Which place is cheaper, Key Largo 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.
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Should you visit Punta Cana or Key Largo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Punta Cana or Key Largo? 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 Key Largo?
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.
Key Largo
As the lustrous emerald waters ebb and flow against your sandy toes, you find yourself cooled by the gentle breeze as you bask under a golden sun. To you, it's paradise. To everyone else, it's Key Largo. Located in the northernmost of the Florida Keys, Key Largo is known as the dive capital of the world due to its well-preserved coral reefs and clear waters. Just an hour-drive from South Florida's major airports, Key Largo boasts in containing a vast biodiversity, such as tropical hardwoods, creeks, two state parks, a national park, and a portion of a national marine sanctuary. Besides its natural beauty, Key Largo is overflowing with top restaurants and chic boutiques. It is no wonder that Key Largo became a hotspot for Hollywood beach scenes, with even a movie holding its namesake! Whether you look to get your fun by land or by water, there is something for everyone at Key Largo!
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from New York City.
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Punta Cana Prices
Dominican Republic PricesKey Largo Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPunta Cana $170Key Largo $256
The average daily cost (per person) in Punta Cana is $170, while the average daily cost in Key Largo is $256. 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 Key Largo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPunta Cana $95Key Largo $117
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPunta Cana $190Key Largo $234
Compare Hotels in Punta Cana and Key Largo
Looking for a hotel in Punta Cana or Key Largo? 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: Punta Cana Hotel Prices and Key Largo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Punta Cana $6.39Key Largo $56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta Cana
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Punta Cana:
- Private Transfer from Punta Cana PUJ to Samana: $299
- Roundtrip VIP Transfer from Punta Cana Airport to Punta Cana Hotels: $270
- La Romana port transfers (combined transfers: airport-hotel-port): $266
- Private Transfer from puntacana AirPort to Bayahibe/romana: $260
- Punta Cana Airport (PUJ) to Santo Domingo - Round-Trip Transfer: $257
- Transfers From Punta Cana Airport (PUJ)<=>To All place at Juan Dolio: $255
- Private Round Trip Punta Cana Airport to Uvero Alto Villa/Hotel Transfer: $250
- Private car transfer from Punta Cana Airport to Santo Domingo: $250
- Roundtrip VIP transfers from Punta Cana to uvero alto and bavaro: $230
- Transfers From Las America Airport AILA SDQ<=>To All Place at Punta Cana: $227
- Private Transfer from Punta Cana to La Altagracia Province: $220
- Punta Cana to Bayahibe transfer: $191
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Key Largo
Also for Key Largo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Key Largo Private Transfers (up to 14 passengers): $142
Is it cheaper to fly into Punta Cana or Key Largo?
Prices for flights to both Key Largo 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
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Food Meals for one dayPunta Cana $64Key Largo $104
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Punta Cana
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Punta Cana.
- Origen Tasting Adventure Dinner or Lunch of 8 Courses Dom Cuisine: $85
- Taste of DR Street Food Tour: $125
- Sunset Buggies Adventure with Dinner from Punta Cana: $130
- Punta Cana Night Tour Polaris Ride Dinner Music and Open Bar: $169
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Punta Cana $30Key Largo $27
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:
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Dune Buggy Adventure$51
Tours and Activities in Punta Cana
Here are a few actual costs in Punta Cana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Adventure:4x4 ATV Cave and Dominican Culture At Punta Cana: $40
- Enjoy Our Tours Higuey City Cultural : $45
- Explore Punta Cana Buggy or ATV Adventure in Macao: $59
- Full Day Tour to Santo Domingo with Lunch.: $70
- Full Experience Hacienda – 6 Exciting Adventures: $90
- Full-Day Boat Tour of Los Haitises National Park: $165
- Full-Day Santo Domingo City Tour: $89
- Half Day Higuey City Tour from Punta Cana with Pick Up: $82
- Macao Beach private horseback tour in punta cana : $55
- Private ATV Tour from Punta Cana : $250
- Tours Parasailing Punta Cana: $99
- Tours Ziplines Punta Cana : $99
Tours and Activities in Key Largo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Key Largo.
- Florida Key West Self-Guided Driving Tour (7 Mile Bridge): $17
- Key Largo Coral Reef Glass Bottom Boat Adventure : $45
- Key Largo Sunset Cruise: $60
- Small Group Florida Keys Eco Tour by Boat: $60
- Snorkel Tours to Shallow Coral Reefs at Pennekamp Underwater Park: $64
- Sunset Cruise: $65
- Boat Eco Tour: $65
- Key Largo Day Tour: $65
- Key Largo Bay Sunset Tour: $66
- Mangroves and Manatees - Guided Kayak Eco Tour: $67
- Mangrove Tunnel Kayak Adventure in Key Largo: $68
- 1.5 Hour Bay Side Key Largo Sunset Cruise on a Spacious Catamaran: $69
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPunta Cana $10Key Largo $24
Sample the Local Flavors in Punta Cana
Also in Punta Cana, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Bar Crawl in Punta Cana: $35
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Punta Cana and Key Largo, we can see that Key Largo is more expensive. And not only is Punta Cana much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Punta Cana is in Caribbean Islands and Key Largo 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 Punta Cana would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Punta Cana 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 Key Largo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Key Largo than you might in Punta Cana.
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 Key Largo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Punta Cana or Key Largo?
Punta Cana has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Key Largo. When comparing the sizes of Punta Cana and Key Largo, 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.