Which place is cheaper, Key West 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 West?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Punta Cana or Key West? 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 West?
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 West
Key West is both a city and an island as well as the southern most Florida Key. It is also the southern most city in the continental United States. The island is only about four miles long and one mile wide. The total land mass covers just 4.2 square miles. The most famous street in town is Duval Street, which runs just 1.1 miles from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. There are 14 blocks. The size of the island doubled during the 1950s when many of the salt ponds along the eastern side of the island were filled in.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Train & Rail Tours in United States of America, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in United States of America.
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Punta Cana Prices
Dominican Republic PricesKey West Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPunta Cana $172Key West $247
The average daily cost (per person) in Punta Cana is $172, while the average daily cost in Key West is $247. 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 West in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPunta Cana $96Key West $132
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPunta Cana $192Key West $264
Compare Hotels in Punta Cana and Key West
Looking for a hotel in Punta Cana or Key West? 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 West Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Punta Cana $6.47Key West $51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta Cana
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Punta Cana:
- Affordable Private Suburban Transfer Cap Cana, Bavaro, Uvero Alto: $5.00
- Private Transfer: Punta Cana Airport (PUJ) to Cap Cana: $5.00
- Private Airport Transfers Roundtrip Punta Cana Hotels: $5.00
- Private Transfers from Punta Cana Airport to Hotels: $5.00
- Private Punta Cana Airport Transfers to Hotels — Fast & Safe: $5.00
- Private Punta Cana Airport Transfer — Reliable & Comfortable: $5.00
- Budget Punta Cana Airport Transfers-Cap Cana, Bavaro, Uvero Alto: $5.85
- PRiVATE TRANSFERS FROM PUNTA CANA AIRPORT TO HOTELS FAST SERVICES: $8.00
- Private Transfers from Punta Cana Airport to Cap Cana: $8.00
- Small Group Private Transfer from Punta Cana Airport to Hotels: $9.00
- PRiVATE TRANSFERS FROM PUNTA CANA AIRPORT TO HOTELS -FAST SERVICE: $9.00
- Private Transfer Between Punta Cana and Bavaro: $11
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Key West
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Key West:
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Rental Car for One Day$38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Key West
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Key West:
- Key West Airport (EYW) to Key West - Arrival Private Transfer: $148
- One Way Airport Transfer Service: $54
- Private Arrival Transfer from Key West Airport EYW: $144
- Private Transfer from Key West Airport (EYW) to Key West Port: $107
- Private Transfer from Key West Cruise Port to Key West hotels: $108
- Private Transfer from Key West Port to Key West Airport (EYW): $107
- Private Transfer from Key West hotels to Key West Cruise Port: $108
Is it cheaper to fly into Punta Cana or Key West?
Prices for flights to both Key West 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 $65Key West $81
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Punta Cana
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Punta Cana.
- Punta Cana Nightlife and Street Food Tour with Hotel Pickup: $76
- Origen Tasting Adventure Dinner or Lunch of 8 Courses Dom Cuisine: $85
- Punta Cana Night Buggy Tour with Cenote, Dinner and Show: $125
- Punta Cana Buggy Ride and Taino Party with Dinner: $139
- Dinner in the Sky Experience in Punta Cana: $159
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Key West
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Key West.
- Cooking Show Chef Demonstration with Meal: $91
- Key West Sunset Cruise: Dinner, Live Music & Drinks Included: $93
- Sunset Dinner Cruise with Open Bar & Live Music: $93
- Southernmost Food & Cultural Walking Tour by Key West Food Tours: $94
- Key West : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $100
- Old Town Food Tour with 5+ Tastings: $113
- Key West Sunset Buffet Dinner Cruise with Open Bar and Live Music: $130
- Sunset Sail Full Bar, Live Music & Dinner & Early Morning Snorkeling: $160
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Punta Cana $30Key West $33
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:
- Punta Cana Shopping Tour with Dominican Products and Souvenirs: $5.00
- Santo Domingo: Panoramic tour to Punta Cana with Buggy Ride: $5.00
- Punta Cana Souvenir Shopping Tour with Pickup: $6.00
- Punta Cana Souvenir Shopping Tour with Free Pickup: $6.00
- Guided Shopping Tour to Bella Mare Store (Cigars, Chocolate, Rum and Souvenirs): $6.00
- Cigar Purchase Tour From Punta Cana with Transportation Included: $10
- Shopping tour Punta Cana rum cigars coffee larimar chocolate souvenirs mamajuan: $10
- Half-Day Adventure 4x4 ATV, cenote and Macao beach in Punta Cana: $19
- Punta Cana Tour with Cenote Visit and Macau Beach: $20
- Buggy and ATV Tour in Punta Cana: $20
- Buggies adventure in Macau and Cenote: $20
- Punta Cana Buggy Adventure + Cave Swim, Macau Beach & Experience: $21
Tours and Activities in Key West
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Key West are as follows:
- Florida Key West Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $8.49
- Ghosts and Gravestones Tour of Key West with Personalized Guide: $9.99
- Key West GPS Audio Tour: From Seaside Village to Micro State: $12
- Dry Tortugas National Park Self-Guided Audio Tour: $13
- Ernest Hemingway's Key West Years: Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $15
- Key West’s Old Town Treasures: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Mel Fisher Maritime Museum Admission Ticket: $18
- Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum Tickets: $19
- Skip the Line: Mel Fisher Maritime Museum Admission Ticket and Audio Tour: $20
- Key West Aquarium Tickets: $23
- Truman Little White House Guided Tour Ticket: $26
- Key West Ghost Tours: Southernmost Shadows and Ghosts: $27
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPunta Cana $10Key West $16
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Key West
Also in Key West, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- A Spectacular Bar Crawl in Key West: $15
- Key West Spirits & Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl: $27
- Key West Haunted Pub Crawl and Ghost Tour with Free T-Shirt: $32
- Bone Island Haunted Pub Crawl: $32
- Key West Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $35
- Haunted Pub Crawl Walking Tour: $35
- Key West Spirits and Haunted Pub Crawl: $36
- Original Key West Pub Crawl: The Best Bars with Free T-Shirt: $43
- 2.5-Hour Duval Street Pub Crawl: $43
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Punta Cana and Key West, we can see that Key West 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 West 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 West would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Key West 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 West Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Punta Cana or Key West?
Punta Cana has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Key West. When comparing the sizes of Punta Cana and Key West, 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.