Which place is cheaper, Isla Mujeres or Oaxaca de Juarez?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Oaxaca de Juarez or Isla Mujeres?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Oaxaca de Juarez or Isla Mujeres? 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: Oaxaca de Juarez or Isla Mujeres?
Oaxaca de Juarez
Officially known as Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca is the capital and largest city in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It's a beautiful colonial city in the foothills of the Sierra Madre. The city has beautiful architecture and a variety of festivals as well as a tree lined square called El Zocalo. Oaxaca's economy is heavily dependent on tourism and it is a wonderful place to see Mexican art and handicrafts. There are many artists and artisans in Oaxaca and the contemporary art scene is on the rise. The artists combine the area's rich indigenous culture and tradition with a modern twist. While you're in the area you should definitely make a point of experiencing the area's wonderful museums, interesting architecture, charming hotels and unique twist on Mexican cuisine.
Isla Mujeres
About eight miles from the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Isla Mujeres is an island in the Mexican Caribbean Sea. The town, of the same name, has a population of about 13,000. Tourism has grown in the area since the 1970s and today it is a significant part of the island's economy. As such, there are plenty of amenities that cater specifically to visitors. The island's proximity to Cuba make it a common transit point for Cubans in route to the United States.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOaxaca de Juarez $46Isla Mujeres $148
The average daily cost (per person) in Oaxaca de Juarez is $46, while the average daily cost in Isla Mujeres is $148. 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 Oaxaca de Juarez and Isla Mujeres in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOaxaca de Juarez $20Isla Mujeres $78
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOaxaca de Juarez $40Isla Mujeres $156
Compare Hotels in Oaxaca de Juarez and Isla Mujeres
Looking for a hotel in Oaxaca de Juarez or Isla Mujeres? 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: Oaxaca de Juarez Hotel Prices and Isla Mujeres Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Oaxaca de Juarez $13Isla Mujeres $35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oaxaca de Juarez
Also for Oaxaca de Juarez, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer Airport Hotel n Oaxaca: $16
- Transfer Private Vehicle from Huatulco City - Huatulco Airport (HUX): $27
- Roundtrip Private/Shared Airport Transfer: $30
- Oaxaca Hotels to Oaxaca Airport OAX Departure Private Transfer: $36
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Oaxaca Airport to Hotels: $46
- Oaxaca: Private transfer from Oaxaca airport to hotel: $54
- Oaxaca International Airport - Private Transfer From/ to Oaxaca City: $56
- Round private transfer Airport to hotel in Oaxaca: $60
- Oaxaca Xoxocotlan Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca hotels -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $72
- Oaxaca Airport OAX to Oaxaca Hotels Round Trip Private Transfer: $72
- Xoxocotlan Airport: Private Transfer to Oaxaca City: $91
- Oaxaca: Santiago Apoala Waterfall Day Trip with Transfers: $306
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Isla Mujeres
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Isla Mujeres:
- Private Transfer: Playa Mujeres to Cancun Airport CUN in SUV: $123
Is it cheaper to fly into Oaxaca de Juarez or Isla Mujeres?
Prices for flights to both Isla Mujeres and Oaxaca de Juarez 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 dayOaxaca de Juarez $14Isla Mujeres $46
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Oaxaca de Juarez
For Oaxaca de Juarez, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Oaxacan Dinner on Agronomic Biodiversity: $49
- Oaxaca: Night Street Food Tour with Transfers and Tastings: $54
- Oaxaca: Vegetarian Cooking Class: $72
- Oaxacan Vegetarian Cooking Class: $73
- Flavors of Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu and Local Market Tour: $77
- Mexican Cooking Classes in Oaxacan : $83
- AUTHENTIC OAXACA FOOD TOUR, eat like a local.: $89
- Cooking classes from the Isthmus with a Tehuana: $92
- Food tour to the Tlacolula Market: $92
- Oaxaca: Day of the Dead Evening Walking Tour with Dinner: $94
- Nixtamal Cooking Class & Tour To The San Agustin Center of Arts: $99
- Vegetarian Traditional Mexican Cooking Class: $100
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Oaxaca de Juarez $13Isla Mujeres $21
Tours and Activities in Oaxaca de Juarez
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Oaxaca de Juarez.
- MTB Bike Tour to the Tule Tree (Through the country-side): $6.16
- Bicycle Tour through Oaxaca learning about its Urban Art and History: $20
- Bike tour to the Tule Tree and the Gastronomic Market: $21
- Oaxaca: Oaxaca City Beyond the Surface Walking Tour: $24
- Private Mexican Engraving Workshop Experience: $25
- Montealban Tour: $28
- Monte Alban Walking Tour: $30
- Half day tour Monte Alban: $33
- Monte Alban Guided Half Day Tour: $33
- Oaxaca: Monte Alban Guided Archaeological Tour: $34
- Tour Monte Albán: $34
- Oaxaca: Ocotlan de Morelos Cultural Experience and Tour: $35
Tours and Activities in Isla Mujeres
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Isla Mujeres are as follows:
- Romantic tour in Isla Mujeres: $126
- Scuba Diving Adventure WITHOUT CERTIFICATION! Try it today!: $185
- “ Tour in Isla Mujeres “ Transparent boat ride: $40
- 3 Hours VIP Semiprivate Tour Isla Mujeres Full Snorkeling Experience : $84
- Cancun Jungle Kingdom Adventure ATV, Zipline and Cenote : $70
- Cancun: Full-Day Catamaran Cruise to Isla Mujeres: $79
- Cancun: Isla Mujeres 12 pm Catamaran Tour with Snorkeling: $59
- Crystal Boat Tour to Isla Mujeres and Reefs: $44
- From Cancún: Isla Mujeres Sunset Catamaran Cruise: $78
- From Riviera Maya: Isla Contoy & Isla Mujeres Full-Day Tour: $178
- Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Adventure at the Underwater Museum: $47
- Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Tour: $92
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOaxaca de Juarez $15Isla Mujeres $25
Sample the Local Flavors in Oaxaca de Juarez
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Oaxaca de Juarez:
- Hierve el Agua, Tule Tree, Mitla and Mezcal Distillery Tour: $45
- Only Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery tour: $50
- Only Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery Tour: $50
- From Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery: $54
- Tour to Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery (Small groups): $68
- Mezcal distillery guided tour: $87
- Artisanal Mezcal distillery in an authentic Zapotec village : $150
Sample the Local Flavors in Isla Mujeres
Also in Isla Mujeres, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Isla Mujeres Golf Cart Bar Crawl : $175
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Oaxaca de Juarez and Isla Mujeres, we can see that Isla Mujeres is more expensive. And not only is Oaxaca de Juarez much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Oaxaca de Juarez would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Oaxaca de Juarez 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 Isla Mujeres would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Isla Mujeres than you might in Oaxaca de Juarez.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Oaxaca de Juarez Expensive? and Is Isla Mujeres Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Oaxaca de Juarez or Isla Mujeres?
Oaxaca de Juarez has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Isla Mujeres. When comparing the sizes of Oaxaca de Juarez and Isla Mujeres, 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.