Which place is cheaper, San Carlos de Bariloche or Cancun?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cancun or San Carlos de Bariloche?
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 San Carlos de Bariloche can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cancun or San Carlos de Bariloche?
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.
San Carlos de Bariloche
Set in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Argentina, San Carlos de Bariloche is the biggest city in the Lake District. Bariloche is popular for skiing and snowboarding in the winter and trekking, swimming, fishing and horseback riding in the summertime.
No matter the time of year, there is something for everyone in Bariloche. Skiing season begins from June to October while fishing season is from November to April. Summer is from December to March, but visiting during low seasons (Spring in October to December and Autumn in late-April to mid-June) also has its benefits when it comes to saving cash and avoiding crowds.
Check out our ultimate guide to Hiking in Patagonia.
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 Eco Tours in Argentina, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Argentina.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCancun $148San Carlos de Bariloche $7.40
The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $148, while the average daily cost in San Carlos de Bariloche is $7.40. 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 San Carlos de Bariloche in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCancun $98San Carlos de Bariloche $2.68
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCancun $196San Carlos de Bariloche $5.36
Compare Hotels in Cancun and San Carlos de Bariloche
Looking for a hotel in Cancun or San Carlos de Bariloche? 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 San Carlos de Bariloche Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cancun $18San Carlos de Bariloche $2.28
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:
- Cancun Airport Small-Group Transfer to Cancun Hotels: $8.00
- Cancun Airport private transfer to Cancun hotel zone: $15
- Shared Transfer from Cancun Airport: $15
- Shared Transfer from Cancun Airport : $15
- Private Transfer in Cancun: $17
- Shared Round-Trip Transfer To/From Cancun International Airport: $19
- Shared Transfer to Cancun Downtown or Hotel Zone: $20
- transfers between hotels in Cancun hotel strip: $20
- Private transfer to Cancun Airport from hotels in Cancun Area: $23
- Chetumal to Chetumal Airport (CTM) - Departure Private Transfer : $24
- Cancun Hotel Zone Private Transfer From and To Cancun Airport: $25
- Cancun Hotel Zone Private Transfer From & To Cancun Airport: $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Carlos de Bariloche
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Carlos de Bariloche:
- Visit to Piedras Blancas Bariloche with transfers: $85
- Transfers to and from Villa La Angostura: $134
- Transfers to and from San Martín de los Andes: $295
- Transfers to and from El Bolsón: $196
- Transfers in Bariloche: $22
- Transfer from the Airport to Bariloche: $26
- Shared Transfer One Way - Bariloche Airport to Hotel or v.v.: $26
- Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Bariloche Airport: $26
- Private transfer Bariloche Airpot- Hotels: $13
- Private Transfer from Tom Wesley to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $55
- Private Transfer from Pampa Linda to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $182
- Private Transfer from Lago Moreno to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $46
Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or San Carlos de Bariloche?
Prices for flights to both San Carlos de Bariloche 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 $29San Carlos de Bariloche $2.78
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
Typical Food Prices in San Carlos de Bariloche
Some typical examples of dining costs in San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:
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Pastries$0.01
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Empanadas$0.03
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cancun $35San Carlos de Bariloche $3.05
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
- Visit to 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen + Shopping Tour: $8.20
- Amazing jungle tour adventure speed boat in cancun : $13
- Guided Walking Tour of the Punta Cancun Lighting Tower: $14
- Half Day National Reef Park Snorkel Adventure in Puerto Morelos: $15
- Hop-on Hop-off City Tour Cancun: $17
- Best ATV & Mavericks Experience in Cancun + Cenote + Zip Lines : $20
- Explore Tulum, Coba, Cenote, Playa del Carmen full day 4x1 tour: $22
- ATV, Ziplines and Cenote swim full experience from Cancún : $25
- Zipline, Cenote and ATV Adventure with Pickup: $25
- Adrenaline day in Cancun, Atvs, Ziplines and Cenote experience in the best park!: $25
- Top Isla Mujeres Catamaran Tour with Snorkel Open Bar and Buffet lunch: $26
Tours and Activities in San Carlos de Bariloche
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:
- Bariloche Horseback Riding & Traditional Argentine Barbecue Tour: $110
- Bariloche San Martin de los Andes and Seven Lakes Road Tour: $130
- Bariloche: 4-Hour Cerro Catedral Base Tour: $15
- Bariloche: Blest Port and Cantaros Waterfall Tour : $170
- Bariloche: Full-Day El Bolsón and Puelo Lake Tour: $42
- Bariloche: Half Day Small Circuit Tour - Mt Campanario and Llao Llao Peninsula: $28
- Bariloche: Private Enchanted Valley Tour with Lunch: $495
- Classic Bariloche: Half-Day Sightseeing Excursion: $26
- From Bariloche: Half-Day Circuito Chico Sightseeing Tour: $38
- From Bariloche: Victoria Island & the Arrayanes Forest Tour: $128
- From Rio Manso Rafting Tour: $185
- German Footprint & Nazi presence - Walking Tour in Bariloche: $29
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCancun $13San Carlos de Bariloche $1.83
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
Typical Alcohol Prices in San Carlos de Bariloche
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in San Carlos de Bariloche from other travelers:
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Beer$0.01
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cancun and San Carlos de Bariloche, we can see that Cancun is more expensive. And not only is San Carlos de Bariloche much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cancun is in North America and San Carlos de Bariloche 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 San Carlos de Bariloche would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Carlos de Bariloche 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 San Carlos de Bariloche.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cancun Expensive? and Is San Carlos de Bariloche Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cancun or San Carlos de Bariloche?
Cancun has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of San Carlos de Bariloche. When comparing the sizes of Cancun and San Carlos de Bariloche, 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.