Which place is cheaper, Cancun or Punta del Este?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Punta del Este or Cancun?
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 Cancun, 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 Cancun?
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.
Cancun
In the northeast corner of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular destinations. The area that is now Cancun was actually selected specifically by the Mexican government for development as a tourist destination. The area was chosen because it has fourteen miles of beautiful white beaches, nearby Mayan ruins, and turquoise blue water with nearby snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Prior to its development as a tourist destination, there were few inhabitants in the area.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best Adventure Tours to Uruguay, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPunta del Este $98Cancun $144
The average daily cost (per person) in Punta del Este is $98, while the average daily cost in Cancun is $144. 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 Cancun in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPunta del Este $55Cancun $98
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPunta del Este $110Cancun $196
Compare Hotels in Punta del Este and Cancun
Looking for a hotel in Punta del Este or Cancun? 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 Cancun Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Punta del Este $22Cancun $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta del Este
Also for Punta del Este, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Punta del Este Airport Private Transfer: $60
- Private Transfer to Punta del Este Airport: $60
- Private Transfer from Punta Del Este Port to Montevideo hotels: $72
- Private Transfer from Punta Del Este Cruise Port to Montevideo: $85
- Private Transfer from Montevideo to Punta Del Este Cruise Port: $85
- Private Transfer from Montevideo hotels to Punta Del Este Port: $72
- Private Transfer from Montevideo city to Montevideo Cruise Port: $30
- Private Transfer from Montevideo City to Montevideo Cruise Port: $55
- Private Transfer - Punta Del Este Port to Carrasco Airport (MVD): $85
- Montevideo hotels to Carrasco International Airport (MVD) - Departure Transfer: $49
- Montevideo Hotels to Carrasco Airport MVD Departure Transfer: $49
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
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Taxi Around Town$1.68
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Airport Shuttle (for 2)$14
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Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$17
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Local Bus (for 2)$2.04
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private RoundTrip Transfer to Xplor Adventure Park from Cancun: $297
- Cancun Airport to Tulum Roundtrip Private Transfer: $290
- Transfers in Lincoln Strecth Limousine with Wi Fi on board: $261
- Round trip private transfer VAN-Airport-Hotel-Airport-Playa del Carmen: $260
- Round trip private transfer VAN-Airport-Hotel-Airport-Puerto Morelos: $260
- Round trip Private airport transfer to Playa del Carmen Flat Rate per vehicle: $241
- Full-Day Tour to Xcaret Plus with Transfer from Playa del Carmen and Lunch: $238
- Airport Transfers to Costa Mujeres - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $232
- Private Transfer from Cancún Airport (CUN) to Tulum : $222
- Private One Way Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum: $220
- Private Round Trip Transfer (Cancun Airport - Playa del Carmen): $219
- Private round airport transfer from Cancun - Puerto Aventuras - airport.: $210
Is it cheaper to fly into Punta del Este or Cancun?
Prices for flights to both Cancun 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 $31Cancun $29
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Captain Hook: Pirate Show and Dinner Cruise in Cancun: $46
- Mayan Chichen Itza And Pirate Dinner Two Day Experience: $57
- The Ultimate Cancun Taco & Street Mexican Food Tour: $59
- Dinner Show with Pirates! (2x1 Price): $62
- (2x1 price) Pirate Night! Dinner, Fun and Show: $63
- (2x1 price) Dinner Show and Pirates Experience : $63
- (2x1 price)Pirate Adventure! Open Bar, Dinner and Show : $63
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Dinner Show on a Pirate Ship from Cancun with Open Bar: $65
- Guided Cancun Local Mexican Food Tour: $78
- Cancun Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
- Mexican Cooking Class with fresh Local Market ingredients selection and transpor: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Punta del Este $11Cancun $35
Tours and Activities in Punta del Este
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Punta del Este.
- Bike Tour Peninsula - Punta del Este: $65
- Colonia Wine Experience for Food & Wine Lovers: $180
- Discovering Half-Day City Tour: $47
- East Coast of Uruguay – Private Multi Day Tour: $2,600
- From Cabo Polonio - Full Day Private Tour: $1,000
- Full Day Private Shore Tour Montevideo from Punta Del Este Port: $292
- Full Experience Tasting Menu Viña Edén: $157
- Gourmet Food & Wine Experience from Punta del Este: $205
- Guided Tour of Vineyards: $33
- Guided Tour of the Winery Viña Edén: $18
- Half Day Tour in Punta del Este and Jose Ignacio: $170
- La Vista 360 ticket de admisión: $11
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Seasick Pills$0.60
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Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$102
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- ATV Jungle Adventure with Ziplines, Cenote Transportation Included: $8.00
- Bacalar tour + Lunch + Boat, from Cancun and Riviera Maya: $139
- Coco Bongo Music And Show Ticket: $105
- Full Day All Inclusive Catamaran Tour to Isla Mujeres : $99
- Holbox Island Magic Tour from Cancun : $144
- Riviera Maya Luxury Snorkeling Cruise with Lunch and Drinks: $139
- (4x1) Full day tour to Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del Carmen : $48
- (4x1) Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del Carmen tour in one day: $50
- 1-Day Tour to Bacalar with Kayaking, Marmol Beach Club and Cenote: $115
- 1-Day Xavage Park Tour from Cancun: $186
- 12 hour Holbox Plus Tour with Cenote Lunch and Transportation: $105
- 15 Hours Guided Tour Holbox Island in Mexico: $115
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPunta del Este $7.70Cancun $13
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
- Half Day Private Canelones Wine Tour from Montevideo : $158
Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun
Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Social Pub Crawl in Cancun: $38
- Brewery Tour / Craft Beer Tasting Cancun Mexico: $116
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Punta del Este and Cancun, we can see that Cancun 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 Cancun 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 Cancun would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cancun 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 Cancun Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Punta del Este or Cancun?
Cancun has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Punta del Este. When comparing the sizes of Punta del Este and Cancun, 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.