Which place is cheaper, Bonaire or Cancun?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Cancun or Bonaire?
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 Bonaire can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cancun or Bonaire?
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.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun.
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Cancun Prices
Mexico PricesBonaire Prices
Caribbean Netherlands Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCancun $163Bonaire $299
The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $163, 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 Cancun and Bonaire in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCancun $94Bonaire $155
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCancun $188Bonaire $310
Compare Hotels in Cancun and Bonaire
Looking for a hotel in Cancun 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.
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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cancun $17Bonaire $65
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
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Taxi Around Town$1.62
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Airport Shuttle (for 2)$13
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Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$16
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Local Bus (for 2)$1.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Cancun Airport Small-Group Transfer to Cancun Hotels: $6.00
- Cancun Airport Shared Transfer: $6.00
- Shared Cancun Airport Transfer to Moon Palace Hotel: $6.49
- Shared Transfer from Cancun Airport: $7.00
- Cancun airport private transfer: $15
- Cancun Airport private transfer to Cancun hotel zone: $15
- Cancun CUN Airport One Way Private Transfer to Cancun Hotel Zone: $17
- Private Transfer in Cancun: $17
- Private Transfer to/from Hotels in Cancun Area: $19
- Private Transfer to/from Puerto Juarez Hotels or Ferry: $19
- transfers between hotels in Cancun hotel strip: $20
- Shared Round-Trip Transfer To/From Cancun International Airport: $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bonaire
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bonaire:
- Private Transfers between Bonaire airport and any local address: $40
- Airport Transfer Return Included: $80
Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or Bonaire?
Prices for flights to both Bonaire 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
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Food Meals for one dayCancun $48Bonaire $101
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Street Food Tour in Cancun with a Local Guide: $61
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Salsa Streets Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $69
- Cancun Food Tour: Market 23, Local Flavors & Downtown Culture: $69
- Cancun Historic Downtown Food Tour with 7+ Authentic Tastings: $76
- Cancun Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
- Cancun Taco & Mexican Food Tour with Tequila Tasting: $79
- Cancun Hands-On Mexican Cooking Class: $79
- Mexican Cooking Class with fresh Local Market ingredients selection and transpor: $79
- Columbus Romantic Dinner in Cancún: $79
- Pirate Night! Dinner, Fun and Show at Cancun Couples Special: $80
- Cancun Walking Food Tour: Local Food, Markets, and Street Art.: $81
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cancun $34Bonaire $40
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Seasick Pills$0.58
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Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$98
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cancun's Hidden Gems: A Self-Guided Tour: $8.15
- 7 Days Self Guided AI Audio Tours to Cancun and Yucatan: $12
- Cancun Beach Taco Tour Culinary Journey with Tequila Tasting: $15
- Speedboat jungle tour and snorkel: $15
- Speedboat and Snorkeling Adventure in Cancun: $16
- Tour to Isla Mujeres with Snorkeling: $17
- Full-Day Catamaran Tour to Isla Mujeres from Cancun with Lunch: $17
- The best tour to Isla Mujeres Catamaran, open bar& lunch included: $18
- Isla Mujeres Catamaran Tour with Snorkeling Spinnaker and Lunch: $18
- Chichen Itza Tour Full day food included: $18
- Mayan Culture and Speedboat Adventure in Cancun: $18
- 4X1 VIP Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del Carmen Tour: $18
Tours and Activities in Bonaire
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bonaire are as follows:
- 2 Hours Private Kitesurfing Adventure: $265
- 4 Hours Open Air Party Bus Tour with Beach Stop in Caribbean: $39
- 4 hour Individual Island Tour for 1 to 12 persons: $180
- Aquaspace Sunset Sail and Snorkel Tour on Bonaire with Diner: $130
- Bonaire Cave Tour: Walk, Climb & Swim: $75
- Bonaire CaveTour Climb, Snorkel & Explore the Hidden Gems : $83
- Bonaire Essentials Island Tour: $49
- Bonaire Landsailing Adventures: $79
- Bonaire Shore Excursion: The Bonaire Highlights Tour: $83
- Bonaire island adventure: $110
- Brunch & Snorkel Catamaran Tour: $115
- Catamaran Snorkel & BBQ Sail (cruise friendly): $105
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCancun $13Bonaire $33
Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun
Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Bar Crawl Madness Tour in Cancun: $115
- Brewery Tour Craft Beer Tasting Cancun Mexico: $130
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cancun and Bonaire, we can see that Bonaire is more expensive. And not only is Cancun much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cancun 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 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 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 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 Bonaire Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cancun or Bonaire?
Cancun has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Bonaire. When comparing the sizes of Cancun 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.
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.