Which place is cheaper, Tena or Tulum?
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 Tulum or Tena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Tulum and Tena can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Tulum or Tena?
Tulum
When you think of ancient ruins you probably picture dusty archaeological digs surrounded by sand and professors in khaki shorts. What if I told you there is a way to see ancient ruins and visit a tropical beach? That's exactly what you find in Tulum, Mexico.
Built near the end of Mayan era, the ruins of Tulum served as a port before the arrival of the Spanish. It may have been called Zama, meaning City of Dawn, given that these ruins face the sunrise. Because of Tulum's access to both land and sea routes, this spot was an important hub for the trade industry. It may have had another claim to fame, too. According to some murals and other works around the site, it seems this spot was an important site for the worship of the Diving or Descending God. Today, the area is the third most visited archaeological site in all of Mexico with daily tour buses dropping off visitors.
This area is usually packed with people looking to get a glimpse of the seaside ruins. To avoid crowds and capture the best view of the day, try to arrive as early as possible.
Tena
Tena is the capital of the Napo Province, an attractive and quiet city in the Amazon rainforest, and is known as the "cinnamon capital" of Ecuador. Tena has a friendly population, lots of backpacker infrastructure, a gorgeous setting surrounded by jungle-covered hills and a high concentration of surrounding rivers where white-water lovers from around the world come to paddle and kayak. The town provides a gateway to exploration into Ecuador's most accessible part of the great Amazon rainforest, which does not leave visitors disappointed. Beyond being a base for discovering the jungle and its wildlife, Tena is also a hub for adventure sports which are abundant in the area. Tena is a charming place where many travelers find themselves hanging around quite happily before or after a trip into the rainforest.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, The Best Historical Tours in Mexico, The Best G Adventures Tours to Colombia, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bogota.
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Tulum Prices
Mexico PricesTena Prices
Colombia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTulum $140Tena $72
The average daily cost (per person) in Tulum is $140, while the average daily cost in Tena is $72. 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 Tulum and Tena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTulum $57Tena $28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTulum $114Tena $56
Compare Hotels in Tulum and Tena
Looking for a hotel in Tulum or Tena? 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: Tulum Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tulum $27Tena $19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tulum
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Tulum are as follows:
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Scooter Rental$17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tulum
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tulum:
- Departure Private Transfer from Tulum to Cancun Airport CUN by Minivan - Minibus: $155
- One Way Private Tulum Transfers to or from Cancun Airport: $180
- One way private transfer Bahia Principe area: $145
- Private Luxury SUV Transfers from Tulum Airport: $206
- Private Luxury Transfer Tulum to Cancun Airport: $220
- Private Transfer Tulum to Chiquila Holbox with Flexible Stops: $138
- Private Transfer from Tulum to Cancun Airport – Safe & Comfortable: $158
- Private transfer from Cancun airpot to Tulum up to 7 persons: $191
- Round Trip Transfer from Tulum Airport to Hotels: $166
- Transfer from Hotel and Airbnb to Tulum Airport: $63
- Tulum Airport Private Transfer to Hotels and Airbnbs: $73
- Tulum Airport to Riviera Maya Private Transfer: $120
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tena
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tena:
- Private transfer to Medellín Airport: $45
- Private transfer service from or to Medellín Airport: $56
- Roundtrip transfer in private minivan Medellin airport (MDE)- Guatape: $84
- Private Transfer from Villavieja to San Agustín: $150
- Popayan to Cali Private Transfer: $272
- Popayan to Cali Private Transfer: $272
Is it cheaper to fly into Tulum or Tena?
Prices for flights to both Tena and Tulum 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 dayTulum $57Tena $31
Typical Food Prices in Tulum
Some typical examples of dining costs in Tulum are as follows:
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Lunch$2.86
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tulum
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tulum.
- Salsa Class,Mezcalita Workshop & Mexican Dinner: $87
- Yucatecan cooking class with a local chef in Tulum: $89
- Tortilla & Taco Cooking Class – Mexican Cuisine from scratch: $93
- Tulum Vegan Food Tour: $96
- Mexican Cooking from Scratch in a Local Home in Tulum: $100
- Mexican Cooking class experience in Tulum: $138
- Private Authentic Mayan Cooking Class with Tulum Hotel Transfers: $280
- Private Mayan Food Cooking Class, Cenote and Coba Ruins: $289
- Private transfer for 5 hours (go dinner,cenotes, shopping and more): $299
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tulum $30Tena $17
Tours and Activities in Tulum
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tulum are as follows:
- Tickets to 4 cenotes turtle house 2 caverns and 2 outdoors: $15
- Tulum Cenote Tour 5 Cenotes and Awaken Your Senses: $29
- Cenotes Casa Tortuga Guide Tour with Ticket: $29
- Cancun: ATV Jungle Adventure, Cenote and Tulum Ruins Tour: $32
- Tulum Extreme Mayan Adventure with ATV, Zipline and Cenote: $38
- Tulum Area Experiences E-Bike Daily Rental: $45
- From Cenote Tour with Mayan Ceremony & Buffet Brunch: $52
- Chichen Itza Basic Tour With Chihikan Swim & Valladolidfrom Tulum: $54
- Chichén Itzá, Cenote Chichikan & Valladolid Tour from Tulum Bal: $55
- Chichén Itzá Tour+Cenote Chichikan & Valladolid From Tulum Bal: $55
- Chichen, Cenote Chichikan & Valladolidbal Tour From Tulum: $55
- Tour Chichen Itza One ofthe Seven Wonders & Chichikan- from Tulum: $55
Tours and Activities in Tena
Here are a few actual costs in Tena for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Full Day Adventure Laguna Negra-Páramo de Ocetá from Mongua: $20
- 4-Hour Private Walking Tour along Ruta de Las Flores: $42
- Unique experience flying paragliding: $50
- Gastronomic Private Walking Tour in Popayán: $50
- Hanging Stone Private Guided Tour Susa Cundinamarca: $55
- Private 2-hour Diving Experience with Instructor: $65
- Paragliding tour in Medellín, fly and live a great experience: $69
- Coffee Tour from Bogota at La Palma Plantation and El Tucan: $119
- Scuba Diving Private Tour in San Andres: $130
- Popayán Tour from Cali: $216
- Coffee Night Plan 2D/1N -2H to Medellin-Real Coffee Experience!: $239
- Popayan and Silvia Town Private Tour from Cali: $240
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTulum $24Tena $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tulum and Tena, we can see that Tulum is more expensive. And not only is Tena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tulum is in North America and Tena is in South 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 Tena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tena 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 Tulum would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tulum than you might in Tena.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tulum Expensive? and Is Tena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tulum or Tena?
Tulum has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Tena. When comparing the sizes of Tulum and Tena, 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.