Should you visit Veracruz or Cabo San Lucas?
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 Veracruz and Cabo San Lucas can help you decide which place is right for you.
Veracruz
Veracruz is the name of both a state and city in the country of Mexico. Locals often call the city "Puerto" (port) in order to differentiate the city from the state. The general area runs along the Gulf of Mexico and encompasses ruins, old colonial cities, lush green mountains, and delicious seafood.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Veracruz?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Veracruz is $82, while the average daily cost in Cabo San Lucas is $95. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Veracruz and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $72 in Veracruz For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Cabo San Lucas is $84. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Veracruz cost around $33 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $13.
The average traveler spends about $36 per day in Cabo San Lucas for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Veracruz $33
Cabo San Lucas $36
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.
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Cabo San Lucas Sunset and Dinner Cruise:
$50
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Eat Like A Local Cabo Food Tour:
$59
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Parrillada dinner with a Private Chef in your villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose:
$59
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Catch of the day dinner in your private villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo:
$62
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Cabo San Lucas "Catch of the Day" Seafood Tour:
$62
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Sunset Mexican Dinner Cruise. Fajitas dinner & live music:
$68
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Jumbo Shrimp Dinner in Your Private Villa or Condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo:
$78
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Lobster Tail Dinner with a Private Chef in Your Villa in Cabo or San Jose:
$80
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Sunset Dinner Cruise with Open Bar from Cabo San Lucas:
$89
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Los Cabos Sunset Dinner Cruise:
$89
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Whale-Watching Dinner Cruise in Los Cabos:
$89
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Sunset Dinner Cruise in Cabo San Lucas:
$89
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Veracruz than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $19 on transportation in Veracruz on average per day.
The cost of a taxi ride in Cabo San Lucas is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $18 per person, per day, on local transportation in Cabo San Lucas.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Veracruz
Also for Veracruz, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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BEST PRICE Veracruz International Airport one-way transfer.:
$32
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BEST PRICE Veracruz International Airport one-way transfer. Hotel Airport.:
$32
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BEST PRICE Veracruz round-trip transfer Hotel Airport.:
$57
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Private Airport Transfer: Veracruz International Airport (VER) to Veracruz:
$44
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Shared Arrival Transfer: General Heriberto Jara International Airport to Veracruz Hotels:
$23
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Veracruz International Airport (VER) to Veracruz - Arrival Private Transfer:
$136
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Veracruz International Airport (VER) to Veracruz - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$271
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
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Private transfer: Cabo San Lucas to Cabo San Lucas Airport (SJD):
$622
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Round trip transfer from Cabo San Lucas to La Paz up to 15 passengers:
$514
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Round trip transfer from Cabo to La Paz up to 10 passengers:
$457
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Round trip transfer from Cabo to La Paz up to 5 passengers:
$400
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Private Tesla Transfer from Los Cabos Airport to Cabo San Lucas Area:
$261
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Transfer in Private Car from Cabo San Lucas to Los Cabos Airport (SJD):
$201
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Wild Canyon Adventures Park Pass with transfers included:
$199
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Private Round Trip Transfer - Los Cabos Int. Airport and Local Area:
$180
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Transfer in private minivan from Cabo San Lucas to San José del Cabo(SJD):
$113
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Cabo San Lucas hotels to Los Cabos Airport (SJD) - Private Departure Transfer:
$92
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Departure Private Transfer Service One way from Hotel to Los Cabos airport:
$66
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Arrival Share Transfer Service One way from Los Cabos airport to Hotel:
$21
Is it cheaper to fly into Veracruz or Cabo San Lucas?
Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas and Veracruz 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Veracruz, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $9.87 per day, per person.
Entertainment and activities in Cabo San Lucas typically cost an average of $29 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Veracruz
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Veracruz.
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Turibus Hop-on Hop-off City Tour Veracruz:
$6.00
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Skip the Line: Aquatico Inbursa Waterpark Ticket:
$14
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Mandinga And Boat Trip Tour:
$14
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Coffee Museum and Coffee Tour el Cafe-tal apan:
$31
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Live a Kayak Experience:
$54
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Veracruz City Sightseeing Tour Including San Juan de Ulúa Castle:
$64
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Full-Day Guided Sightseeing Tour of Veracruz:
$65
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Half Day San Juán de Ulúa City Tour from Veracruz:
$70
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Alvarado And Tlacotalpan Tour From Veracruz Or Boca Del Rio:
$72
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Veracruz Combo Tour: La Antigua, San Juan de Ulúa and Veracruz City Sightseeing:
$79
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Catemaco And Los Tuxtlas Tour From Veracruz Or Boca Del Rio:
$88
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The History of Veracruz Full-Day Tour:
$90
Tours and Activities in Cabo San Lucas
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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"Aquarium of the World" Glass-bottom boat tour at the Arch of Los Cabos:
$70
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2 Hour ATV Adventure in Los Cabos:
$90
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2 Tank tour Corridor sites, certified divers with MANTA:
$125
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2-Day Magdalena Bay Gray Whale Van Tour:
$695
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2-Tank Dive Tour in Cabo San Lucas for Certified Divers with MANTA:
$105
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2-hour Off Road Side by Side ATV Tour in Los Cabos:
$208
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2.15 Hour Sunset Tour on Catamaran in Cabo San Lucas:
$80
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2.15 Hrs Desert Combo Tour:
$100
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3 Hours Private Sunset Tour around The Sea of Cortes in Cabo:
$2,282
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3Hr Private Yacht Cruise in Cabo As if you were aboard your own Private Yacht.Al:
$686
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4Hr Private Yacht Cruise in Cabo As if you were aboard your own Private Yacht.Al:
$800
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5-Day Marlyn Migration Private Tour:
$6,700
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Veracruz, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $12.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Cabo San Lucas may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $19 per day on alcoholic beverages.
When comparing the travel costs between Veracruz and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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