Mexico is very well-known for having some of the world’s most beautiful beach destinations, and Cabo San Lucas is definitely one of them.
Located in Baja California Sur, at the southern end of the peninsula, Los Cabos is the place where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez. This creates the perfect conditions for a great sea life ecosystem, and, of course, an ideal destination for your vacation.
Through the years, Cabo San Lucas has become a famous touristic destination, offering options for all types of visitors, tastes, and budgets. Thousands of travelers from the USA, Latin America, and the entire world visit Cabo San Lucas each year to enjoy its wonderful beaches, have fun, and relax.
But, is Cabo expensive? If you are interested in coming to Cabo San Lucas on your next holiday, here we show you a guide on what things to consider when calculating the cost of your vacation.
Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive? How to plan a budget for your vacation in Cabo San Lucas Mexico
It is not possible to give just one answer to the question ‘is Cabo expensive?’, because there are many things to consider and what is affordable for some travelers can be expensive for others. However, the cost of living in Mexico is lower than in the United States, which is the reason why visiting Cabo San Lucas could be cheaper than traveling to other destinations.
Everything you need to consider when planning a trip to Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas has options for every visitor, from luxury resorts and expensive restaurants to the cheapest options for accommodation and food. But even if you travel on a budget, it is possible to have an unforgettable experience and enjoy the best of what the Baja Peninsula has to offer.
To calculate the approximate cost of your trip, you must consider three basic things: plane tickets, accommodation, and food; these things will give you a first look at the cost of the vacation.
After this, include the cost of the extra activities you would like to do, there are many things to do and enjoy in Cabo that you can’t miss, especially if it is your first time visiting.
Let’s take a deeper look into these things to plan a good budget for your trip.
The money exchange in Los Cabos – Can US Dollars be used in Mexico?
As Cabo San Lucas is visited by thousands of US tourists, it is common to see that some places, especially resorts and tourist services, accept US dollars, but it is recommended to exchange money for the local currency so you can pay for everything you need during your vacation.
The local currency of Cabo San Lucas is the Mexican peso. You can use your credit card to pay in most places, but to have cash the best way to exchange money is on ATMs.
When is the cheapest time to visit Cabo San Lucas?
Taking into consideration the month and season of your trip is important to calculate the costs. While some prices stay the same all year round, many things, especially touristic things, can be more expensive during the high season, like hotel rooms, tours, restaurants, and plane tickets.
The peak season in Cabo San Lucas goes from December to April. Even when these are considered winter months in Mexico, the weather will be perfect to spend the whole day at the beach. This is also the whale-watching season, so it is the perfect time to visit if you want to spot some whales.
If you are looking to save some money on your vacation, plan your trip for the months of July, August, and September. This is the rainy season in Los Cabos, so there will be more humidity than at the beginning of the year, but even like that, there will be great weather and sunny days to enjoy.
Costs of flights to San Jose del Cabo
Los Cabos has an international airport located 11 Km (approximately 20 minutes) away from Cabo San Lucas’ downtown and you can get to it from many different cities on direct or stopover flights.
As mentioned before, the cost of the plane tickets may vary depending on the time of the year, and of course, the city from which you are traveling.
Tourist class one-way tickets to Cabo from Los Angeles cost around 70 USD, from Dallas around 110 USD, and from New York City around 140 USD. The best deals can be about 200 USD each way.
Costs of local transportation in Los Cabos
Once you get to Los Cabos airport you must take a taxi or bus to the city center. The price of the bus is about 2 USD and the cost of a taxi is around 15 USD. All-inclusive resorts offer free transportation from the airport.
The easiest and cheapest way to move around in Cabo San Lucas is by using Uber or Lyft, but public transportation is good as well.
Another option is to rent a car which costs from 20 to 60 dollars per day depending on the type of car.
The average price of Cabo San Lucas hotels
To calculate the average hotel price in Los Cabos it is important to consider the type of hotel and time of the year.
The city has options for everybody, from luxury resorts with all amenities included to cozy inns and hostels in the city center or near the beach.
The most expensive and luxurious resorts can get up to 500 UDS per night during peak season. Many affordable and good all-inclusive resorts cost about 120 USD per night.
The cheapest accommodation options are hostels which can cost around 20 dollars per night.
