Which place is cheaper, Playa del Carmen or San Cristobal de Las Casas?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
A Travel Price Comparison for Mexico San Cristobal de Las Casas vs. Playa del Carmen for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons
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Should you visit San Cristobal de Las Casas or Playa del Carmen?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit San Cristobal de Las Casas or Playa del Carmen? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: San Cristobal de Las Casas or Playa del Carmen?
San Cristobal de Las Casas
Far away from the luxuries of Cancun and Cabo, Mexico's San Cristobal de las Casas is a stunning colonial city located in the southern state of Chiapas. Due to its strategic location, the town is commonly used as a transfer point for travelers looking to cross the border between Guatemala and Mexico. San Cristobal also has an immensely strong appeal among budget-minded travelers as it's one of Mexico's most affordable cities.
Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is in Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula. It's a popular resort town and is about seventy kilometers south of Cancun. It has a European atmosphere with many small hotels and a nice relaxed feel. It was originally a small fishing town but tourism began with the introduction of a passenger ferry to Cozumel. The area developed rapidly and there are many luxury hotels, condos, and resorts. There are also American chains and a variety of shopping opportunities nearby.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Cristobal de Las Casas $97Playa del Carmen $79
The average daily cost (per person) in San Cristobal de Las Casas is $97, while the average daily cost in Playa del Carmen is $79. 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 Cristobal de Las Casas and Playa del Carmen in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Cristobal de Las Casas $45Playa del Carmen $38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Cristobal de Las Casas $90Playa del Carmen $76
Compare Hotels in San Cristobal de Las Casas and Playa del Carmen
Looking for a hotel in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Playa del Carmen? 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: San Cristobal de Las Casas Hotel Prices and Playa del Carmen Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Cristobal de Las Casas $31Playa del Carmen $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Cristobal de Las Casas
Also for San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer Hotel in San Cristobal de las Casas to TGZ Airport: $51
- Transfer San Cristobal to Guatemala -Panajachel: $90
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Playa del Carmen
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Playa del Carmen:
- Wedding Transfers Services in Round Trip Playa del Carmen: $180
- Transfer in Private vehicle from Akumal City - Cancun Airport (CUN) : $74
- Transfer in Private minivan from Akumal City - Cancun Airport (CUN): $67
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Playa del Carmen -Cancun Airport (CUN): $54
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Playa del Carmen - Cancun Airport (CUN): $123
- Tour Bacalar Ponton with Transfer from Cancun & Playa del Carmen : $128
- To Holbox from Playa del Carmen & Riviera Maya -Private transfer: $248
- Super Deal: Cancun Airport-Hotel-Cancun Airport Private Round Trip Transfer: $116
- Shared transfer from Playa del Carmen tu Cancun airport: $38
- Shared roundtrip transfer from Cancun airport to Playa del Carmen: $76
- Shared Transfer Cancun Airport - Puerto Aventuras: $23
- Shared Transfer Cancun Airport - Playa del Carmen: $23
Is it cheaper to fly into San Cristobal de Las Casas or Playa del Carmen?
Prices for flights to both Playa del Carmen and San Cristobal de Las Casas 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 daySan Cristobal de Las Casas $23Playa del Carmen $23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Cristobal de Las Casas
For San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Mexican cooking classes with Toñita: $12
- City Tour with Dinner Pizza and Wine: $71
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Playa del Carmen
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Playa del Carmen.
- Cenotes by Bike and Mayan Cooking Class Half-Day Guided Tour: $57
- Private Cooking Class Paella Preparation: $64
- Playa Del Carmen Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $65
- Walking Food Tour: $65
- Playa del Carmen Walking Food Tour: $69
- Inlakech Food Tour. Try the best local food in Playa!: $70
- Playa del Carmen Food Tour: $71
- crazy walking food tour Inlakech Playa del Carmen: $73
- Vegan Mexican Walking Food Tour: $74
- Isa’s Authentic Mexican Cooking Class: $85
- Hands-on Mexican Cooking Class: $92
- Seafood Tour in Playa del Carmen: $93
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Cristobal de Las Casas $14Playa del Carmen $16
Tours and Activities in San Cristobal de Las Casas
For San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Bicycle rental - tour included: $9.00
- Chamula and Zinacantan Indigenous Villages Tour: $18
- Tzotzil charm Unique tour of Zinacantán and San Juan Chamula: $18
- Tour of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan: $19
- City Tour Walk through San Cristobal: $20
- Tour to San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan (Indigenous Peoples): $23
- Tour to Grutas de Rancho Nuevo and El Arcotete Ecotourism Park: $27
- Montebello Lakes and Chiflon Waterfalls Tour: $28
- Rancho Nuevo Caves and Arcotete Ecotourism Center: $30
- Tour to the Chiflón Waterfalls and Montebello Lagoons: $30
- Adventure Drops: Chiflón Waterfall and Montebello Lakes Tour: $30
- Adventure to the Sumidero Canyon Viewpoints and Chiapa de Corzo: $32
Tours and Activities in Playa del Carmen
Here are a few actual costs in Playa del Carmen for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- ATV Mayan Jungle Adventure: $110
- Electric fatbike ecological tour in the Mayan lands: $147
- Full-Day Tour 4x1 to Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del Carmen with Lunch: $59
- Romantic tour in Akumal: $115
- Scuba Diving tours: $170
- Skip the line: Regular Ticket Playa del Carmen: $86
- Tulum Ruins, Turtle Sightseeing & Underground Cenote from Tulum: $145
- VIP Cenote Scuba Tour, Certified Divers Only: $230
- (4x1) Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del carmen in a full day tour: $54
- 3 Cenotes Tour: $87
- 3 Hour Tour ATV Single with Underground River from Tulum : $101
- 3 in 1 Private Tour Tulum Cenote and Snorkeling in the reef: $199
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Cristobal de Las Casas $29Playa del Carmen $20
Sample the Local Flavors in Playa del Carmen
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Playa del Carmen:
- Tour to the Brewery with Tasting and Fifth Avenue: $107
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Cristobal de Las Casas and Playa del Carmen, we can see that San Cristobal de Las Casas is more expensive. And not only is Playa del Carmen much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Playa del Carmen would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Playa del Carmen 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 San Cristobal de Las Casas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Cristobal de Las Casas than you might in Playa del Carmen.
Which is Bigger, San Cristobal de Las Casas or Playa del Carmen?
San Cristobal de Las Casas is bigger, and its population is about 2.4 times larger than the population of Playa del Carmen. When comparing the population of San Cristobal de Las Casas vs. Playa del Carmen, 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 and the activities that interest you.
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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.
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