Which place is cheaper, Guadalajara or Cancun?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cancun or Guadalajara?
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 Guadalajara can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cancun or Guadalajara?
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.
Guadalajara
Guadalajara is the capital of the state of Jalisco in western Mexico, as well as one of the country's largest cities. It is best known for tequila and mariachi music, which both originate in Jalisco, as well as a thriving historic center with colonial architecture and landmarks.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCancun $148Guadalajara $117
The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $148, while the average daily cost in Guadalajara is $117. 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 Guadalajara in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCancun $98Guadalajara $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCancun $196Guadalajara $84
Compare Hotels in Cancun and Guadalajara
Looking for a hotel in Cancun or Guadalajara? 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 and Guadalajara Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cancun $18Guadalajara $39
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:
- Private RoundTrip Transfer to Xplor Adventure Park from Cancun: $296
- Cancun Airport to Tulum Roundtrip Private Transfer: $290
- Transfers in Lincoln Strecth Limousine with Wi Fi on board: $261
- Round trip private transfer VAN-Airport-Hotel-Airport-Playa del Carmen: $260
- Round trip private transfer VAN-Airport-Hotel-Airport-Puerto Morelos: $260
- Roundtrip Transfer Service to Costa Mujeres and Playa Mujeres: $248
- Round trip Private airport transfer to Playa del Carmen Flat Rate per vehicle: $241
- Full-Day Tour to Xcaret Plus with Transfer from Playa del Carmen and Lunch: $238
- Airport Transfers to Costa Mujeres - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $232
- Private Transfer from Cancún Airport (CUN) to Tulum : $222
- Private One Way Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum: $220
- Private Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum: $220
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guadalajara
Also for Guadalajara, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer by car to or from Guadalajara Airport: $29
- Transfer Guadalajara Airport Metropolitan Area And More: $45
- Tequila to Guadalajara - Private Transfer with English-speaking driver: $98
- Shared Departure Transfer: Hotels to Guadalajara Airport: $26
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Guadalajara Airport to Hotels: $26
- Private transfer: Guadalajara to Guadalajara Airport (GDL): $72
- Private transfer: Guadalajara Airport (GDL) to Guadalajara: $72
- Private Transfer from Guadalajara to Tequila: $189
- Private Transfer from Guadalajara to Morelia: $225
- Private Transfer from Guadalajara Airport(GDL) to Manzanillo Port: $76
- Private Arrival Transfer from Airport to Guadalajara, Chalapa & Tequila Hotels: $63
- Airport to City Transfer: $151
Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or Guadalajara?
Prices for flights to both Guadalajara 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 $29Guadalajara $48
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
- (2x1 price)Pirate Adventure! Open Bar, Dinner and Show : $63
- (2x1 price) Pirate Night! Dinner, Fun and Show: $63
- (2x1 price) Dinner Show and Pirates Experience : $63
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Pirate Show and Dinner (2x1 price)! Best Promo : $64
- Dinner Show on a Pirate Ship from Cancun with Open Bar: $65
- Private Ultimate Cancun Taco and Street Mexican Food Tour: $69
- Cancun Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
- Cancun Hands-On Mexican Cooking Class : $79
- Cancun Private Mural Art and Food Tour: $81
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guadalajara
For Guadalajara, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Guadalajara private food tour: $70
- VIP Tequila Night Tour with Dinner and Tasting: $189
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cancun $35Guadalajara $28
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
- Cancun Private Street Art Tour: $65
- Catamaran Cruise in Riviera Maya With Snorkeling & Beach Club: $85
- Coco Bongo Music And Show Ticket: $105
- Full Day All Inclusive Catamaran Tour to Isla Mujeres : $99
- Holbox Island Magic Tour from Cancun : $144
- LDS Tour to Chichen Itza + Cenote : $165
- Private Tour to Tulum Ruins and Cenotes : $257
- Reef and Sunken Ship Snorkeling Experience in Cancun: $85
- Riviera Maya Luxury Snorkeling Cruise with Lunch and Drinks: $139
- (4x1) Full day tour to Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del Carmen : $48
Tours and Activities in Guadalajara
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Guadalajara.
- Romantic tour in Zapopan: $186
- 10-Day Audio Guide Tour of Guadalajara: $12
- 3 Hours Private Tour Guide in Guadalajara, you choose!: $77
- 3-Hour Guadalajara Bike and Food Guided Tour: $65
- 6 Hours Private Tour Guide in Guadalajara, you choose!: $144
- Adventure tour Between Charros, Mariachi and Parián de Tlaquepaque: $150
- Air Adventure Paraglide over Incredible Landscapes: $156
- Bike Tour in Guadalajara and Zapopan: $54
- Canopy Experience Panoramic Flight in Zip Lines: $43
- Cantaritos and Tequila Factory Tour: $87
- Chapala Lake and Ajijic Tour from Guadalajara: $77
- Chapala and Ajijic Private Tour: $120
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCancun $13Guadalajara $18
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Guadalajara
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Guadalajara:
- Cultural tour, city fields and distillery: $32
- Guadalajara Arquitecture and Brewery Tour: $56
- Tequila distillery experience, Jose Cuervo & Tequila Magic Town: $77
- full day Tequila tour visiting artisanal distillery and downtown.: $85
- Private Adventure to El Tequileño Distillery and visit to Tequila: $174
- Private One Day Adventure Tour in Tequila and La Fortaleza Distillery: $175
- Sip & Savor Tequila Experience Distillery w/ Lunch fr Guadalajara: $180
- Private Tour La Fortaleza Distillery and visit to Tequila: $190
- Private Tour Cascahuin Distillery and visit to Tequila: $190
- Private Tour to El Tequileño Distillery and visit to Tequila: $190
- Private Tour to Distillery Tequila Ocho and Arandas : $200
- Private Tour to Tequila Ocho Distillery and the Town of Arandas: $210
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cancun and Guadalajara, we can see that Cancun is more expensive. And not only is Guadalajara much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Guadalajara would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guadalajara 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 Guadalajara.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cancun Expensive? and Is Guadalajara Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cancun or Guadalajara?
Guadalajara has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Cancun. When comparing the sizes of Cancun and Guadalajara, 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.