Should you visit Cozumel or Cabo San Lucas?
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 Cozumel and Cabo San Lucas can help you decide which place is right for you.
Cozumel
Cozumel is a Caribbean island just off the Yucatan Peninsula. It'as a popular tourist destination because of its beautiful beaches and excellent snorkeling and scuba diving. With crystal clear waters and vibrant colored coral, Cozumel is one of the most popular dive destinations in the area. The island's economy is centered around tourism, and as such, you'll find plenty of amenities for visitors. The prices are comparable to other coastal towns in the area and there is no shortage of activities or attractions nearby.
Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas ("Cabo") is on the far southern end of the Baja Peninsula. It has countless resorts and activities for visitors. There are world class golf courses, fine dining options, and five star resorts. Prior to the 1980s, Cabo was a quiet fishing village but with the construction of a nearby airport in 1977, the city rapidly grew into one of Mexico's most popular resort vacation spots. Today, Cabo has one of the country's most vibrant nightlife scenes. It also has plenty of water sport activities, and a great beach scene.
Which city is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Cozumel?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cozumel is $61, while the average daily cost in Cabo San Lucas is $91. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Cozumel and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $60 in Cozumel For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Cabo San Lucas is $82. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Food
Cozumel food costs typically run travelers around $15 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
The average traveler spends about $35 per day in Cabo San Lucas for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Cozumel $15
Cabo San Lucas $35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cozumel
For Cozumel, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cabo San Lucas
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cabo San Lucas.
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Cabo San Lucas Sunset and Dinner Cruise:
$50
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Eat Like A Local Cabo Food Tour:
$59
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Parrillada dinner with a Private Chef in your villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose:
$59
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Catch of the day dinner in your private villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo:
$62
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Cabo San Lucas "Catch of the Day" Seafood Tour:
$62
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Sunset Mexican Dinner Cruise. Fajitas dinner & live music:
$68
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Jumbo Shrimp Dinner in Your Private Villa or Condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo:
$78
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Lobster Tail Dinner with a Private Chef in Your Villa in Cabo or San Jose:
$80
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Sunset Dinner Cruise with Open Bar from Cabo San Lucas:
$89
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Los Cabos Sunset Dinner Cruise:
$89
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Whale-Watching Dinner Cruise in Los Cabos:
$89
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Sunset Dinner Cruise in Cabo San Lucas:
$89
Local Transportation
To get around in Cozumel, the average visitor spends $15 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
The cost of a taxi ride in Cabo San Lucas is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $17 per person, per day, on local transportation in Cabo San Lucas.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cozumel
Also for Cozumel, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Arrival Transfer: Cozumel International Airport to Hotels (1 - 6):
$60
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Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Cozumel International Airport (1 - 6):
$60
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Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Cozumel International Airport 5 - 8:
$147
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
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Private transfer: Cabo San Lucas to Cabo San Lucas Airport (SJD):
$622
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Round trip transfer from Cabo San Lucas to La Paz up to 15 passengers:
$514
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Round trip transfer from Cabo to La Paz up to 10 passengers:
$457
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Round trip transfer from Cabo to La Paz up to 5 passengers:
$400
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Private Tesla Transfer from Los Cabos Airport to Cabo San Lucas Area:
$261
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Transfer in Private Car from Cabo San Lucas to Los Cabos Airport (SJD):
$201
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Wild Canyon Adventures Park Pass with transfers included:
$199
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Private Round Trip Transfer - Los Cabos Int. Airport and Local Area:
$180
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Transfer in private minivan from Cabo San Lucas to San José del Cabo(SJD):
$113
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Cabo San Lucas hotels to Los Cabos Airport (SJD) - Private Departure Transfer:
$92
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Departure Private Transfer Service One way from Hotel to Los Cabos airport:
$66
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Arrival Share Transfer Service One way from Los Cabos airport to Hotel:
$21
Is it cheaper to fly into Cozumel or Cabo San Lucas?
Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas and Cozumel 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.
Entertainment
In Cozumel, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $29 per person, per day.
Entertainment and activities in Cabo San Lucas typically cost an average of $28 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Cozumel
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cozumel.
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Discover Mexico Cozumel Park Tickets:
$26
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VIP Glass Bottom Boat & Snorkeling 3 Reefs Tour:
$32
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All Inclusive Beach Adventure with Snorkeling:
$44
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Cozumel Island Tour by Open-Top Safari Bus Including Tequila Tasting:
$49
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Thriller Jet Boat Adventure:
$50
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Jet Boat Experience:
$50
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Cozumel City Tour with Lunch:
$57
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West Coast E-Bike Snorkeling Tour:
$57
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Mayan Laser Tag Adventure at Chankanaab Park:
$65
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Discover Mexico & Chankanaab National Park Combo Tour:
$65
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Catamaran Snorkeling Tour with Open Bar and Lunch:
$67
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Cozumel...Your Tourist Guide:
$67
Tours and Activities in Cabo San Lucas
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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"Aquarium of the World" Glass-bottom boat tour at the Arch of Los Cabos:
$70
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2 Hour ATV Adventure in Los Cabos:
$90
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2 Tank tour Corridor sites, certified divers with MANTA:
$125
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2-Day Magdalena Bay Gray Whale Van Tour:
$695
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2-Tank Dive Tour in Cabo San Lucas for Certified Divers with MANTA:
$105
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2-hour Off Road Side by Side ATV Tour in Los Cabos:
$208
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2.15 Hour Sunset Tour on Catamaran in Cabo San Lucas:
$80
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2.15 Hrs Desert Combo Tour:
$100
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3 Hours Private Sunset Tour around The Sea of Cortes in Cabo:
$2,282
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3Hr Private Yacht Cruise in Cabo As if you were aboard your own Private Yacht.Al:
$686
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4Hr Private Yacht Cruise in Cabo As if you were aboard your own Private Yacht.Al:
$800
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5-Day Marlyn Migration Private Tour:
$6,700
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Cozumel, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $7.35.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Cabo San Lucas may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $18 per day on alcoholic beverages.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cozumel and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas is more expensive. And not only is Cozumel much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cozumel would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cozumel 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 Cabo San Lucas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cabo San Lucas than you might in Cozumel.
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