Which place is cheaper, Guayaquil 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 Guayaquil?
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 Guayaquil can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cancun or Guayaquil?
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.
Guayaquil
Guayaquil is Ecuador's largest city and seaport. From a tourist perspective, the city acts primarily as a transportation gateway to the country and the Galapagos Islands. While the city can be skipped altogether, should you have a free day to spend here, there are a few noteworthy things to do, as well as some terrific dining and nightlife options. Guayaquil’s main tourist attraction is Las Penas, a hill with old, colorfully painted buildings at the north end of the Malecon, where you can walk the 400 steps to the lighthouse at the top for good views of the city. The neighborhood is filled with cafes, bars, restaurants, and art galleries and is relatively safe. Other important sights include the Malecon 2000, a massive urban development project that has brought new life to the riverside in the city center and the Parque Seminario, filled with fountains, trees and iguanas, located at 10 de Agosto Ave and Chile Ave.
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 G Adventures Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ecuador.
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Cancun Prices
Mexico PricesGuayaquil Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCancun $163Guayaquil $116
The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $163, while the average daily cost in Guayaquil is $116. 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 Guayaquil in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCancun $94Guayaquil $32
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCancun $188Guayaquil $64
Compare Hotels in Cancun and Guayaquil
Looking for a hotel in Cancun or Guayaquil? 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 Guayaquil Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cancun $17Guayaquil $15
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:
- transfers between hotels in Cancun hotel strip: $20
- Xplor Tickets with Transfer: $195
- Transfers in Luxury Sedan from Cancun Airport: $97
- Transfer priv. Cancun Airport to Costa Mujeres / Playa Mujeres: $90
- Transfer in Luxury Mercedes Benz Minivan: $95
- Transfer hotel Cancun to Cancun Airport up to 8 people: $40
- Transfer from port morelos to carmen beach or cancun: $57
- Transfer from Puerto de Chiquila to Cancun Airport: $175
- Transfer from Cancun Airport (CUN) to Cancun/El Dorado Maroma: $58
- Transfer Private Airport to HOTEL ZONE CANCUN,: $82
- Transfer Airport Cancun Hotel Zone: $88
- Tour Bacalar Ponton with Transfer from Cancun & Playa del Carmen: $163
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guayaquil
Also for Guayaquil, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Guayaquil Airport to Hotel or vice versa: $13
- Private Transfer from Manta Cruise Port to Guayaquil Airport(GYE): $227
- Private Transfer from Guayaquil to Cuenca: $104
- Private Transfer from Guayaquil hotels to Manta Cruise Port: $251
- Private Transfer from Guayaquil city hotels to Manta Cruise Port: $227
- Private Transfer from Guayaquil Airport(GYE) to Manta Cruise Port: $227
- Private Transfer Guayaquil Airport GYE to Guayaquil by Car or Van: $48
- Private Airport Transfer from Guayaquil Airport to Hotel: $20
- Luxury VIP car transfers to hotels in Guayaquil and Ecuador: $30
- Guayaquil to Guayaquil Airport GYE Departure Private Transfer: $19
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Departure Transfer from Hotels to the Airport.: $20
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $17
Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or Guayaquil?
Prices for flights to both Guayaquil 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 $48Guayaquil $50
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: $60
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Cancun Food Tour - Taco Attack: Street Food & Tequila Tasting: $69
- Cancun Street Food Tour – Local Market & Downtown Experience: $69
- Salsa Streets Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $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
- 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 Guayaquil
For Guayaquil, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Wagyu Cooking Class in Guayaquil: $135
- Cooking Class, Wine & Chocolate Experience: $174
- Half Day of Cooking and Chocolate at Cocoa Farm from Guayaquil: $175
- Gastronomic workshop tour, live cooking, Learn about the Ecuadorian culinary art: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cancun $34Guayaquil $21
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:
- 1 Day Tour to Bacalar, Cenotes and 7 color Lagoon with lunch from Cancun: $125
- 1-Day Tour to Bacalar with Kayaking, Marmol Beach Club and Cenote: $119
- 2 Day Combo Tour, Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Xplor and Chichen Itza Option: $280
- 2 Islands Tour - Isla Contoy and Isla Mujeres from Playa del Carmen: $160
- 2 in 1 Catamaran to Isla Mujeres Tour from Cancun with Open Bar: $50
- 2 in 1 Parasailing and Jet Sky Tour in Cancun: $140
- 3 Hidden Cenotes Experience & Puerto Morelos Reef Snorkeling: $79
- 3 adrenaline activities Atvs Zipline and a swim experience in a cenote: $60
- 3-Hour Private Walking Tour with a Local Guide in Cancun: $87
- 4X1 TOUR Tulum, Coba, Cenote & Playa del Carmen with buffet: $29
- 4X1 Tour in Tulum, Cobá, Cenote and Playa del Carmen: $45
- 4X1 Tour to Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa Del Carmen: $49
Tours and Activities in Guayaquil
For Guayaquil, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Astonishing Mangroves & Dry forest /Chocolate experience trip: $280
- Choco-Culture City Tour & Cacao Museum: $99
- Churute Mangroves and Birdwatching Tour Guayaquil: $220
- Cocoa and Tropical Fruits Farm with Fine Chocolate Experience: $144
- Cultural Tour of the Museums of Guayaquil: $35
- Excursion Day Zhagal Thermal Baths Tour from Guayaquil: $175
- From Cloud Forest/Waterfalls Private Tour & Lunch: $189
- Full Day Churute Howler Monkeys and Chocolate Tour: $276
- Full Day Dolphins Mangroves and Birdwatching Tour from Guayaquil: $231
- Full Day Private Churute Mangroves Reserve and Cocoa Farm Tour: $255
- Full-Day Cuenca and Traditional Craft Beer Tasting Tour: $250
- Guayaquil City Tour (3.5 Hours): Las Peñas & Iguana Park: $131
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCancun $13Guayaquil $17
Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun
Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- A bespoke wine tastings crafted for unforgettable moments: $85
- Bar Crawl Madness Tour in Cancun: $115
- Brewery Tour Craft Beer Tasting Cancun Mexico: $130
Sample the Local Flavors in Guayaquil
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Guayaquil:
- Wine Tasting Experience with Tasting Menu: $65
- Premium Wine Tasting and 3-Course Pairing Menu in Guayaquil.: $86
- Craft Brewery Tour with Tasting: $428
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cancun and Guayaquil, we can see that Cancun is more expensive. And not only is Guayaquil much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cancun is in North America and Guayaquil 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 Guayaquil would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guayaquil 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 Guayaquil.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cancun Expensive? and Is Guayaquil Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cancun or Guayaquil?
Guayaquil has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Cancun. When comparing the sizes of Cancun and Guayaquil, 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.