Which place is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Punta del Este?
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 del Este 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 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.
Where Should I go: Punta del Este or Cabo San Lucas?
Punta del Este
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 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.
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Punta del Este Prices
Uruguay PricesCabo San Lucas Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPunta del Este $116Cabo San Lucas $169
The average daily cost (per person) in Punta del Este is $116, 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 Punta del Este and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPunta del Este $52Cabo San Lucas $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPunta del Este $104Cabo San Lucas $122
Compare Hotels in Punta del Este and Cabo San Lucas
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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Punta del Este Hotel Prices and Cabo San Lucas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Punta del Este $21Cabo San Lucas $27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta del Este
Also for Punta del Este, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Bodega Garzon Wine Experience with Private Transfer: $200
- Private Transfer - Carrasco Airport (MVD) to Punta Del Este Port: $115
- Private Transfer from Montevideo to Punta Del Este Cruise Port: $166
- Private Transfer from Punta Del Este Cruise Port to Montevideo: $166
- Private Transfer from Punta Del Este Port to Carrasco Airport MVD: $273
- Private Transfer from Punta Del Este Port to Montevideo hotels: $273
- Private Transfer to Punta del Este Special Art Icons Tour: $185
- Punta del Este Airport Private Transfer: $60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
- Los Cabos Luxury Private Tesla Transfer from Airport to the Pacifica Area: $293
- Cabo San Lucas Port to San Jose Del Cabo hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $285
- Private Round-trip Transfer from SJD Airport to Cabo San Lucas: $283
- Private Airport Transfers in Los Cabos: $267
- Los Cabos Luxury Private Tesla Transfer from Airport to Cabo San Lucas Area: $261
- Private Los Cabos Airport to San Jose del Cabo Transfer: $250
- Private Airport Transfer to Los Cabos Hotels: $250
- Los Cabos Luxury Private Tesla Transfer from Airport to Tourist Corridor Area: $236
- Private Escalade Airport Transfer in Los Cabos: $220
- Los Cabos Luxury Private Tesla Transfer from Airport to Puerto Los Cabos Area: $220
- Private Transfer to Cabo San Lucas from Cabo Airport: $220
- Private Round Trip Transfer to San José del Cabo Art Walk: $215
Is it cheaper to fly into Punta del Este or 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayPunta del Este $51Cabo 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.
- Flavors of Authentic Mexican Food Tour: $83
- Taste Tacos & Street Food Like a Local: Cabo San Lucas Food Tour: $85
- San Jose del Cabo Tacos and Food Tour: $89
- Private Mexican Cooking Class in Your Cabo San Lucas Villa or Condo: $90
- 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
- Sunset Booze Cruise with Drinks, Fajita Dinner and Party Vibes: $98
- Pirate Ship Sunset Dinner and Show in Los Cabos: $99
- Cabo Escape Sunset Cruise with Dinner and Open Bar: $99
- Cabo San Lucas Sunset Dinner Catamaran Cruise to the Arch: $99
- Jumbo Shrimp Dinner in Your Private Villa or Condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo: $99
- Cabo San Lucas Sunset Dinner Cruise with Open Bar: $105
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Punta del Este $10Cabo San Lucas $41
Tours and Activities in Punta del Este
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Punta del Este.
- City Highlights and Hidden Gems Guided Tour: $10
- Guided Tour of the Winery Viña Edén: $19
- Guided Tour of Vineyards: $33
- Punta del Este Classic City Tour with Sunset at Casapueblo: $40
- Punta del Este Full-Day Guided Tour: $43
- Discovering Half-Day City Tour: $47
- Punta del Este City Tour for Cruisers: $50
- Punta del Este Sightseeing Tour: $50
- Punta del Este, City Tour: $50
- Shore Excursion for Cruisers: $59
- Punta del Este Shore Tour for Cruise Passengers: $59
- From Montevideo: Punta del Este Full-Day City Tour: $62
Tours and Activities in Cabo San Lucas
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- "Exclusive Cabo San Lucas Trimaran Experience with Snorkeling": $180
- 1 Hour Jet Ski Adventure: $180
- 2 Hour Sunset Tour on Catamaran in Cabo San Lucas: $85
- 2 Hours Horseback Riding Adventure in Cabo: $130
- 2-Hour Camel Ride Beach and Desert Adventure Experience: $120
- 2-Hour Whale Watching Tour in Cabo with Breakfast: $130
- 2-Hours Sunset Experience at Los Cabos with Jazz and Bar! from Los Cabos: $165
- 30-Minute Jetski Adventure in Los Cabos: $65
- 4x4 ATV Adventure with Tequila Tasting and Mexican Buffet Lunch: $75
- 4x4 Automatic ATV and Camel Ride Combo Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $175
- A Full-Day Baja Adventure: La Paz, Balandra Beach & Todos Santos: $130
- A taste of Los Cabos. A San Jose and Cabo San Lucas City Tour: $100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPunta del Este $7.41Cabo San Lucas $27
Sample the Local Flavors in Punta del Este
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Punta del Este:
- Wine Tasting: $42
- Wine Lovers - Fun Wine Tasting outside Punta del Este!: $199
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 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?.
Which is Bigger, Punta del Este or Cabo San Lucas?
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.
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.