A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Humahuaca vs. Cabo San Lucas for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Humahuaca or Cabo San Lucas?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Humahuaca or Cabo San Lucas? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Humahuaca or Cabo San Lucas?

Humahuaca

Located in the northwest region of Argentina, Humahuaca is a town nearly 3000m high in elevation, found on the border of the rio Grande. It is the largest settlement with the biggest population along the famous quebrada de Humahuaca gorge, but it has managed to keep its authenticity with its cobblestoned streets, adobe houses, quaint plazas filled with inhabitants of Andean traits and handicraft shops. If you have the chance to visit Humahuaca in February, during the carnival, you will appreciate how traditions are kept alive in this part of Argentina. Humahuaca has become a popular tourist destination in Argentina because of its beautiful setting next to the spectacular SerranĂ­a de Hornocal (colored mountains). While most visitors rapidly make their way through Humahuaca before continuing to the other two main Quebrada towns, Pumamarca and Tilcara, some enjoy spending a night or two there. Indeed, the town offers a perfect starting point to visit the region and has a few interesting landmarks not to miss, such as the historic church and Soto Avendano's Independence Monument. If you decide to stay in Humahuaca, remember that nights get chilly and ask the tourist office for any information (in the Cabildo, on the main square, opened Monday to Friday from 7h to 21h and Saturday from 9h to 12h and 13h to 16h and only Sunday mornings).

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 Food and Culinary Tours in Argentina, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Argentina, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.


Which place is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Humahuaca?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Humahuaca is $56, while the average daily cost in Cabo San Lucas is $159. 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 Humahuaca and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Humahuaca $43
    Cabo San Lucas $57
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Humahuaca $86
    Cabo San Lucas $114
Compare Hotels in Humahuaca and Cabo San Lucas

Looking for a hotel in Humahuaca 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.

Hotels in Humahuaca


Hotels in Cabo San Lucas


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: Cabo San Lucas Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Humahuaca $3.51
    Cabo San Lucas $25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Humahuaca

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

  • From Salta: 2-Day Cachi and Humahuaca Tour with Transfer: $66

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:

  • Los Cabos Luxury Private Tesla Transfer from Airport to the Pacifica Area: $293
  • Airport Transfers to Cabo San Lucas Pacifico Hotels RT: $290
  • Cabo San Lucas Port to San Jose Del Cabo hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $287
  • Transfer to Cabo San Lucas from Round Trip Airport: $268
  • Private Airport Transfers in Los Cabos: $253
  • Los Cabos Luxury Private Tesla Transfer from Airport to Tourist Corridor Area: $236
  • Los Cabos Luxury Private Tesla Airport Transfer: $236
  • Private Escalade Airport Transfer in Los Cabos: $220
  • Private Round Trip Transfer to San José del Cabo Art Walk: $215
  • Los Cabos Luxury Tesla Transfer from Airport to San José del Cabo Area: $214
  • Private Or Shared Airport Transfers: $210
  • Private Transfer to Cabo San Lucas from Cabo Airport: $210

Is it cheaper to fly into Humahuaca or Cabo San Lucas?

Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas and Humahuaca 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
    Humahuaca $4.82
    Cabo San Lucas $80

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.

  • Authentic Mexican Legacy Cooking Class in Cabo San Lucas: $75
  • San Jose del Cabo Food Tour & Visit to the Market: $79
  • Flavors of Authentic Mexican Food Tour: $79
  • San Jose del Cabo Morning Food Tour: $84
  • San José del Cabo for Meat Lovers Food Tour: $90
  • Sunset Mexican Dinner Cruise and Live Music in Cabo San Lucas: $95
  • Parrillada dinner with a Private Chef in your villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose: $95
  • Jumbo Shrimp Dinner in Your Private Villa or Condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo: $99
  • Cabo San Lucas Sunset Dinner Cruise with Open Bar: $99
  • Cabo Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Music & Open Bar on Cabo Wave: $99
  • Sunset E-bike Beach Ride with Mexican Dinner and Margaritas: $109
  • San Jose del Cabo City Highlights with Tequila Tasting and Dinner: $110

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Humahuaca $24
    Cabo San Lucas $39

Tours and Activities in Humahuaca

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Humahuaca.

  • Hornocal: Full-Day Tour to the Hill of Seven Colors: $65
  • Tilcara: Humahuaca Tour + Hornocal + Quebrada de las Señoritas (Triple Combo): $95

Tours and Activities in Cabo San Lucas

Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Beach ATV y Camel Ride y Sky Bike Adventure: $140
  • Camel Ride, UTV, and The Arch Tour with Lunch & Tequila Tasting!: $249
  • OffRoad 4X4 UTV Adventure with unlimited Lunch & Tequila : $199
  • Platinum Snorkel Tour : $239
  • Traditional Tequila Tasting Experience with Jorge Cuervo: $87
  • "Exclusive Cabo San Lucas Trimaran Experience with Snorkeling": $180
  • 1 Hour Jet Ski Adventure : $180
  • 2 Tank Tour in Cabo San Lucas Reserve, Certified Divers with MANTA: $138
  • 2 in 1 Tour | Arc Tour with Beach Drop: $20
  • 2-Hour ATV Riding Experience in San Jose del Cabo: $110
  • 2-Hour Camel Ride Beach and Desert Adventure Experience: $120
  • 2.10 Hour Sunset Tour on Catamaran in Cabo San Lucas : $75

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Humahuaca $5.71
    Cabo San Lucas $26

Sample the Local Flavors in Cabo San Lucas

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cabo San Lucas:

  • Wine Tasting Sunset Cruise Tour in San Jose del Cabo: $280


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Humahuaca and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas is more expensive. And not only is Humahuaca much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Humahuaca is in South America 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 Humahuaca would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Humahuaca 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 Humahuaca.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Humahuaca Expensive? and Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Humahuaca or Cabo San Lucas?

Cabo San Lucas has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Humahuaca. When comparing the sizes of Humahuaca 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.