Which place is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Punta del Este?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Punta del Este 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.
Punta del Este with its many beaches, elegant seaside homes, yacht harbor, high-rise apartment buildings, pricey hotels, ardent night scene and glitzy restaurants is a chic beach resort town in Uruguay. Many tourists come from Brazil and Argentina, on the other side of the Rio de la Plata, to get some nice sun and lay on the beach for a weekend getaway. Punta del Este is more expensive than other areas in Uruguay and has been called the Monaco of South America. Tourist season varies wildly from totally deserted in the winter to very crowded in the summer.
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 Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best Adventure Tours to Uruguay, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Punta del Este is $98, while the average daily cost in Cabo San Lucas is $139. 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 del Este and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Punta del Este 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.
Also for Punta del Este, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas and Punta del Este 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.
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cabo San Lucas.
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Punta del Este.
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Punta del Este:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cabo San Lucas:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Punta del Este and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas is more expensive. And not only is Punta del Este much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Punta del Este 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 Punta del Este would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Punta del Este 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 Punta del Este.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Punta del Este Expensive? and Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive?.
Cabo San Lucas has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Punta del Este. When comparing the sizes of Punta del Este 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.