Which place is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Piriapolis?
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 Piriapolis 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 Piriapolis 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: Piriapolis or Cabo San Lucas?
Piriapolis
Piriapolis is a small beach town between Montevideo and Punta del Este in Uruguay. It is a more laid back version of Punta del Este with fewer fancy restaurants and clubs but it has perhaps more charm, with its grand old hotel and beachfront promenade backed by small mountains. The rather old-school coastal resort is vaguely reminiscent of a Mediterranean beach town.
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 Adventure Tours to Uruguay, The Best Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
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Piriapolis Prices
Uruguay PricesCabo San Lucas Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPiriapolis $81Cabo San Lucas $169
The average daily cost (per person) in Piriapolis is $81, while the average daily cost in Cabo San Lucas is $169. 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 Piriapolis and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPiriapolis $26Cabo San Lucas $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPiriapolis $52Cabo San Lucas $122
Compare Hotels in Piriapolis and Cabo San Lucas
Looking for a hotel in Piriapolis 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: Piriapolis Hotel Prices and Cabo San Lucas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Piriapolis $30Cabo San Lucas $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
- Airport Transfer to Cabo San Lucas & Pacific side Hotels & Villas Round Trip: $179
- Airport Transfer to Cabo San Lucas IDA: $130
- Cabo Airport Transportation (SJD) | Private Transfers: $150
- Cabo Migriño: Choose 2 Activities + Airport Transfers & Tequila: $178
- Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) to Cabo San Lucas -Arrival Transfer: $78
- Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) to Cabo San Lucas Port - Arrival Private Transfer: $73
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Cabo San Lucas hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $73
- Cabo San Lucas Port to Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) - Departure Private Transfer: $73
- Cabo San Lucas Port to Los Cabos Airport (SJD) - Departure Private Transferl: $98
- Cabo San Lucas Port to San Jose Del Cabo hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $140
- Cabo San Lucas Port to San Jose Del Cabo hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $281
- Cabo San Lucas hotels to Los Cabos Airport (SJD) - Private Departure Transfer: $98
Is it cheaper to fly into Piriapolis or Cabo San Lucas?
Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas and Piriapolis 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 dayPiriapolis $38Cabo San Lucas $84
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.
- Mexican Cooking Class and Garden Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $75
- Seafood Galore, Los Cabos Food Tour: $80
- Cabo Sunset Dinner Cruise: Fajitas, Lands End and Party: $84
- 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
- Cabo Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Music & Open Bar on Cabo Wave: $99
- Jumbo Shrimp Dinner in Your Private Villa or Condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo: $99
- Pirate Ship Sunset Dinner and Show in Los Cabos: $99
- Sunset E-bike Beach Ride with Mexican Dinner and Margaritas: $109
- San Jose del Cabo City Highlights with Tequila Tasting and Dinner: $110
- Mexican Beer and Seafood Tour in San Jose del Cabo: $110
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Piriapolis $5.68Cabo San Lucas $41
Tours and Activities in Cabo San Lucas
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Tour to Arch in the only Clear Boat in Cabo Cruise Hotel PICKUP!: $11
- Tour to Arch in the only Clear Boat in Cabo Cruise Hotel PICKUP!: $15
- Glass Bottom Boat Tour to the Arch in Cabo San Lucas: $15
- Tour to Arch in the only Clear Boat in Cabo Cruise Hotel PICKUP!: $15
- Cabo Clear Boat Tour to the Arch: Hotel Pickup Available: $15
- The Ultimate Camel Safari Experience in Los Cabos: $17
- Boat Tour with Glass Arc Bottom with Beach Time: $19
- Cabo San Lucas Arch and Lover's Beach Boat Tour: $19
- Cabo San Lucas Arch Tour and we go down to Playa del Amor: $20
- Shared Guided Cabo San Lucas Boat Tour: $21
- Cabo San Lucas Arch Tour by Glass Bottom Boat: $21
- Tour of Cabo San Lucas and Playa del Amor by Luxury Yacht: $24
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPiriapolis $7.83Cabo San Lucas $27
Sample the Local Flavors in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cabo San Lucas:
- Cabo Bar Crawl to the Best Bars and Clubs in Cabo: $60
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Piriapolis and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas is more expensive. And not only is Piriapolis much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Piriapolis 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 Piriapolis would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Piriapolis 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 Piriapolis.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Piriapolis Expensive? and Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Piriapolis or Cabo San Lucas?
Cabo San Lucas has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Piriapolis. When comparing the sizes of Piriapolis 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.