A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers San Jose vs. Cabo San Lucas for Nightlife, Couples, Food, and Families

Should you visit San Jose 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 San Jose 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.

San Jose

San Jose is a authentic, traditional, and colorful city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. It's also known for shopping, museums, and nightlife. See San Jose travel costs.

Cabo San Lucas

Cabo San Lucas is a adventurous, scenic, and idyllic city. Cabo San Lucas is considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Other reasons to visit include nightlife, food, and scuba diving and snorkeling. See Cabo San Lucas travel costs.

San Jose and Cabo San Lucas: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in San Jose or Cabo San Lucas?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Cabo San Lucas. Although San Jose and Cabo San Lucas are both popular with visitors, Cabo San Lucas has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Cabo San Lucas is more popular for its food, nightlife, resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, historical sights, hiking, and impressive beauty, while San Jose is known for its big city activities. Cabo San Lucas is more touristy than San Jose and is popular for its beautiful coastline, all-inclusive resorts, and vibrant nightlife scene. It is also home to Land's End. San Jose is popular for its colorful markets and vibrant nightlife, as well as its easy access to the rest of the country.

How is San Jose different from Cabo San Lucas?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in San Jose or Cabo San Lucas?

Spend time exploring the good sights and museums in either San Jose or Cabo San Lucas.

San Jose is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. Despite most people rushing through town, there are a number of museums, plazas, and interesting buildings that are worth checking out.

Cabo San Lucas offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. There are several historical sights in the area such as the Church of Saint Luke and San Jose del Cabo.

Is the Food Better in San Jose or Cabo San Lucas? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Cabo San Lucas is a very popular place for its restaurants. Also, San Jose is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in Cabo San Lucas. If you step away from the all-you-can-eat buffets in the resorts, and the tourist hot spots, you'll find some excellent local Mexican cuisine and nice fine dining restaurants. Fresh seafood and local produce make the dishes unique.

Visitors will find a budding food and restaurant scene in San Jose. Most people miss out on local cuisine during their time in Costa Rica, but the capital city offers the best opportunities to eat like a local. You can sample favorite local dishes such as chifrijo, gallo pinto, rondón, and casado. You should also wander through the Central Market and dine at one of the many local restaurants.

Is San Jose or Cabo San Lucas Better for Nightlife?

Cabo San Lucas is very popular for nightlife. Also, San Jose is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife and partying.

Cabo San Lucas is a party destination, and you'll find plenty of activity all night long. It has a long reputation of being one of Mexico's best party destinations. There are wild, all-night dance parties, crazy and crowded clubs, and music that lasts well into the morning. The best nightlife can be found in the blocks around Plaza Bonita, near the marina boardwalk.

San Jose is a popular destination for visitors looking to party into the night. This city has the best nightlife in all of Costa Rica. You'll find a diversity of clubs and bars that are fun to explore. Check out the reggae bars, dance clubs, and sports bars (where you can enjoy a soccer game) while you're in town.

Is San Jose or Cabo San Lucas Better for Resorts?

Cabo San Lucas is a very popular place for its luxury resorts. However, San Jose is not a resort destination.

Cabo San Lucas is a popular resort destination that attracts visitors from everywhere. Many of the resorts are along parts of the coastline where it's not safe to swim. If you really want to enjoy swimming at a beachfront property, make sure you do some research in advance. Medano Beach is a nice area to consider.

San Jose is not a resort destination.

Is San Jose or Cabo San Lucas Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Cabo San Lucas is a very popular place for the nearby scuba diving and snorkeling. However, San Jose is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Many visitors go to Cabo San Lucas to enjoy scuba diving and snorkeling. There are many snorkeling and scuba diving excursions that go out on half day and full day trips. Some of the best snorkeling is found at Cabo Pulmo, which has the only living coral reef in the Sea of Cortez.

San Jose is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is San Jose or Cabo San Lucas Better for Beaches?

Cabo San Lucas is a very popular place for its beaches. However, San Jose is not a beach destination.

You'll have a great beach vacation in Cabo San Lucas. Because of the water conditions, it's not safe to swim at many of the beaches in the area. This is particularly true on the Pacific side of the city. Many people consider Medano Beach to be one of the best in the area, but also nice are Lover's Beach, the ironically named Divorce Beach, and Chileno Beach.

San Jose is not a beach destination.

Is San Jose or Cabo San Lucas Better for its Old Town?

Cabo San Lucas is a very popular place for its historic old town. However, San Jose does not have a historic old town.

Many visitors go to Cabo San Lucas to see the historical old town. San Jose del Cabo is an "old town" that's a bit outside of town. It's particularly nice to visit on Thursdays when there's a nice market.

San Jose does not have a historic old town.

Is San Jose or Cabo San Lucas Better for Hiking?

Cabo San Lucas is a very popular place for its hiking trails. However, San Jose is not a hiking destination.

Many visitors explore the nearby hiking trails while visiting Cabo San Lucas. It's not hard to get out into nature and you'll find many great hiking trails that go through varied and beautiful landscapes.

San Jose is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in San Jose or Cabo San Lucas?

Shoppers can find a variety of high quality stores in both San Jose and Cabo San Lucas.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting San Jose. There are a number of unique things you can buy in the city including jewelry, handbags, and wood workings. Make sure you check out the Central Market.

