene with music, arts, museums, and live theaters.

The Berkshires can be a bit expensive to visit if you stay at a luxury resort and take advantage of the award winning restaurants in the area. Alternatively, the experience can be equally rewarding by camping, picnicking, and spending your time hiking and enjoying the beautiful natural setting.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best Photography Tours in United States of America, and The Best Camping Tours in United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, Berkshires or Cancun?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $148, while the average daily cost in Berkshires is $244. 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 Cancun and Berkshires in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cancun $98
    Berkshires $141
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cancun $196
    Berkshires $282
Compare Hotels in Cancun and Berkshires

Looking for a hotel in Cancun or Berkshires? 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 Cancun


Hotels in Berkshires


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: Cancun Hotel Prices and Berkshires Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cancun $18
    Berkshires $47
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:


  • Taxi Around Town
    $1.68
  • Airport Shuttle (for 2)
    $14
  • Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)
    $17
  • Local Bus (for 2)
    $2.04

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun

Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Cancun Airport Private Transfer From & To Cancun Hotel Zone: $57
  • Private Transfer to/From Cancun Airpor/Hotel zone: $44
  • Airport Transfer Cancun: $60
  • Airport Transfers to Costa Mujeres - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $231
  • Airport Transfers to Puerto Juarez - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $180
  • Airport transfers to Isla Mujeres: $175
  • Amazing Combo - Horseback Riding, ATV (Single), Cenote & Ziplines with Transfer: $102
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Cancun Airport CUN to Tulum by Minivan or Minibus: $117
  • Atv Cancun (cenote, Ziplines, Lunch And Transfer Included) : $75
  • Boat Adventure in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve with Transfer from Cancún: $192
  • Buggy Trip in Cozumel Island with transfer from Riviera Maya: $176
  • Cancún Airport (CUN) Cancun hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $55

Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or Berkshires?

Prices for flights to both Berkshires and Cancun 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
    Cancun $29
    Berkshires $73
Typical Food Prices in Cancun

For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lunch for Two
    $21

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun

For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Captain Hook: Pirate Show and Dinner Cruise in Cancun: $46
  • Mayan Chichen Itza And Pirate Dinner Two Day Experience: $57
  • The Ultimate Cancun Taco & Street Mexican Food Tour: $59
  • Dinner Show with Pirates! (2x1 Price): $62
  • (2x1 price) Dinner Show and Pirates Experience : $63
  • (2x1 price) Pirate Night! Dinner, Fun and Show: $63
  • (2x1 price)Pirate Adventure! Open Bar, Dinner and Show : $63
  • Pirate Show and Dinner (2x1 price)! Best Promo : $64
  • Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
  • Private Ultimate Cancun Taco and Street Mexican Food Tour: $69
  • Guided Cancun Local Mexican Food Tour: $77
  • Cancun Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cancun $35
    Berkshires $25
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Seasick Pills
    $0.60
  • Whale Shark Tour (for 2)
    $102

Tours and Activities in Cancun

For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • ATV Jungle Adventure with Ziplines, Cenote Transportation Included: $8.00
  • Visit to 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen + Shopping Tour: $8.17
  • Cancun Mayan Museum Skip-the-Line Ticket: $12
  • Guided Walking Tour of the Punta Cancun Lighting Tower: $14
  • Half Day National Reef Park Snorkel Adventure in Puerto Morelos: $15
  • El Sol De Cancun : Panoramic Tour in Regular Cabin: $20
  • Day Tour to Isla Mujeres Catamarán with Unlimited Drinks: $22
  • Explore Tulum, Coba, Cenote, Playa del Carmen full day 4x1 tour: $22
  • Chichén Itzá Marvels Day Trip:Cenote Oxman & Valladolid Adventure: $25
  • ATV, Ziplines and Cenote swim full experience from Cancún : $25
  • Adrenaline day in Cancun, Atvs, Ziplines and Cenote experience in the best park!: $25
  • Zipline, Cenote and ATV Adventure with Pickup: $25

Tours and Activities in Berkshires

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

  • 2-Hour Guided Private Forest Bathing Experience Lenox: $40

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cancun $13
    Berkshires $31

Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun

Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Social Pub Crawl in Cancun: $37
  • Small Group EkBalam Pink Lakes Cenote and Tequila Distillery Tour: $287


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cancun and Berkshires, we can see that Berkshires is more expensive. And not only is Cancun much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cancun would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cancun 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 Berkshires would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Berkshires than you might in Cancun.

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