Which place is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Mar del Plata?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Mar del Plata or Cabo San Lucas?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
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 Mar del Plata and Cabo San Lucas can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Mar del Plata or Cabo San Lucas?
Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata is found only 404 km southeast of the city of Buenos Aires, on the Atlantic coast. Today Mar Del Plata is Argentina‘s most well known beach resort. It has successfully married the two worlds of beach and city into a fun, cosmopolitan urban center with the presence of highly developed tourist infrastructure. Founded in 1874, Mar del Plata was at first mainly an industrial and commercial center before becoming a vacation destination for Argentinians. For a peaceful trip and intimate oceanfront promenades, avoid visiting Mar del Plata during summer time, as the gorgeous arced coastline will be crawling with visitors. But the city is more than just beaches. It also offers some culture, lively nightlife, and great food.
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 Argentina, The Best Budget Tours to Argentina, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMar del Plata $8.78Cabo San Lucas $139
The average daily cost (per person) in Mar del Plata is $8.78, 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 Mar del Plata and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMar del Plata $3.15Cabo San Lucas $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMar del Plata $6.30Cabo San Lucas $126
Compare Hotels in Mar del Plata and Cabo San Lucas
Looking for a hotel in Mar del Plata 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: Mar del Plata Hotel Prices and Cabo San Lucas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mar del Plata $2.50Cabo San Lucas $28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
- Los Cabos Airport (SJD): Transfer to Cabo San Lucas Port: $436
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Airport to Pacific Side: $300
- Transfer from Airport to Cabo San Lucas: $300
- Los Cabos Luxury Private Tesla Transfer from Airport to the Pacifica Area: $293
- Private All Inclusive Diamante Area Roundtrip Airport Transfer: $280
- Los Cabos Luxury Private Tesla Transfer from Airport to Cabo San Lucas Area: $261
- Private All Inclusive Cabo San Lucas Roundtrip Airport Transfer: $250
- Private Transfer from Accommodation to Restaurant in Los Cabos: $250
- Private Transfer from Los Cabos Airport to Cabo San Lucas: $250
- Private Transfer from Cabo San Lucas to La Paz: $240
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Airport to Cabo San Lucas: $240
- Private Escalade Airport Transfer in Los Cabos: $220
Is it cheaper to fly into Mar del Plata or Cabo San Lucas?
Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas and Mar del Plata 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 dayMar del Plata $3.81Cabo 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.Mar del Plata $2.27Cabo San Lucas $43
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 dayMar del Plata $1.78Cabo San Lucas $28
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 Mar del Plata and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas is more expensive. And not only is Mar del Plata much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mar del Plata 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 Mar del Plata would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mar del Plata 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 Mar del Plata.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mar del Plata Expensive? and Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mar del Plata or Cabo San Lucas?
Mar del Plata has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Cabo San Lucas. When comparing the sizes of Mar del Plata 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.