Cabo San Lucas is a popular shopping destination with plenty of stores. There are many great shopping areas where you can pick up souvenirs or other interesting items to remember your trip. There are mall, markets, and boutique vendors that sell a variety of products.

Is San Jose or Cabo San Lucas More Beautiful?

Cabo San Lucas is very popular for its scenery and beauty. However, San Jose is not a destination known for its beauty.

Cabo San Lucas is considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Beautiful beaches, stunning natural beauty, and striking landscapes make this a world class tropical destination.

San Jose is not a destination known for its beauty.

Is San Jose or Cabo San Lucas Better for Families?

Cabo San Lucas is a very popular place for its kid-friendly activities. However, San Jose is lacking in good options for its family-friendly activities.

Cabo San Lucas is a very family-friendly destination. Kids will love the snorkeling, boat rides, and kid-friendly cuisine. There are many places where kids can get up close and personal with animals, such as Wild Canyon’s Kingdom or camel riding. You might even be able to see migrating whales during your visit. Surfing, fishing, and hiking are also popular in the area.

San Jose doesn't usually come to mind when thinking about kid-friendly destinations. Most people pass through the city quickly, but if you have a day or two to explore, you can visit the Children's Museum (Museo de los Niños), Spirogyra Butterfly Gardens, or explore the Central Market.

Is San Jose or Cabo San Lucas Better for Couples?

Cabo San Lucas is very popular for romance. However, San Jose is lacking in good options for its romantic activities.

Cabo San Lucas has so much to offer for a romantic couple's vacation. It has long been a favorite honeymoon destination and couples who enjoy a beach paradise with wildlife, diving, and outdoor adventures will appreciate Cabo San Lucas. There's also amazing Mexican food and world class resorts.

Most people don't think of San Jose as a couple's destination. While Costa Rica is a popular honeymoon destination, the capital city is often overlooked for the beaches and rainforests around the country.

Is San Jose or Cabo San Lucas Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

San Jose and Cabo San Lucas are both high quality destinations for backpackers.

San Jose is very popular with the backpacker crowd. Backpackers appreciate the affordability of the city and the wide range of hostels that you can choose from. The city also offers an authentic glimpse of life in Costa Rica.

Cabo San Lucas is a great city to visit for backpackers. It's a popular tourist destination, and there are a number of hostels and activities that backpackers will enjoy.

Is San Jose or Cabo San Lucas Better for Students?

San Jose is a city with good options for students. However, Cabo San Lucas is not popular with students.

San Jose is popular with students. Many students come to Costa Rica to study the country's amazing environment and unique ecological systems. San Jose makes a good base as its easy to travel to other parts of this small country.

Cabo San Lucas is not popular with students.

Is San Jose or Cabo San Lucas Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Visitors will find good public transit in both San Jose and Cabo San Lucas.

San Jose has some public transit options. There are local buses that travel through the city during the daytime hours.

You'll find some public transit in Cabo San Lucas, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. Buses make up the main form of public transit. They are called Subercabos and run between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.

Is San Jose or Cabo San Lucas a more walkable city?

Cabo San Lucas is a very popular place for its walkability. Also, San Jose is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its high level of walkability.

Cabo San Lucas is very walkable. The town is relatively easy to walk around with many things close together.

San Jose is a somewhat walkable place. It can feel a bit chaotic, but it's relatively easy to get around on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is San Jose Worth Visiting? and Is Cabo San Lucas Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Cabo San Lucas or San Jose?

How long in San Jose or Cabo San Lucas?

Both San Jose and Cabo San Lucas have a number of activities to choose from. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Cabo San Lucas than in San Jose. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for San Jose, and 3-7 days is enough time in Cabo San Lucas.

Families should spend more time in Cabo San Lucas than San Jose. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Cabo San Lucas, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Cabo San Lucas than San Jose. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Cabo San Lucas that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Cabo San Lucas than San Jose if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Cabo San Lucas.

One day in San Jose or Cabo San Lucas?

In San Jose, you'll find museums and nightlife. So, one day is just the right amount of time to spend here.

The beautiful city of Cabo San Lucas offers museums and nightlife. Many visitors also spend a good bit of time hiking. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in San Jose or Cabo San Lucas?

San Jose is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Because of this, a weekend is usually enough time for a trip here.

Cabo San Lucas is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. People enjoy relaxing at one of the resorts. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than a weekend exploring. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in San Jose or Cabo San Lucas?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in San Jose. It offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Cabo San Lucas is a popular choice for travelers. Five days here is typical. It's no surprise that nightlife is why people visit. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Cabo San Lucas, five days is sufficent for most. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in San Jose or Cabo San Lucas?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the city of San Jose. Your budget might influence how long you stay. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips.

Cabo San Lucas is a great place to explore. It's no surprise that nightlife is why people visit. It is common to spend one week here. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. One week is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Cabo San Lucas has to offer. This city offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Jose and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas is more expensive. And not only is San Jose much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Jose is in Central 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 Jose would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Jose 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 Jose.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Jose Expensive? and Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, San Jose or Cabo San Lucas?

San Jose has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Cabo San Lucas. When comparing the sizes of San Jose 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.