Which place is cheaper, San Fernando 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 San Fernando?
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 Fernando can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cancun or San Fernando?
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 Fernando
As the industrial capital of Trinidad & Tobago, San Fernando is an oil city which attracts more business visitors than tourists. While it is primarily focused on industry, the city has a certain charm with its old buildings and sloping streets that frame pretty views of the sea. It is the big city of Trinidad's southern half with plenty to offer in nightlife, especially during Carnival.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun.
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Cancun Prices
Mexico PricesSan Fernando Prices
Trinidad and Tobago Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCancun $161San Fernando $188
The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $161, while the average daily cost in San Fernando 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 San Fernando in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCancun $93San Fernando $73
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCancun $186San Fernando $146
Compare Hotels in Cancun and San Fernando
Looking for a hotel in Cancun or San Fernando? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cancun $17San Fernando $50
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$1.60
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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)$1.95
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Akumal One Way or Roundtrip Private Luxury Transfer: $291
- Cancun Airport to Tulum Roundtrip Private Transfer: $290
- Cancun VIP Roundtrip Private Airport Transfer to Hotel Zone: $259
- Private Transfer roundtrip (Cancun Airport-Akumal): $259
- Cancun Airport Private Transfer to Tulum (Round Trip): $250
- Luxury Transfers in a Mercedes Maybach GLS 600: $232
- Holbox Private Transfer from Cancun Hotels or Airport: $229
- Private One Way Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum: $220
- Private Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum: $220
- Private Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum: $220
- Private Round Trip Transfer (Cancun Airport - Playa del Carmen): $219
- Private round airport transfer from Cancun - Puerto Aventuras - airport.: $210
Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or San Fernando?
Prices for flights to both San Fernando 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 $47San Fernando $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$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Romantic Sunset Dinner Cruising Experience: $53
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Cancun Food Tour - Taco Attack: Street Food & Tequila Tasting: $69
- Salsa Streets Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $69
- Cancun Food Tour: Market 23, Local Flavors & Downtown Culture: $69
- Cancun Historic Downtown Food Tour with 7+ Authentic Tastings: $76
- Cancun Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
- Cancun Hands-On Mexican Cooking Class: $79
- Cancun Taco & Mexican Food Tour with Tequila Tasting: $79
- Pirate Night! Dinner, Fun and Show at Cancun Couples Special: $80
- Cancun Walking Food Tour: Local Food, Markets, and Street Art.: $81
- Puerto Morelos Walking Food Tour: $81
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cancun $34San Fernando $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$0.57
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Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$97
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
- 1-hour Clear Boat Tour in Nichupte Lagoon from Cancun: $22
- 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
- 2-Day Deluxe Tour: Tulum and Chichén Itzá: $120
- 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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCancun $13San Fernando $22
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cancun and San Fernando, we can see that San Fernando 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 San Fernando 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 San Fernando would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Fernando 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 San Fernando Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cancun or San Fernando?
Cancun has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of San Fernando. When comparing the sizes of Cancun and San Fernando, 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.