A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Cancun vs. Fort-de-France for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Cancun or Fort-de-France?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

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 Cancun and Fort-de-France can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Cancun or Fort-de-France?

Cancun

In the northeast corner of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular destinations. The area that is now Cancun was actually selected specifically by the Mexican government for development as a tourist destination. The area was chosen because it has fourteen miles of beautiful white beaches, nearby Mayan ruins, and turquoise blue water with nearby snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Prior to its development as a tourist destination, there were few inhabitants in the area.

Fort-de-France

As the largest city and capital of Martinique, Fort-de-France serves as the main entryway for visitors traveling to the island. It is a busy city with a significant population, which creates an atmosphere bustling with traffic amidst its historic and cultural sights.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun.


Which place is cheaper, Fort-de-France or Cancun?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $153, while the average daily cost in Fort-de-France is $228. 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 Cancun and Fort-de-France in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cancun $89
    Fort-de-France $92
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cancun $178
    Fort-de-France $184
Compare Hotels in Cancun and Fort-de-France

Looking for a hotel in Cancun or Fort-de-France? 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.

Hotels in Cancun


Hotels in Fort-de-France


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: Cancun Hotel Prices and Fort-de-France Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cancun $16
    Fort-de-France $18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:


  • Taxi Around Town
    $1.52
  • Airport Shuttle (for 2)
    $13
  • Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)
    $15
  • Local Bus (for 2)
    $1.85

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun

Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Limo Transfer Airport Cancun - Puerto Morelos Hotel Zone: $279
  • Cancun Airport Private Transfer to Tulum (Round Trip): $250
  • Private Transfer from Cancún Airport (CUN) to Tulum : $243
  • Xcaret 1 Day Tour from Cancun with Hotel Transfer: $228
  • Cancun Airport Private Transfer One Way: To or From Akumal Area Up to 15 Pass.: $225
  • Private Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum: $220
  • Round private transfer Airport- Akumal - Airport.: $220
  • Private Round Trip Transfer (Cancun Airport - Playa del Carmen): $219
  • Airport Transfers to Costa Mujeres - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE: $215
  • Cancún Airport (CUN) to Akumal - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $214
  • Cancún Airport (CUN) to El Dorado Maroma - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $212
  • Private round airport transfer from Cancun - Puerto Aventuras - airport.: $210

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Fort-de-France

Also for Fort-de-France, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer from Fort de France Port to Martinique Airport (FDF): $77
  • Private Transfer from Fort de France to Fort de France Port: $77
  • Private Transfer from Fort de France Port to Fort de France: $77
  • Private Transfer Martinique Airport (FDF) to Fort de France Port: $77
  • Martinique Airport (FDF) to Fort de France - Arrival Transfer: $69
  • Fort de France to Martinique Airport (FDF) - Departure Transfer: $66

Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or Fort-de-France?

Prices for flights to both Fort-de-France and Cancun 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Cancun $45
    Fort-de-France $117
Typical Food Prices in Cancun

For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lunch for Two
    $19

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun

For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Cancun Pirate Ship Adventure : Dinner & Show at Sea 2 for 1 Deal: $50
  • Pirate Show in Cancun! Dinner & drinks: $62
  • Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
  • Pirate Shop & Dinner at Cancun! Drinks, Adventure and Fun: $65
  • Cancun Walking Food Tour: Local Food, Markets, and Street Art.: $77
  • Puerto Morelos Walking Food Tour: $77
  • Mexican Cooking Class with fresh Local Market ingredients selection and transpor: $79
  • Cancun Taco & Mexican Food Tour with Tequila Tasting: $79
  • Cancun Private Mural Art and Food Tour: $81
  • Hands-On Cooking Class in Drink & Cook Authentic Dishes: $85
  • Pirate’s Night Out: Dinner and Entertainment in the Caribbean: $89
  • Unforgettable Pirate Dinner Adventure in the Mexican Caribbean: $89

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Fort-de-France

For Fort-de-France, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Food tour in the rainforest and St Pierre - Pile et Face: $104

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cancun $32
    Fort-de-France $36
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Seasick Pills
    $0.54
  • Whale Shark Tour (for 2)
    $92

Tours and Activities in Cancun

For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 2 Day Combo Tour, Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Xplor and Chichen Itza Option: $260
  • 3 in 1 Tour to Coba Cenote and Maya Village: $149
  • Atv tour from Cancun with ziplines and cenote swim experience: $30
  • Cancun Private Street Art Tour: $65
  • Clear Boat Tour in Cancun 1.5 hours great for pictures: $19
  • Coco Bongo Music And Show Ticket: $90
  • Holbox plus Island Magic by boat Tour from Cancun : $144
  • Isla Contoy and Isla Mujeres Tour from Cancun: $152
  • Isla Mujeres Catamaran Platinum Tour with Open Bar: $115
  • LDS Tour to Chichen Itza + Cenote : $215
  • Las Coloradas and Rio Lagartos Day Tour from Cancun: $105
  • Private Tour to Tulum Ruins and Cenotes : $257

Tours and Activities in Fort-de-France

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Fort-de-France.

  • Authentic Tour of Southern Martinique: $75
  • Fort-de-France Food Tasting and Cultural Walking Tour: $71
  • Fort-de-France Private 2-Hour Walking Tour: $26
  • Glide into adventure: Hiking and natural slides: $182
  • Habitation Clement - entrance ticket: $15
  • Half-Day Nature and Panorama Tour in Martinique: $108
  • Karaib Tour: $66
  • Mangrove Guided Tour: $43
  • Martinique Shore Excursion - Authentic Tour of Southern Martinique: $75
  • Martinique Shore Excursion - Unmissable Martinique North tour: $75
  • Martinique: Coral and Turtle Coves Cruise: $84
  • Martinique: Private Tour with Local Guide: $176

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cancun $12
    Fort-de-France $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun

Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Social Pub Crawl in Cancun: $35
  • Bar Crawl Madness Tour in Cancun: $99

Sample the Local Flavors in Fort-de-France

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Fort-de-France:

  • Small-Group Tour: Unmissable Martinique with Rum Distillery, Ruins, and More: $75
  • North Tour: rainforest, rum distillery, black sand beach etc: $120


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cancun and Fort-de-France, we can see that Fort-de-France is more expensive. And not only is Cancun much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cancun is in North America and Fort-de-France is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Cancun would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cancun 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 Fort-de-France would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fort-de-France than you might in Cancun.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cancun Expensive? and Is Fort-de-France Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Cancun or Fort-de-France?

Cancun has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Fort-de-France. When comparing the sizes of Cancun and Fort-de-France, 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.