Which place is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Luang Prabang?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Luang Prabang or Cabo San Lucas?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Luang Prabang or Cabo San Lucas, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Luang Prabang or Cabo San Lucas?
Luang Prabang
Southeast Asia is a region full of mystical wonders and cultural charm, but nowhere is as charming as the city of Luang Prabang. As the former capital of Laos, Luang Prabang was reopened to tourism in 1989. With that move the city experienced an upswing in revenue and was able to restore and rebuild the beautiful colonial mansions to serve as guesthouses and hotels for the new swarm of tourists.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in Laos, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Laos, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
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Luang Prabang Prices
Laos PricesCabo San Lucas Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLuang Prabang $17Cabo San Lucas $168
The average daily cost (per person) in Luang Prabang is $17, while the average daily cost in Cabo San Lucas is $168. 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 Luang Prabang and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLuang Prabang $5.38Cabo San Lucas $60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLuang Prabang $11Cabo San Lucas $120
Compare Hotels in Luang Prabang and Cabo San Lucas
Looking for a hotel in Luang Prabang 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: Luang Prabang Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Luang Prabang $1.98Cabo San Lucas $27
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Luang Prabang
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Luang Prabang are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$2.22
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Luang Prabang
Also for Luang Prabang, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From 3-Day Oudomxay Town Trip with Transfers: $580
- LPQ Airport: Private Transfer to/from Luang Prabang City: $20
- Luang Prabang 2 Days Private Tour with Airport Transfers: $165
- Luang Prabang Private Airport transfers: $9.00
- 2-Day Private Tour with Airport Transfers: $165
- 2D Transfer to Huay Xai by Slow Boat: $60
- Luang Prang 1 Day with Laos Railway Private Transfer: $180
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
- Private Round Trip Transfer Los Cabos Airport to Cabo San Lucas: $300
- Transfer to Cabo San Lucas from Round Trip Airport: $283
- Private Airport Transfers in Cielito Lindo: $280
- Cabo San Lucas Port to San Jose Del Cabo hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $280
- Private Airport Transfers in Los Cabos: $266
- Los Cabos Luxury Private Tesla Transfer from Airport to Cabo San Lucas Area: $261
- Private Transfer from the Airport to Hotels in Los Cabos 1-10px: $255
- Private Los Cabos Airport to San Jose del Cabo Transfer: $250
- Private Airport Transfer to Los Cabos Hotels: $250
- Los Cabos Luxury Private Tesla Transfer from Airport to Tourist Corridor Area: $236
- Round Trip Private SUV Transfer SJD Airport to Cabo San Lucas: $231
- Los Cabos Luxury Private Tesla Transfer from Airport to Puerto Los Cabos Area: $220
Is it cheaper to fly into Luang Prabang or Cabo San Lucas?
Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas and Luang Prabang 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 dayLuang Prabang $8.89Cabo San Lucas $84
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Luang Prabang
For Luang Prabang, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Luang Prabang Local Market and Morning Food Tour with Drinks: $39
- The Namkhan - Kids Cooking Class: $40
- Day-time Bamboo weaving & Cooking Classes join-in: $44
- Bamboo Weaving Workshop & Cooking Class: $44
- Cooking Class at the Former Royal Palace: $45
- Luangprabang: Dinner with Lao Traditional Dance Performance: $45
- Mekong Meals Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $45
- Laos: Prabang Plates Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $46
- Mekong Meals Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $46
- Evening Bamboo weaving & Cooking classes join-in: $47
- Mekong Sunset Cruise & Lao Tasting Dinner: $49
- Evening Cooking Class & Local Baci Ceremony: $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.
- Taste Tacos & Street Food Like a Local: Cabo San Lucas Food Tour: $64
- Seafood Galore, Los Cabos Food Tour: $80
- San Jose del Cabo Tacos and Food Tour: $88
- 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
- Sunset Mexican Dinner Cruise and Live Music in Cabo San Lucas: $95
- Cabo Pirate Adventure: Family Sunset Dinner & Show: $99
- Yo Ho Pirate Sunset Dinner Cruise in Cabo San Lucas: $99
- Cabo Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Music & Open Bar on Cabo Wave: $99
- Pirate Ship Sunset Dinner and Show in Los Cabos: $99
- Cabo San Lucas Sunset Dinner Catamaran Cruise to the Arch: $99
- Jumbo Shrimp Dinner in Your Private Villa or Condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Luang Prabang $2.56Cabo San Lucas $41
Tours and Activities in Luang Prabang
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Luang Prabang.
- Luang Prabang to Train Station Shared Minivan Ticket Or Private: $5.00
- Luang Prabang to Kuang Si Waterfalls Shared Minivan Ticket: $8.00
- Farm Tour and Buffalo Buffet Adventure: $9.00
- Laos Buffalo Dairy Tours Interact, Learn and Taste Fresh Flavors: $14
- Audio-Guided City Tour in Electric Car: $14
- Laos–China Railway: Easy Train Tickets, No Queues, No Worries: $28
- Natural Soap Making Experience - Luang Prabang: $28
- Luang Prabang Half Day Tour with Mekong River Sunset Cruise: $29
- Laos Railway: Train Tickets Easily - Skip the Lines - No worries: $30
- Small Group Half Day Luang Prabang city tour: $30
- UNESCO World Heritage City Highlights Tour: $35
- Unwind with a Sunset Cruise on the Mekong River: $35
Tours and Activities in Cabo San Lucas
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Hour Sunset Tour on Catamaran in Cabo San Lucas: $85
- 2 Hours Horseback Riding Adventure in Cabo: $130
- 2-Hour Camel Ride Beach and Desert Adventure Experience: $120
- 2-Hour Whale Watching Tour in Cabo with Breakfast: $130
- 4x4 Automatic ATV and Camel Ride Combo Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $175
- A Full-Day Baja Adventure: La Paz, Balandra Beach & Todos Santos: $130
- A taste of Los Cabos. A San Jose and Cabo San Lucas City Tour: $100
- ATV & Camel Ride Tour on Migriño Beach: $125
- ATV Adventure: $135
- ATV Adventure from Cabo San Lucas: $115
- ATV Adventure in Rancho San Cristobal Cabo San Lucas: $189
- ATV Beach and Dunes Adventure in Los Cabos with Tequila Tasting: $70
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLuang Prabang $1.71Cabo San Lucas $27
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Luang Prabang and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas is more expensive. And not only is Luang Prabang much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Luang Prabang is in Asia 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 Luang Prabang would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Luang Prabang 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 Luang Prabang.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Luang Prabang Expensive? and Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Luang Prabang or Cabo San Lucas?
Luang Prabang has a larger population, and is about 11% larger than the population of Cabo San Lucas. When comparing the sizes of Luang Prabang 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.