Which place is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Rosario Islands?
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 Rosario Islands or Cabo San Lucas?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Rosario Islands and Cabo San Lucas can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Rosario Islands or Cabo San Lucas?
Rosario Islands
The Rosario Islands, also referred to as Coral Islands of Rosario, is an archipelago located off the coast of Colombia, approximately 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Cartagena. The Rosario Islands are integrated by 28 islands and all of them form one of the 46 Natural National Parks of Colombia, created to protect one of the most important coral reefs in the Colombian Caribbean Coast. Only three of these islands are property of the Colombian state. Before establishing the national park in 1977, wealthy families used this natural paradise to build their summer houses, but then the government allowed them to keep their properties, only if they paid annual rent and taxes to be there, and complied with certain rules to preserve the ecosystem of the islands. People can visit the national park area of the islands, and tours are available. Isla Rosario has an aquarium and open-sea oceanarium that people can visit. Activities on the Rosario Islands include swimming, snorkeling and fishing, among others. The best time to visit Colombia in general, and especially the Rosario Islands is the dry-season months from December to March. These uninterrupted sunny days are just perfect for a Caribbean coastal experience and to enjoy all the activities it has to offer.
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 Luxury Tours to Colombia, The Best G Adventures Tours to Colombia, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
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Rosario Islands Prices
Colombia PricesCabo San Lucas Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRosario Islands $108Cabo San Lucas $159
The average daily cost (per person) in Rosario Islands is $108, while the average daily cost in Cabo San Lucas is $159. 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 Rosario Islands and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRosario Islands $33Cabo San Lucas $57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRosario Islands $66Cabo San Lucas $114
Compare Hotels in Rosario Islands and Cabo San Lucas
Looking for a hotel in Rosario Islands 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: Rosario Islands Hotel Prices and Cabo San Lucas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rosario Islands $46Cabo San Lucas $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
- Cabo San Lucas Port to San Jose Del Cabo hotels - Arrival Private Transfer : $144
- San Jose Del Cabo hotels to Cabo San Lucas Port - Departure Private Transfer: $144
- Airport Transfer to Cabo San Lucas & Pacific side Hotels & Villas Round Trip: $192
- Airport Transfer to Cabo San Lucas IDA: $123
- Airport Transfers to Cabo San Lucas Pacifico Hotels RT: $290
- Cabo Airport (CSL) to Cabo San Lucas Round-Trip Private Transfer: $197
- Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) to Cabo San Lucas -Arrival Transfer : $81
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Airport CSL Departure Transfer: $75
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Cabo San Lucas hotels - Arrival Private Transfer : $75
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Cabo San Lucas- Round-Trip Private Transfer: $149
- Cabo San Lucas Port to Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) - Departure Private Transfer: $74
- Cabo San Lucas Port to Los Cabos Airport (SJD) - Departure Private Transferl : $101
Is it cheaper to fly into Rosario Islands or Cabo San Lucas?
Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas and Rosario Islands 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 dayRosario Islands $48Cabo San Lucas $80
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.
- Authentic Mexican Legacy Cooking Class in Cabo San Lucas: $75
- AvoCabo Food Tour : $78
- San Jose del Cabo Food Tour & Visit to the Market: $79
- Seafood Galore, Los Cabos Food Tour: $80
- Cabo Sunset Dinner Cruise: Fajitas, Lands End and Party: $85
- 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
- San José del Cabo for Meat Lovers Food Tour: $90
- Sunset Mexican Dinner Cruise and Live Music in Cabo San Lucas: $95
- Parrillada dinner with a Private Chef in your villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose: $95
- Sunset Dinner Cruise with Tequila & tacos: $95
- Cabo Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Music & Open Bar on Cabo Wave: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Rosario Islands $14Cabo San Lucas $39
Tours and Activities in Rosario Islands
Here are a few actual costs in Rosario Islands for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- One-day tour to Playa Blanca by land Popular sector: $50
- Tour to Chichen Itza Cenote and Valladolid Plus: $67
Tours and Activities in Cabo San Lucas
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Shared Experience Glass Bottom Boat to the Arch in Cabo San Lucas: $15
- Boat Tour to Cabo San Lucas Arch and Rock Formations: $17
- The Ultimate Camel Safari Experience in Los Cabos: $17
- Glass bottom boat tour: $19
- Cabo San Lucas Arch Tour and we go down to Playa del Amor: $19
- Cabo San Lucas Arc Group Tour in Glass Bottom Boat: $20
- Group tour of the Cabo San Lucas Arch: $20
- 2 in 1 Tour | Arc Tour with Beach Drop: $20
- Tour to Arch in the Clear Boat Cruise Ship Terminal Hotel Pickup!: $21
- Tour to the Arch with Natural Views from Cabo San Lucas: $22
- Glass Bottom Boat Sightseeing Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $23
- Tour to Arch in the only Clear Boat in Cabo Cruise Hotel PICKUP!: $24
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRosario Islands $5.98Cabo San Lucas $26
Sample the Local Flavors in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cabo San Lucas:
- Cabo Bar Crawl - The BEST Bar and Clubs in Cabo : $60
- Wine Tasting Sunset Cruise Tour in San Jose del Cabo: $280
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rosario Islands and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas is more expensive. And not only is Rosario Islands much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Rosario Islands 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 Rosario Islands would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rosario Islands 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 Rosario Islands.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Rosario Islands Expensive? and Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive?.
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.