A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Cancun vs. San Fernando for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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.


Which place is cheaper, San Fernando or Cancun?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $148, while the average daily cost in San Fernando is $153. 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
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cancun $98
    San Fernando $74
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cancun $196
    San Fernando $148
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.

Hotels in Cancun


Hotels in San Fernando


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cancun $18
    San Fernando $50
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:


  • Taxi Around Town
    $1.68
  • Airport Shuttle (for 2)
    $14
  • Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)
    $17
  • Local Bus (for 2)
    $2.04

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun

Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private RoundTrip Transfer to Xplor Adventure Park from Cancun: $297
  • Cancun Airport to Tulum Roundtrip Private Transfer: $290
  • Transfers in Lincoln Strecth Limousine with Wi Fi on board: $261
  • Round trip private transfer VAN-Airport-Hotel-Airport-Playa del Carmen: $260
  • Round trip private transfer VAN-Airport-Hotel-Airport-Puerto Morelos: $260
  • Round trip Private airport transfer to Playa del Carmen Flat Rate per vehicle: $241
  • Full-Day Tour to Xcaret Plus with Transfer from Playa del Carmen and Lunch: $238
  • Airport Transfers to Costa Mujeres - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $232
  • Private Transfer from Cancún Airport (CUN) to Tulum : $222
  • Private One Way 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Cancun $29
    San Fernando $48
Typical Food Prices in Cancun

For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • 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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cancun $35
    San Fernando $28
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Seasick Pills
    $0.60
  • 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
  • Bacalar tour + Lunch + Boat, from Cancun and Riviera Maya: $139
  • Coco Bongo Music And Show Ticket: $105
  • Full Day All Inclusive Catamaran Tour to Isla Mujeres : $99
  • Holbox Island Magic Tour from Cancun : $144
  • Riviera Maya Luxury Snorkeling Cruise with Lunch and Drinks: $139
  • (4x1) Full day tour to Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del Carmen : $48
  • (4x1) Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del Carmen tour in one day: $50
  • 1-Day Tour to Bacalar with Kayaking, Marmol Beach Club and Cenote: $115
  • 1-Day Xavage Park Tour from Cancun: $186
  • 12 hour Holbox Plus Tour with Cenote Lunch and Transportation: $105
  • 15 Hours Guided Tour Holbox Island in Mexico: $115

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cancun $13
    San 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:

  • Social Pub Crawl in Cancun: $38
  • Brewery Tour / Craft Beer Tasting Cancun Mexico: $116


When comparing the travel costs between Cancun and San Fernando, we can see that San Fernando is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Cancun is in North America and San Fernando is in Caribbean Islands, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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.