Cancun trip cost: flights, hotels, food and things to do
Turquoise water, cenotes and Mayan ruins. A 6-night trip for 2 starts at about $1,702 for the cheapest flight, hotel and food, depending on where you fly from. Pick your airport to see three ready-made plans.
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What it costs from your airport
For 2 travelers, 6 nights. "From" is the cheapest flight and hotel plus everyday food; "Suggested budget" also covers a mid-priced flight and hotel and things to do.
| Flying from | From | Suggested budget |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | $1,702 | $3,400 |
| Tampa (TPA) | $1,762 | $3,400 |
| Charlotte (CLT) | $1,782 | $3,500 |
| Atlanta (ATL) | $1,802 | $3,400 |
| St. Louis (STL) | $1,812 | $3,500 |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) | $1,822 | $3,300 |
| Orlando (MCO) | $1,822 | $3,400 |
| Nashville (BNA) | $1,832 | $3,500 |
| Detroit (DTW) | $1,832 | $3,600 |
| Chicago O'Hare (ORD) | $1,842 | $3,500 |
| Austin (AUS) | $1,852 | $3,500 |
| Baltimore (BWI) | $1,852 | $3,500 |
| Philadelphia (PHL) | $1,852 | $3,500 |
| Washington Reagan (DCA) | $1,862 | $3,500 |
| Washington Dulles (IAD) | $1,872 | $3,500 |
| Chicago Midway (MDW) | $1,872 | $3,500 |
| New York JFK | $1,892 | $3,600 |
| New York LaGuardia (LGA) | $1,902 | $3,500 |
| Newark (EWR) | $1,912 | $3,500 |
| Boston (BOS) | $1,912 | $3,600 |
| San Diego (SAN) | $1,912 | $3,600 |
| Phoenix (PHX) | $1,912 | $3,700 |
| Houston (IAH) | $1,922 | $3,600 |
| Minneapolis (MSP) | $1,922 | $3,600 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) | $1,942 | $3,600 |
| Miami (MIA) | $1,982 | $3,400 |
| San Francisco (SFO) | $1,982 | $3,700 |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | $2,002 | $3,700 |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | $2,032 | $3,600 |
| Denver (DEN) | $2,032 | $3,700 |
| Portland (PDX) | $2,042 | $3,800 |
| Seattle (SEA) | $2,082 | $3,800 |
| Honolulu (HNL) | $2,322 | $4,000 |
Food: about $76 a person a day
Restaurants worth the trip
- Taqueria Los TarascosOrder: Tacos al pastor · about $8 a person
- El Fish FritangaOrder: Fish tacos and ceviche · about $25 a person
- Lorenzillo's lobsterOrder: Lobster, picked from the tank · about $60 a person
- Mercado 23 cochinita pibilOrder: Cochinita pibil tacos · about $8 a person
- La HabichuelaOrder: Cocobichuela: lobster and shrimp curry in a coconut · about $40 a person
- Marbella fish marketOrder: Grilled catch of the day and ceviche · about $25 a person
- Harry's steak and raw barOrder: Dry-aged steak · about $75 a person
Where to stay
- Hyatt Zilara Cancun5★ · $720 a night · or about 29,000 Hyatt points
- Hyatt Ziva Cancun5★ · $650 a night · or about 25,000 Hyatt points
- JW Marriott Cancun Resort5★ · $420 a night · or about 45,000 Marriott points
- Cancun Marriott Resort4★ · $300 a night · or about 30,000 Marriott points
- Hotel Zone beachfront hotel4★ · $210 a night
- Isla Mujeres guesthouse3★ · $140 a night
- Downtown boutique hotel3★ · $95 a night
- Downtown hostel, private room2★ · $55 a night
Things to do
- Playa Delfinesfree · 3h 00m
- Mercado 28 craftsfree · 1h 30m
- La Isla shopping villagefree · 1h 30m
- Parque de las Palapas eveningfree · 1h 30m
- Punta Nizuc sunsetfree · 1h 30m
- Mayan Museum of Cancun$5 a person · 1h 15m
- El Rey ruins$5 a person · 1h 00m
- Isla Mujeres ferry and beach$25 a person · 6h 00m
- Valladolid colonial town$30 a person · 8h 00m
- Ruta de los Cenotes swim$40 a person · 5h 00m
- Tulum ruins and beach$45 a person · 6h 00m
- Mangrove kayak tour$45 a person · 2h 00m
- Underwater sculpture museum snorkel$55 a person · 3h 00m
- Coco Bongo show$85 a person · 3h 00m
- Chichen Itza day trip$95 a person · 10h 00m
- Xcaret park$120 a person · 8h 00m
Questions
How much does a trip to Cancun cost?
For 2 travelers and 6 nights, the cheapest flight and hotel plus everyday food start at about $1,702 from Salt Lake City (SLC) and run to about $2,322 from the farthest major US airport. A comfortable budget with things to do is $3,300 to $4,000.
How much should I budget for food in Cancun?
About $76 a person a day at mid-range places: breakfast $12, lunch $18, dinner $38, snacks and coffee $8.
How many nights do I need in Cancun?
6 nights covers the main sights at an easy pace; the day plans on each route page show how the days fill.
Plan your Cancun trip
Tell us your airport, dates and budget, and get three plans with flights, hotel, food and a day-by-day itinerary.
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