Which place is cheaper, Kansas City 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 Kansas City?
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 Kansas City can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cancun or Kansas City?
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.
Kansas City
A large, mid western city that sits on the border between Missouri and Kansa, Kansas City has a population of about 450,000. It's not exactly a tourist destination, but it is a surprisingly beautiful city with more boulevards than Paris and more fountains than any other city in the world with the exception of Rome. Most of the city's suburbs are concentrated in the south but the city is beginning to grow to the north as well. The climate in Kansas City can vary dramatically, in large part because it is so far from any form of water. Winters can range from mild to extremely cold and snow is not uncommon. Spring and fall and quite comfortable but summer months can be incredibly hot and humid.
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 Camping Tours in United States of America, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in United States of America.
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Cancun Prices
Mexico PricesKansas City Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCancun $167Kansas City $196
The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $167, while the average daily cost in Kansas City is $196. 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 Kansas City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCancun $96Kansas City $88
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCancun $192Kansas City $176
Compare Hotels in Cancun and Kansas City
Looking for a hotel in Cancun or Kansas City? 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 Kansas City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cancun $18Kansas City $44
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$1.66
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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)$2.01
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
- Transfer to Mayan train station Cancun from Cancun: $30
- Transfer in Luxury Mercedes Benz Minivan: $95
- Transfer hotel Cancun to Cancun Airport from 1 to 8 people: $25
- Transfer from chiquila-holbox to airport and hotels in cancun: $142
- Transfer from Puerto de Chiquila to Cancun Airport: $181
- Transfer from Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen Hotel: $125
- Transfer from Cancun Airport (CUN) to Cancun/El Dorado Maroma: $59
- Transfer Redondo Private Airport Cancun to Playa del Carmen: $181
- Transfer Private Airport International CUN - Cáncun: $79
- Transfer Airport Cancun Hotel Zone: $91
- Super Combo ATV in Cancun with Zipline, Snorkel, Cenote, transfer: $110
Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or Kansas City?
Prices for flights to both Kansas City 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 $49Kansas City $82
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:
- Street Food Tour in Cancun with a Local Guide: $62
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Salsa Streets Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $69
- Tortilla Trails Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $69
- 4h Cooking Class in Cancun with 8 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $75
- 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
- Couples Special Price! Cancun Pirate Show with Dinner & Drinks: $80
- Pirate Night! Dinner, Fun and Show at Cancun Couples Special: $80
- Couples Special Pirate Show & Dinner! Drinks, Adventure and Fun: $82
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cancun $35Kansas City $11
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$0.59
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Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$100
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 Day ATV, Horse Ride, Ziplines and Cenote Adventure from Cancun: $40
- 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
- 1-hour Clear Boat Tour in Nichupte Lagoon from Cancun: $23
- 2 Day Deluxe Tour Tulum and Chichén Itzá: $120
- 2-day tour: Isla Mujeres catamaran and Chichen Itzá: $121
- 20 minutes Jet Pack flight experience in Cancun!: $119
- 2x1 Tulum tour and Chichen Itza tour for 1 price in 2 days: $139
- 3 Hidden Cenotes Experience & Puerto Morelos Reef Snorkeling: $89
- 3 adrenaline activities Atvs Zipline and a swim experience in a cenote: $60
- 3 in 1 Jungle Tour Adventure Cancun: $69
- 3 in 1 Tour to Coba Cenote and Maya Village Riviera Maya: $139
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCancun $13Kansas City $12
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: $88
- Brewery Tour Craft Beer Tasting Cancun Mexico: $130
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cancun and Kansas City, we can see that Kansas City 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 Kansas City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kansas City 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 Kansas City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cancun or Kansas City?
Cancun has a larger population, and is about 23% larger than the population of Kansas City. When comparing the sizes of Cancun and Kansas City, 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.