Which place is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Grand Cayman?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Grand Cayman or Cabo San Lucas?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Grand Cayman and Cabo San Lucas. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Grand Cayman or Cabo San Lucas?
Grand Cayman
When people think of the Cayman Islands, they typically think of offshore bank accounts and sunny, cruise ship ports. Grand Cayman has more to offer travelers than a playground for the wealthy or a short stopover for cruise passengers. This tropical island is the largest of the three Cayman Islands, it is a shopper's heaven, a center for global finance and an ideal vacation spot.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGrand Cayman $214Cabo San Lucas $139
The average daily cost (per person) in Grand Cayman is $214, while the average daily cost in Cabo San Lucas is $139. 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 Grand Cayman and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGrand Cayman $150Cabo San Lucas $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGrand Cayman $300Cabo San Lucas $126
Compare Hotels in Grand Cayman and Cabo San Lucas
Looking for a hotel in Grand Cayman or Cabo San Lucas? 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: Grand Cayman Hotel Prices and Cabo San Lucas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Grand Cayman $31Cabo San Lucas $28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Grand Cayman
Also for Grand Cayman, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer - Owen Roberts Intl Airport to GeorgeTown or Seven Mile Beach: $88
- Airport Transfers to North Side Accommodation (GCM Grand Cayman): $265
- George Town / 7- Mile Beach area to George Town Port -Departure Private Transfer: $53
- George Town Cruise Port to George Town or 7-Mile Beach -Arrival Private Transfer: $53
- George Town Port to George Town / 7-Mile Beach area -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $106
- George Town Port to Owen Roberts Airport (GCM) - Departure Private Transfer: $53
- Privat Transfer from Owen Roberts Airport GCM to George Town Port: $53
- Private Transfer from George Town Port to George Town or 7-Mile: $53
- Private Transfer from George Town Port to Owen Roberts AirportGCM: $53
- Private Transfer from George Town or 7 Mile to George Town Port: $53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
- Try find your better than us! Airport transfer in San José del Cabo HTL-APT(SJD): $105
- Transfer in private minivan from San Jose del Cabo - Los Cabos Airport (SJD): $65
- Transfer in private minivan from Los Cabos Airport (SJD) - Cabo San Lucas: $65
- Transfer in private minivan from Cabo San Lucas - San Jose del Cabo(SJD): $54
- Transfer in Private SUV from Los Cabos Airport (SJD) - Tourist Corridor: $46
- Transfer in Private SUV from Los Cabos Airport (SJD) - San Jose del Cabo: $62
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Los Cabos Airport (SJD) - Touristic Corridor: $60
- Transfer from Cabo San Lucas Airport CSL to Cabo San Lucas : $33
- Transfer from Airport to Cabo San Lucas: $300
- Transfer Los Cabos Airport SJD to San José Zone 1 Hotels: $100
- Transfer From Airport to Cabo San Lucas: $200
- San Jose del Cabo to Los Cabos Airport (SJD) Departure Transfer: $31
Is it cheaper to fly into Grand Cayman or Cabo San Lucas?
Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas and Grand Cayman 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 dayGrand Cayman $39Cabo San Lucas $51
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.
- Sunset Dinner Cruise with Domestic Open Bar: $64
- Tasting Cabo San Lucas Like a Local Food Tour: $70
- Cabo San Lucas Sunset Cruise with Dinner and Open Bar: $75
- Sea to Table Fisherman's Seafood Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $80
- Seafood Galore, Los Cabos Food Tour: $80
- San Jose del Cabo Morning Food Tour: $86
- Parrillada dinner with a Private Chef in your villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose: $86
- Sunset Dinner Cruise at Cabo San Lucas Bay: $89
- Private Mexican Cooking Class in Your Cabo San Lucas Villa or Condo: $90
- Catch of the day dinner in your private villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo: $90
- San José del Cabo for Meat Lovers Food Tour: $90
- Cabo Sunset Dinner Cruise: Fajitas, Lands End and Party: $94
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Grand Cayman $41Cabo San Lucas $43
Tours and Activities in Grand Cayman
For Grand Cayman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- West Bay Sightseeing Tour Plus Seven Mile Beach Visit: $45
- Stingraycity Adventure: $69
- Starfish and Stingray City Fun Tour with Reef Snorkeling- 3 stops: $69
- Stingray City Experience Plus One Snorkeling Stop: $69
- Stingray City Sandbar, Coral Gardens and 7-Mile Beach Tour: $70
- Stingray City Experience Plus Two Snorkeling Stops on Grand Cayman: $75
- Stingrays, Starfish and Snorkeling Tour: $75
- Grand Cayman Cruise: Starfish Point, Stingray City, Coral Garden: $80
- Acquarius Stingray City and Snorkel Tours: $80
- Grand Cayman - Bioluminescent Bay Tour: $95
- Cayman Adventure: Starfish Point, Stingray City and Coral Gardens: $99
- West Island Guided Tour with Entry Tickets: $120
Tours and Activities in Cabo San Lucas
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Glass Bottom Boat Sightseeing Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $23
- Glass Bottom Boat Tour: $20
- Magical Todos Santos Tour, Camel ranch, Lunch & Tequila: $119
- Platinum Snorkel Tour : $215
- Romantic tour in Cabo San Lucas: $186
- Round Trip to Touristic Corridor : $180
- Traditional Tequila Tasting Experience with Jorge Cuervo: $55
- Your Own Private Luxury Yacht Experience in Cabo, Lunch included: $1.21
- "Exclusive Cabo San Lucas Trimaran Experience with Snorkeling": $180
- 1 Hour Jet Ski Adventure in Billygan's Beach Club: $180
- 2 Hour Whale Watching Tour in Cabo San Lucas Arch: $115
- 2 Hours Horseback Riding Adventure in Cabo: $130
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGrand Cayman $13Cabo San Lucas $28
Typical Alcohol Prices in Grand Cayman
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Grand Cayman:
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Beer$4.97
Sample the Local Flavors in Grand Cayman
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Grand Cayman:
- Cayman Spirits Co. Distillery Tour Pass Ticket Only: $24
Sample the Local Flavors in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cabo San Lucas:
- Cabo Bar Crawl - The BEST Bar and Clubs in Cabo : $55
- Wine Tasting Sunset Cruise Tour in San Jose del Cabo: $190
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Grand Cayman and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Grand Cayman is more expensive. And not only is Cabo San Lucas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Grand Cayman is in Caribbean Islands and Cabo San Lucas is in North 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 Cabo San Lucas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cabo San Lucas 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 Grand Cayman would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Grand Cayman than you might in Cabo San Lucas.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Grand Cayman Expensive? and Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Grand Cayman or Cabo San Lucas?
Cabo San Lucas has a larger population, and is about 45% larger than the population of Grand Cayman. When comparing the sizes of Grand Cayman and Cabo San Lucas, 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.