Which place is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Vientiane?
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 Vientiane 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 Vientiane 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.
Where Should I go: Vientiane or Cabo San Lucas?
Vientiane
You wouldn't expect the capital city to have such a relaxing environment, but in Vientiane, Laos you can sit back and take in the beautiful scenery without feeling pressure to see every little thing. With Vientiane, what you see is what you get.
While picturesque temples and markets line the streets, the city is still experiencing a successful building boom. Even the Presidential Palace has undergone some hefty renovations.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Laos, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Laos, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
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Vientiane Prices
Laos PricesCabo San Lucas Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVientiane $23Cabo San Lucas $161
The average daily cost (per person) in Vientiane is $23, while the average daily cost in Cabo San Lucas is $161. 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 Vientiane and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVientiane $8.17Cabo San Lucas $58
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVientiane $16Cabo San Lucas $116
Compare Hotels in Vientiane and Cabo San Lucas
Looking for a hotel in Vientiane 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Vientiane Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Vientiane $1.94Cabo San Lucas $26
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vientiane
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vientiane are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$4.02
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vientiane
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Vientiane:
- Vientian Private Airport Transfer - Wattay Airport: $15
- Vientiane Private Transfer: Wattay Airport -Hotel-Railway Station: $9.90
- Wattay Airport (VTE): Private Transfer to/from Vientiane: $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Los Cabos International Airport to Hotel: $27
- Los Cabos Airport Roundtrip Shuttle Transfer: $36
- Los Cabos Airport Private Transfer SJD to Multiple Destinations: $38
- San Jose del Cabo to Los Cabos Airport (SJD) Departure Transfer: $69
- Los Cabos Airport (SJD) to San Jose del Cabo hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $69
- Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) to Cabo San Lucas Port - Arrival Private Transfer: $71
- Cabo San Lucas Port to Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) - Departure Private Transfer: $71
- Private Transfer from Cabo San Lucas City to Cabo San Lucas Port: $71
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Airport CSL Departure Transfer: $71
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Cabo San Lucas hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $71
- Los Cabos Private One-Way Airport Transfer: Zone 1: $72
- Cabo San Lucas to Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL)-Departure Transfer: $77
Is it cheaper to fly into Vientiane or Cabo San Lucas?
Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas and Vientiane 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 dayVientiane $12Cabo San Lucas $81
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vientiane
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Vientiane.
- Vientiane Private Lao Cooking Class with Market Tour and Lunch: $70
- Vientiane classic Food tour ( Included Food ): $78
- Night Market, Dinner, and Nightclub: $90
- Small-Group Street Food Tour with Tastings: $91
- Vientiane Private Lao Cooking Class with Market Tour: $122
- Cooking Class Garden House: $335
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.
- Mexican Cooking Class and Garden Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $75
- Flavors of Authentic Mexican Food Tour: $78
- Cabo Sunset E-Bike Beach Ride with Mexican Dinner and Margaritas: $79
- Seafood Galore, Los Cabos Food Tour: $80
- Cabo Sunset Tour with Dinner and Open Bar: $80
- Small-Group Food Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $82
- San Jose del Cabo Tacos and Food Tour: $83
- Sunset Fajita Dinner Cruise in Cabo San Lucas: $89
- Private Mexican Cooking Class in Your Cabo San Lucas Villa or Condo: $90
- Catch of the day dinner in your private villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo: $90
- Parrillada dinner with a Private Chef in your villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose: $95
- Sunset Mexican Dinner Cruise and Live Music in Cabo San Lucas: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Vientiane $3.68Cabo San Lucas $39
Tours and Activities in Vientiane
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Vientiane are as follows:
- The Avenue of a Million Elephants: A Vientiane Self-Guided Tour: $7.99
- Laos Railway Tickets Easily: Avoid Long Queues & Wasted Time: $8.50
- Vientiane Lao Art Museum Admission Ticket: $10
- Laos Railway Tickets Online: Skip Long Queues, Avoid Missing: $12
- Art, Culture, & Inspiration Guided Half-Day Tour: $52
- Half-Day City Tour with Patuxai and Buddha Park: $52
- Vientiane Landmarks and Cultural Immersion Tour: $56
- Cultural Tour with Buddha Park and Patuxay: $58
- Vientiane IG tour & Patuxay monument: $59
- Explore Vientiane with Lao Art Museum Tour: $61
- Half-Day City Tour - Morning or Afternoon: $65
- Vientiane Sky Luge and Roller Zipline Experience: $75
Tours and Activities in Cabo San Lucas
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cabo San Lucas 45 Minute Glass Bottom Boat Tour: $14
- Cabo Clear Boat Tour to the Arch: Hotel Pickup Available: $14
- Glass Bottom Boat Tour to the Arch in Cabo San Lucas: $15
- Cabo Clear Boat Tour to the Arch: Optional Hotel Pickup: $15
- ATV and Camel Experience Los Cabos: $17
- Ultimate Camel Safari Experience in Los Cabos: $17
- ATV Ride and Camel Experience A Double Adventure: $17
- Cabo San Lucas Arch and Lover's Beach Boat Tour: $19
- Cabo San Lucas Glass Bottom Boat Tour to the Arch with Beach Time: $19
- Shared Tour to the Arch of Cabo San Lucas: $19
- Cabo San Lucas Arch Tour by Glass Bottom Boat: $19
- Cabo San Lucas Arches Boat Tour with Swimming and Beach Stop: $20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVientiane $2.05Cabo San Lucas $26
Sample the Local Flavors in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cabo San Lucas:
- Cabo Bar Crawl to the Best Bars and Clubs in Cabo: $60
- Wine Tasting Sunset Cruise Tour in San Jose del Cabo: $280
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Vientiane and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas is more expensive. And not only is Vientiane much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Vientiane is in Asia 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 Vientiane would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vientiane 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 Vientiane.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Vientiane Expensive? and Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Vientiane or Cabo San Lucas?
Vientiane has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Cabo San Lucas. When comparing the sizes of Vientiane 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.
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.