A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Merida vs. Sucre for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Merida or Sucre?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Merida or Sucre, 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: Merida or Sucre?

Merida

Merida is the largest city on the Yucatan Peninsula, which separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea. It is also the capital of the state of Yucatan as a whole. There is a population of 750,000 and is very rich in diversity and culture.

Sucre

Sucre is famous for its gorgeous town center and delightful climate, making it for many Bolivia's most beautiful city. Also considered the symbolic heart of the nation, 'La ciudad blanca' or the white city has preserved stunning whitewashed buildings sheltering pretty patios and other beauties of colonial architecture. The city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991 and is under strict controls on development. It offers many attractions including historic buildings and a renowned theatre, but you can also wander around prehistoric sites and discover indigenous culture in the surrounding towns and countryside.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, The Best 3-Day Tours from La Paz, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bolivia.


Which place is cheaper, Sucre or Merida?

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 Merida is $99, while the average daily cost in Sucre is $57. 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 Merida and Sucre in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Merida $40
    Sucre $11
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Merida $80
    Sucre $22
Compare Hotels in Merida and Sucre

Looking for a hotel in Merida or Sucre? 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 Merida


Hotels in Sucre


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: Merida Hotel Prices and Sucre Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Merida $17
    Sucre $12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merida

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

  • Private Airport Transfer from Mérida to Campeche: $292
  • Private Transfer From Merida to Uxmal, English Speaking Driver: $156
  • One-way Airport Transfers to Merida Hotels: $120
  • Mérida International Airport (MID) to Merida hotels - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $50
  • Private Transfer from Airport to Hotel in Merida One Way: $44
  • Merida Airport (MID) Private Transfer to Merida Centre: $40
  • Mérida International Airport (MID) to Merida hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $25
  • Merida hotels to Mérida International Airport (MID) - Private Departure Transfer: $25

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Sucre

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Sucre are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.45

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sucre

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

  • Private transfer Sucre - Uyuni, stopover in Potosí Mines: $250
  • Private MiniVan or Bus Transfer from Sucre Airport SRE to Sucre: $28
  • Departure Transfer from Sucre to Sucre Airport by MiniVan or Bus: $27

Is it cheaper to fly into Merida or Sucre?

Prices for flights to both Sucre and Merida 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
    Merida $46
    Sucre $32

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Merida

For Merida, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Private Street Food Tour + Historic Tour Merida - Best Rated : $44
  • Merida Food Tour with local Yucatecan Chef : $56
  • Merida Walking Food Tour. Authentic & Local Cuisine: $64
  • Taste of the Yucatan: Merida Cooking Class and Market Visit: $86
  • Merida Shore Excursion- Mexican Cooking Class with Port Transfers: $102
  • Market Tour and Authentic Cooking Class in Merida with Transfers: $154

Typical Food Prices in Sucre

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Sucre:


  • Dinner
    $4.48
  • Juice
    $0.87
  • Juice
    $1.01
  • Chocolate
    $1.73
  • Cappuccino
    $4.34

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sucre

For Sucre, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Traditional Bolivian Cooking Class w/ Cocktail Making by La Boca del Sapo, Sucre: $45
  • Ancestral Cooking Classes: $70

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Merida $15
    Sucre $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Merida

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Merida's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Train at the Zoo
    $0.11
  • Uxmal Entrance (for 2)
    $18
  • Mayan Village Entrance (for 2)
    $5.43

Tours and Activities in Merida

For Merida, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 2-hour Temazcal experience in the Mayan world: $167
  • 3 Hour Tour in The Sotuta de Peón Live Museum: $56
  • 4 Cenotes Full Day Tour from Merida: $104
  • 4 Cenotes Tour in Homún all inclusive from Merida: $68
  • 4x1 Tour Chichen Itza Magic Towns Valladolid & Izamal from Merida: $108
  • 6-hour Guided Tour to Uxmal and Kabah Express: $89
  • Adventure 4 cenotes with Izamal: $119
  • Ake Ruins & Homun Cenotes Day Tour from Merida: $90
  • Ancestral Mayan Private Culinary Experience in Merida: $128
  • Boat tour through the mangroves of Celestún and Playa from Merida: $75
  • Celestun Biosphere Reserve Tour from Merida: $165
  • Celestun Nature Reserve Flamingo Tour-Boat to Flamingo Paradise from Merida: $230

Tours and Activities in Sucre

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

  • 2-Day Icla Canyon Tour from Sucre: $87
  • 4-Day Guided Adventure Trip from Tupiza to Salar de Uyuni: $267
  • Behind: Textiles and History Walking Tour: $20
  • Historical and Cultural Walking Tour in Sucre with Guide: $9.99
  • JATUN YAMPARA - Agro-artisan Indigenous Nucleus -Full Day Tours + Lunch: $85
  • JATUN YAMPARA - Nucleo Indigena, Agroartesanal - Half Day Tours: $66
  • Private Cultural Tour in Sucre with Visit to 3 Museums: $45
  • Private Half Day Tour: Sucre Walking Tour with Hotel Pick up: $67
  • Sucre - Walking City Tour - Half Day - English Speaking guide: $64
  • Sucre City Tour With Visit to Cretaceous Park: $123
  • Sucre | City tour and museums | Private: $105
  • City Highlights Walking Tour: $14

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Merida $14
    Sucre $13


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Merida and Sucre, we can see that Merida is more expensive. And not only is Sucre much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Merida is in North America and Sucre is in South 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 Sucre would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sucre 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 Merida would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Merida than you might in Sucre.

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


Which is Bigger, Merida or Sucre?

Merida has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Sucre. When comparing the sizes of Merida and Sucre, 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.