Which place is cheaper, Easter Island or Cancun?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cancun or Easter Island?
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 Easter Island can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cancun or Easter Island?
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.
Easter Island
Although Easter Island is considered a territory of Chile, it is actually located far out in the Pacific, almost halfway to Tahiti. Easter Island is well known, despite being one of the most isolated islands on Earth, because of the mysterious giant stone busts which date back centuries. There are 887 monumental statues, called moai, that were built by the Rapa Nui people. There remains much mystery around the historic Polynesian culture which created the stones, as well as the specific meaning for them.
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 Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCancun $148Easter Island $80
The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $148, while the average daily cost in Easter Island is $80. 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 Easter Island in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCancun $98Easter Island $44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCancun $196Easter Island $88
Compare Hotels in Cancun and Easter Island
Looking for a hotel in Cancun or Easter Island? 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 $18Easter Island $2.59
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$1.68
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Airport Shuttle (for 2)$14
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Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$17
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Local Bus (for 2)$2.04
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- transfers between hotels in Cancun hotel strip: $20
- Xcaret 1 Day Tour from Cancun with Hotel Transfer: $204
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cancun HTL-APT (CUN): $55
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Cancun APT-HTL (CUN): $45
- Transfers in Private Minibus: $97
- Transfers in Private MiniVan wi fi on board: $61
- Transfers in Luxury Sedan from Cancun Airport: $85
- Transfers in Lincoln Strecth Limousine with Wi Fi on board: $121
- Transfers in Lincoln Strecth Limousine with Wi Fi on board: $137
- Transfers in Lincoln Strecth Limousine with Wi Fi on board: $261
- Transfer in Private vehicle from Cancun Airport (CUN) - Akumal City: $74
- Transfer in Luxury Mercedes Benz Minivan: $91
Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or Easter Island?
Prices for flights to both Easter Island 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 $29Easter Island $25
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$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) Pirate Night! Dinner, Fun and Show: $63
- (2x1 price) Dinner Show and Pirates Experience : $63
- (2x1 price)Pirate Adventure! Open Bar, Dinner and Show : $63
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Dinner Show on a Pirate Ship from Cancun with Open Bar: $65
- Guided Cancun Local Mexican Food Tour: $78
- Cancun Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
- Mexican Cooking Class with fresh Local Market ingredients selection and transpor: $79
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Easter Island
For Easter Island, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner, Show and Traditional Curanto Te Ra'ai Cultural Experience: $120
- Rapa Nui Dinner Show on Easter Island: $153
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cancun $35Easter Island $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$0.60
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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
- Bacalar tour + Lunch + Boat, from Cancun and Riviera Maya: $139
- Coco Bongo Music And Show Ticket: $105
- Full Day All Inclusive Catamaran Tour to Isla Mujeres : $99
- Holbox Island Magic Tour from Cancun : $144
- Riviera Maya Luxury Snorkeling Cruise with Lunch and Drinks: $139
- (4x1) Full day tour to Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del Carmen : $48
- (4x1) Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del Carmen tour in one day: $50
- 1-Day Tour to Bacalar with Kayaking, Marmol Beach Club and Cenote: $115
- 1-Day Xavage Park Tour from Cancun: $186
- 12 hour Holbox Plus Tour with Cenote Lunch and Transportation: $105
- 15 Hours Guided Tour Holbox Island in Mexico: $115
Typical Entertainment Prices in Easter Island
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Easter Island's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Bike Rental$8.38
Tours and Activities in Easter Island
For Easter Island, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2-Day Tour Touring the Highlights of Rapa Nui: $300
- Half Day Private Tour: Caves and Volcanic Refuges: $170
- 2 Day Private Tour: Rapa Nui's Cultural Heritage: $300
- 2 Days Highlights Tour in Easter Island Moai and Nature: $210
- 3 Hours Terevaka Horseback Private Guided Riding Tour: $180
- Easter Island Full-Day Tour: Ahu Tongariki, Rano Raraku and Anakena Beach: $171
- Easter Island Moai Archaeology Tour: Ahu Akivi, Ahu Tahai and Puna Pauâ Quarry.: $91
- Poike Volcano Private Hiking Tour with Guide: $280
- Experience Easter Island Shared Tour for Cruise Ship Passengers : $290
- Full Day Hotu Matua Tour from Vaihu to Anakena: $70
- Full Day Private Tour: Factory of the Moai the stone giants: $219
- Full Day Tour - The Land of Hotu Matu´a: $177
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCancun $13Easter Island $5.34
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: $38
- Brewery Tour / Craft Beer Tasting Cancun Mexico: $116
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cancun and Easter Island, we can see that Cancun is more expensive. And not only is Easter Island much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cancun is in North America and Easter Island is in South America, 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 Easter Island would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Easter Island 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 Cancun would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cancun than you might in Easter Island.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cancun Expensive? and Is Easter Island Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cancun or Easter Island?
Cancun has a larger population, and is about 140 times larger than the population of Easter Island. When comparing the sizes of Cancun and Easter Island, 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.