A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Cancun vs. La Serena for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Cancun or La Serena?

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 La Serena can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Cancun or La Serena?

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.

La Serena

La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!

Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, La Serena or Cancun?

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

  • Cancun Prices
    Mexico Prices
    La Serena Prices
    Chile Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Cancun $153
    La Serena $106

The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $153, while the average daily cost in La Serena is $106. 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 La Serena in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cancun $89
    La Serena $42
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cancun $178
    La Serena $84
Compare Hotels in Cancun and La Serena

Looking for a hotel in Cancun or La Serena? 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 La Serena


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 La Serena Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cancun $16
    La Serena $20
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:

  • Xcaret 1 Day Tour from Cancun with Hotel Transfer: $228
  • Tulum One Way Or Roundtrip Private Transfer: $132
  • Transfers From Hotel to Hotel: $120
  • Transfer in Luxury Mercedes Benz Minivan: $96
  • Transfer from Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen: $123
  • Transfer Redondo Private Airport Cancun to Playa del Carmen: $145
  • Transfer Airport-Hotel ( One Way ) Apto Cancun to Playa del Carmen: $87
  • Transfer Airport To Excellence Finest Atelier Playa Mujeres: $75
  • Super Combo ATV in Cancun with Zipline, Snorkel, Cenote, transfer: $115
  • Shared transfer R/T VAN Apto-Muelle Ferry Isla Mujeres-Apto C/ Tickets Ferry: $40
  • Shared Transfer from Cancun Airport : $6.00
  • Shared Round-Trip Transfer To/From Cancun International Airport: $20

Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or La Serena?

Prices for flights to both La Serena 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
    La Serena $46
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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cancun $32
    La Serena $24
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 La Serena

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

  • Astronomical Tour Collowara Observatory: $64
  • Astronomy and Astrophotography Tour: $55
  • Charm Valley Archaeological Tour, Shamanism and Petroglyphs: $175
  • Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $165
  • Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $85
  • Elqui Valley Tour: Full Day History and Flavors : $53
  • Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
  • Grand Tour Valley of Elqui Mystic Mountains and Cultural Treasures: $115
  • La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
  • La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
  • Full day Tour to Elqui Valley : $110
  • Milky Way Sanctuary Stargazing Tour at Pangue Observatory: $225

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cancun $12
    La Serena $22

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


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

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


Which is Bigger, Cancun or La Serena?

Cancun has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of La Serena. When comparing the sizes of Cancun and La Serena, 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.