A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Punta Cana vs. Flores for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Punta Cana or Flores?

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

Should I visit Punta Cana or Flores? 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: Punta Cana or Flores?

Punta Cana

Punta Cana, located on the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic, is renowned for its stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, and vibrant culture. This Caribbean paradise offers a diverse range of experiences that cater to all types of travelers, whether you're on a tight budget, seeking thrilling activities, exploring local cuisine, or figuring out the best ways to get around.

Flores

The town of Flores is located in Peten, Guatemala. The main hub is located on an island on Lago Peten Itza, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. On the other side of the causeway are the towns of Santa Elena and San Benito, however, all three are often referred to as Flores. Most people visit the area for its proximity to the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal, though the town itself is also charming with colonial buildings and historic churches lining the cobbled streets.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Tours for Seniors to Guatemala, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Guatemala.


Which place is cheaper, Flores or Punta Cana?

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 Punta Cana is $180, while the average daily cost in Flores is $43. 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 Punta Cana and Flores in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Punta Cana $101
    Flores $8.77
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Punta Cana $202
    Flores $18
Compare Hotels in Punta Cana and Flores

Looking for a hotel in Punta Cana or Flores? 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 Punta Cana


Hotels in Flores


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: Punta Cana Hotel Prices and Flores Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Punta Cana $6.77
    Flores $8.00

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta Cana

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Punta Cana:

  • private transfer standard and premium punta cana airport to puerto plata: $265
  • YC VIP Transfer: $120
  • Wyndham Alltra Punta Cana - Airport Transfer - Round Trip: $137
  • Vip Private Transfer to Punta Cana from Santo Domingo: $153
  • VIP Uvero Alto Private Transfer Suburban from Punta Cana: $60
  • VIP Transfer from Airport to Cap Cana Hotels: $149
  • VIP Transfer Punta Cana Airport to Punta Cana & Bavaro Hotels (Not Uvero Alto): $70
  • VIP Suburban Transfer from Punta Cana Airport to Bavaro Hotels: $130
  • VIP SUV Suburbans Transfer Punta Cana Airport & Hotels: $48
  • VIP SUV Airport Transfer from Punta Cana/Bavaro: $70
  • VIP Private Round-Trip Transfer from Punta Cana Airport: $18
  • VIP Luxury Transfers from Punta Cana with Drinks: $63

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Flores

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

  • Bus transfer from Flores, Guatemala to Belize City: $20
  • Flores, Peten: One way shared transfer to Rio Dulce, Izabal: $39
  • Belize/Caye Caulke/San Pedro Van or Ferry Transfer: $20
  • One way shared transfer to Semuc Champey, Lanquin: $49
  • Tikal National Park Guided Tour with Transfers: $24
  • Transfer from Flores to Semuc Champey, Lanquin, Tourists Only: $40
  • From Flores, Peten: One way shared transfer to Tikal: $39
  • Same day Round-Trip VIP Exclusive Transfer to Tikal from Flores: $160
  • Tikal Transfer and Tour Guide From Flores: $90
  • Transfer : Mayan World Airport to Flores Island Hotels: $10

Is it cheaper to fly into Punta Cana or Flores?

Prices for flights to both Flores and Punta Cana 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
    Punta Cana $68
    Flores $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Punta Cana

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Punta Cana.

  • Half Day Punta Cana Food Tour Including Transportation: $35
  • Origen Tasting Adventure Dinner or Lunch of 8 Courses Dom Cuisine: $85
  • Punta Cana Nightlife and Street Food Tour with Hotel Pickup: $95
  • "PRIVATE"- Wild Dominican Sancocho Cooking Adventure!: $99
  • Punta Cana Buggy Ride with Dinner and Taino Party: $139
  • Sunset Buggies Adventure with Dinner from Punta Cana: $145
  • Dinner in the Sky Experience in Punta Cana: $149
  • Punta Cana Jungle Night Tour with Cave Swim and Dinner: $160
  • Night Buggy Tour with Cenote Swim & Dinner Combo: $190
  • Punta Cana Buggy Ride and Taino Party with Dinner: $230
  • Punta Cana Buggy Ride, Dinner and Taino Party: $294

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Punta Cana $31
    Flores $20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Punta Cana

Here are a few typical costs in Punta Cana for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Dune Buggy Adventure
    $54

Tours and Activities in Punta Cana

Here are a few actual costs in Punta Cana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • “Saona Island Tour by Catamaran & Speedboat – Punta Cana”: $99
  • 3 Hours Shared Buggy Tour in Punta Cana: $55
  • 3 hrs Glass Boat Tour in Punta Cana: $65
  • 3-in-1 Activity-Buggy-Horse-Zipline-City Tours-Macao Beach: $90
  • 4 Hour ATV and Horseback Adventure in Punta Cana: $125
  • 4 Hour Punta Cana Fishing Tour: $97
  • 4 Hour Speed Experience in Punta Cana: $80
  • 4-Hour ATV and Horseback Adventure from Bávaro: $100
  • 4-Hour ATV and Horseback Adventure in Cap Cana: $150
  • 4-Hour Glass Bottom Boat Experience in Punta Cana: $90
  • 4-hour Buggy Tour Punta Cana and Macao Beach: $45
  • 4x4 ATV Adventure Punta Cana Activity wild side of muddy road: $45

Typical Entertainment Prices in Flores

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


  • Tikal Entrance (for 2)
    $39
  • Map of Tikal
    $3.27

Tours and Activities in Flores

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

  • Tour and transportation with tour guide to Tikal.: $20
  • Basic Tour to Tikal Includes Transportation and Guide Service: $25
  • Shared Guided Sunset Tour in Yaxhá from Flores: $25
  • From Flowers Sunset Tour in Tikal: $25
  • Yaxha Shared Sunset Tour with Transportation & Guide: $25
  • Tikal Sightseeing Tour: from Mundo Maya Airport in Flores: $30
  • Shared tour to Tikal from Flores Island: $30
  • From Tikal Ruins Guided Tour: $31
  • Tikal Ruins Day Tour from Flores: $31
  • From Yaxha Ruins Guided Tour: $36
  • From Tikal Sunrise Archaeological Tour: $37
  • From 2-Day Semuc Champey Tour with Caves & Tubing: $38

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Punta Cana $11
    Flores $21

Typical Alcohol Prices in Flores

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Flores are as follows:


  • Two Margaritas
    $2.62


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

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


Which is Bigger, Punta Cana or Flores?

Punta Cana has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Flores. When comparing the sizes of Punta Cana and Flores, 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.