A good way to save money if you are traveling with family or friends is to rent an Airbnb whose prices start at around 50 dollars per night, but you are renting an entire apartment or a house.
Average prices of hotels in downtown Cabo San Lucas
Staying in Cabo San Lucas downtown is a good idea to easily get to restaurants, nightclubs, and more. The average daily price of a hotel room in the city center ranges between 30 to 60 dollars for 3-4 stars hotels and about 100 dollars for 5 stars hotels.
Prices of All-inclusive resorts in Cabo San Lucas
All-inclusive resorts are the most popular type of accommodation in Cabo San Lucas, which is why there are different options for every tourist. As mentioned before, luxury resort prices start at around 500 dollars per night, but this includes a luxury suite and all amenities so you can have a dream vacation.
If you are planning a luxury trip, you will find stunning resorts with the most incredible and comfortable suites, spas, swimming pools, access to semi-private beaches, different options for entertainment and so much more.
There are, of course, cheaper options for around 120 to 200 dollars per night. Some travel agencies and resorts offer special packages for family vacations and honeymoons at affordable prices.
Food Budget in Cabo San Lucas – How expensive are restaurants in Cabo San Lucas?
Restaurant prices in Cabo San Lucas vary depending on the type of restaurant and the type of food that you order. There is a good variety of restaurant options in Cabo’s main town and near the Marina, many beautiful places near the beaches, luxury restaurants, well-known fast food chains, and delicious street food.
To have a reference, the cost of a regular lunch per person in a restaurant ranges between 10 and 15 USD, and dinner for two at a good place costs around 50 USD. A cappuccino costs about 3 USD, a meal at a fast food chain restaurant costs about 7 USD, and a good taco can cost around 8 USD.
The most popular meals in Cabo are tacos and seafood, and don’t miss the opportunity to try the seafood and tuna tacos!
Here are some tips to save on food expenses:
The prices of an all-inclusive resort may seem high, but take into consideration that you will have all foods and snacks included. In some cases, the resort may also include alcoholic drinks.
Some accommodations include a kitchen so you can cook your own meals. Buying at local supermarkets is inexpensive and you can save money for other things by cooking at least one meal.
If staying at a hotel, make sure you choose one with breakfast included.
Which other plans should you include in your vacation budget?
If you visit Cabo San Lucas you will find many things to do to have fun or relax during the day and night.
Cabo San Lucas lands end is completely surrounded by the waters of the Pacific Ocean and The Sea of Cortez, so one plan that you can’t miss is going on a sailing tour to visit the famous Arch, Lovers Beach, The Sea Lion Colony, and more.
The only way to get to these tourist locations is by boat, so you can book a private catamaran in Cabo with us or buy a ticket for a general tour around Los Cabos Marina.
You can also book an excursion to visit the historic places of San Jose del Cabo and the desert, where you can practice extreme sports, ride a 4×4 quad bike, or even ride a camel on a tequila tour.
Prices of sailing tours
In La Isla Tour we offer you the best private sailing tours so you with your family or friends can visit all of Cabo’s most famous landmarks. Our tours are totally customizable and we have a fleet of lovely catamarans that can fit small groups of 4 to 6 people to big luxury yachts for up to 50 passengers.
The prices of our 3 hours sailing tours start at 324 USD for up to 6 passengers. Here you can see all our available boats and pricings.
Nightlife and alcohol prices in Cabo
If you want to have fun, there are plenty of choices to enjoy the Cabo nightlife scene in bars and popular nightclubs. Most bars are located downtown, and while it is free to enter most bars, you usually need to pay to enter nightclubs.
Alcohol prices in Cabo start at 6 dollars a drink and 20 dollars a cover plus tip. A domestic beer costs about 1.5 USD while an imported one is 2.5 USD, and a bottle of mid-range wine costs about 12 USD.
What is the average daily cost of a vacation in Cabo San Lucas per person?
Taking all this information into consideration, it is possible to calculate an estimated daily cost per person for a vacation in Cabo San Lucas.
To sum up, one-way flight tickets to Cabo start at around 70 dollars per person, an average hotel room for two is about 60 dollars per night, while a suite at a resort starts from 120 dollars each night. A full meal is about 20 dollars and a cocktail is about 8 dollars.
