Which place is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or La Paz?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Paz or Cabo San Lucas?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between La Paz and Cabo San Lucas can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: La Paz or Cabo San Lucas?
La Paz
La Paz, the administrative capital of Bolivia, has a breathtaking setting. The city is the highest national capital in the world, with an altitude ranging from about 4,058 m (13,313 ft) above sea level in El Alto, where the airport is located, to 3,100 m (10,170 ft) in the lower residential area. The dynamic and chaotic city was built in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River. La Paz is now a fusion of architectural styles, cultures and beliefs, welcoming everyday new boutique hotels, modern shops, delicious restaurants and reinventing standing establishments. However, generally speaking, Bolivia remains more a backpacker hit than a mainstream tourist destination.
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 Luxury Tours to Bolivia, The Best Budget Tours to Bolivia, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Paz $44Cabo San Lucas $139
The average daily cost (per person) in La Paz is $44, 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 La Paz and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Paz $16Cabo San Lucas $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Paz $32Cabo San Lucas $126
Compare Hotels in La Paz and Cabo San Lucas
Looking for a hotel in La Paz 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: La Paz Hotel Prices and Cabo San Lucas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Paz $9.45Cabo San Lucas $28
Typical Local Transportation Prices in La Paz
Some typical examples of transportation costs in La Paz are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$0.58
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Paz
Also for La Paz, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer In_ Day: $25
- Airport Transfer In_night: $47
- Airport Transfer Out_day: $25
- Airport Transfer Out_night: $25
- Bus Station Transfer In_day: $25
- Bus Station Transfer Out_day: $25
- Bus Station Transfer Out_night : $25
- Private Transfer Airport to Hotels Service 24/7: $21
- One-Way Private Transfer from La Paz Hotels to Airport : $27
- Private Departure Transfer: La Paz Hotels to El Alto International Airport: $37
- Private Transfer From Airport to Hotel in La Paz City: $60
- Private Transfer From Bus Station to your Hotel in La Paz City : $54
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 La Paz or Cabo San Lucas?
Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas and La Paz 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 dayLa Paz $17Cabo San Lucas $51
Typical Food Prices in La Paz
For La Paz, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Fruit$0.72
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Paz
For La Paz, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- La Paz Food Tour + Cable Car Cultural City tour: $45
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.La Paz $16Cabo San Lucas $43
Tours and Activities in La Paz
For La Paz, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Walking city tour La Paz: $2.67
- La Paz Half-Day Walking Tour: $3.00
- Be a Local - La Paz Walking Tour: $8.00
- Live Virtual City Tour - La Paz : $10
- La Paz Walking City tour plus Cable cars: $10
- City Highlights Walking Tour with Cable Car Ride: $10
- Private Sunset Tour in La Paz: $10
- City Tour plus Cable Car La Paz: $10
- Titicaca Lake - Bus Ticket - From La Paz City - Ow: $12
- Gastronomic Tour Vivencial Tour de las Caseras: $13
- Private Cable Car City Tour: $18
- Cable Car, Cemetery, Shaman, and El Alto Tour: $20
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 dayLa Paz $11Cabo San Lucas $28
Sample the Local Flavors in La Paz
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in La Paz:
- Cultural Pub Crawl La Paz Nightlife Tour : $50
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 La Paz and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas is more expensive. And not only is La Paz much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Paz 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 La Paz would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Paz 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 La Paz.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is La Paz Expensive? and Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Paz or Cabo San Lucas?
La Paz has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Cabo San Lucas. When comparing the sizes of La Paz 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.