Which place is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or San Carlos de Bariloche?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for San Carlos de Bariloche and Cabo San Lucas. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Set in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Argentina, San Carlos de Bariloche is the biggest city in the Lake District. Bariloche is popular for skiing and snowboarding in the winter and trekking, swimming, fishing and horseback riding in the summertime.
No matter the time of year, there is something for everyone in Bariloche. Skiing season begins from June to October while fishing season is from November to April. Summer is from December to March, but visiting during low seasons (Spring in October to December and Autumn in late-April to mid-June) also has its benefits when it comes to saving cash and avoiding crowds.
Check out our ultimate guide to Hiking in Patagonia.
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 Eco Tours in Argentina, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Argentina, 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 San Carlos de Bariloche is $7.40, 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 San Carlos de Bariloche and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in San Carlos de Bariloche 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.
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Carlos de Bariloche:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas and San Carlos de Bariloche 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.
Some typical examples of dining costs in San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cabo San Lucas.
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in San Carlos de Bariloche from other travelers:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cabo San Lucas:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Carlos de Bariloche and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas is more expensive. And not only is San Carlos de Bariloche much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Carlos de Bariloche 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 San Carlos de Bariloche would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Carlos de Bariloche 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 San Carlos de Bariloche.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Carlos de Bariloche Expensive? and Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive?.
San Carlos de Bariloche has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Cabo San Lucas. When comparing the sizes of San Carlos de Bariloche 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.