Which place is cheaper, Nassau or Cancun?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cancun or Nassau?
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 Nassau can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cancun or Nassau?
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.
Nassau
There are few vacation destinations more famous than the Bahamian city of Nassau. This capital city is full of laid back locals, relaxed tourists and the iconic pastel pink government houses.
As the largest city in the Bahamas, Nassau can hold plenty of people. Not only are there hundreds of tourists on any given day, the city is also home to 260,000 people – that is 80 percent of the Bahamas' total population.
Founded around 1650, Nassau's location made it a great spot on the trade route. So great, in fact, that it also became a popular destination for pirates – including the infamous Blackbeard.
Pack light because it's going to be pretty steamy in Nassau. The climate is essentially identical to southern Florida. It is warm and humid all year with the occasional cold snap in the winter.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, and The Best Adventure Tours to Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCancun $124Nassau $188
The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $124, while the average daily cost in Nassau is $188. 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 Nassau in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCancun $82Nassau $108
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCancun $164Nassau $216
Compare Hotels in Cancun and Nassau
Looking for a hotel in Cancun or Nassau? 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 Nassau Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cancun $15Nassau $32
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$1.40
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Airport Shuttle (for 2)$12
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Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$14
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Local Bus (for 2)$1.70
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Transfer from Cancun Airport: $6.00
- Shared Transfer from Cancun Airport : $6.00
- Cancun Airport Small-Group Transfer to Cancun Hotels: $6.00
- Private Transfer in Cancun: $14
- Cancun Airport private transfer to Cancun hotel zone: $15
- Cancun airport private transfer: $17
- Shared Round-Trip Transfer To/From Cancun International Airport: $19
- Private Transfer to/from Puerto Morelos Hotels: $20
- Private Transfer Cancun Airport to Cancun (Hotel Zone & Center): $20
- transfers between hotels in Cancun hotel strip: $20
- Shared Transfer to Cancun Downtown or Hotel Zone: $20
- Cancun Hotel Zone Private Transfer From & To Cancun Airport: $21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Nassau
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Nassau are as follows:
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Water Taxi$7.99
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Taxi to Cable Beach$25
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Taxi from Airport$30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nassau
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nassau:
- Transfer Service in Nassau Bahamas: $68
- Shared Shuttle Transfer to NAS Airport - Departure: $35
- Shared Shuttle Transfer from NAS Airport - Arrival: $35
- S U V Private Transfer, Hyatt, SLS, Rosewood ,Sandals , ATLANTIS : $145
- Private Transfer in Nassau: $45
- Private Transfer from Nassau International Airport to Nassau City : $150
- Private Transfer from Hotel to Airport Nassau, Bahamas: $150
- Private SUV Transfer One-way: $120
- Private Roundtrip Sedan Airport Transfer to Palm Cay: $143
- Private Roundtrip Sedan Airport Transfer to Cable Beach: $143
- Private Roundtrip Sedan Airport Transfer : $140
- Private Roundtrip Minibus Transfer to Palm Cay: $240
Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or Nassau?
Prices for flights to both Nassau 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 $24Nassau $52
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$18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Señor Frogs Ticket with 2-Course Dinner and Drink: $33
- Captain Hook: Pirate Show and Dinner Cruise in Cancun: $46
- The Ultimate Cancun Taco & Street Mexican Food Tour: $49
- Mayan Chichen Itza And Pirate Dinner Two Day Experience: $57
- (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
- Puerto Morelos Walking Food Tour: $67
- Cancun Walking Food Tour: Local Food, Markets, and Street Art.: $67
- Cooking Show & Tequila Tasting: $73
- Cancun Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
- Cancun Hands-On Mexican Cooking Class : $79
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nassau
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nassau.
- Conch Salad Cooking Lesson and Tasting in Nassau: $80
- Sail Catamaran Sunset Dinner Cruise: $103
- All Inclusive Sunset Dinner Cruise in Nassau Bahamas: $125
- SSA: Catamaran Sunset Dinner Cruise: $129
- Dinner and Dancing: $130
- Flavors of Nassau Food Tour: $135
- Island Food Tour: $140
- Self-Drive Scooter Food Tour: $180
- Nassau Cooking Class at Graycliff Restaurant: $256
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cancun $29Nassau $37
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$0.50
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Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$85
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Visit to 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen + Shopping Tour: $7.87
- Tour to Kin Ha Cenotes with Craft Jewelry Workshop : $9.84
- Guided Walking Tour of the Punta Cancun Lighting Tower: $14
- El Sol De Cancun : Panoramic Tour in Regular Cabin: $20
- Best ATV & Mavericks Experience in Cancun + Cenote + Zip Lines : $20
- ATV Tour from Cancun and Puerto Morelos with Ziplines and Cenote.: $20
- Cancun Lighthouse Tour with Cenote Tour and Shopping Tour: $21
- Sail to Paradise: Catamarán to Isla Mujeres Adventure!: $22
- Explore Tulum, Coba, Cenote, Playa del Carmen full day 4x1 tour: $22
- Zipline, Cenote and ATV Adventure with Pickup: $25
- Adrenaline day in Cancun, Atvs, Ziplines and Cenote experience in the best park!: $25
- Chichen Itza VIP + Valladolid +Cenote (Full Day Experience): $26
Typical Entertainment Prices in Nassau
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Nassau are as follows:
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Jet Ski$50
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4 Hr Kayak Tour$70
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1/2 Day Snorkel Trip$75
Tours and Activities in Nassau
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Nassau are as follows:
- "Let's Get Piggy with It!" Swimming Pig Adventures: $200
- 15 Minutes Jet Car Adventure in Bahamas: $150
- 2 Hours Sip and Snorkeling Experience in Bahamas: $150
- 3 Hour Eco-Glide Adventure in Nassau: $99
- 3 Islands Boat Adventure: Swimming Pigs, Snorkeling And Turtles: $175
- 3-Hour ATV Tour of New Providence (Inclusive of water & local deserts): $190
- ATV Half Day City Tour in Guided Tour With Free Samples: $250
- ATV Island Tour with Beach Break, Lunch, and Pick-up/Drop-off: $199
- ATV Island Tour(Beach Break+Lunch Stop): $188
- All New Tour with Seafood Snack Português & Español : $7.00
- Atlantis Bridge Speed Boat Adventure: $100
- Atlantis Speed Boat Tours: $94
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCancun $11Nassau $19
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: $32
- Brewery Tour / Craft Beer Tasting Cancun Mexico: $129
Typical Alcohol Prices in Nassau
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Nassau are as follows:
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Cocktail$6.49
Sample the Local Flavors in Nassau
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Nassau:
- Rum Runners Pub Crawl: $140
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cancun and Nassau, we can see that Nassau 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 Nassau 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 Nassau would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Nassau 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 Nassau Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cancun or Nassau?
Cancun has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Nassau. When comparing the sizes of Cancun and Nassau, 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.