Should you visit Cancun or Medellin?
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 Medellin can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cancun or Medellin?
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.
Medellin
In addition to big improvements in public safety, Medellin has witnessed a huge surge in urban development projects, including Colombia's first metro system and cable cars to service poorer neighborhoods located high on the mountain sides. There is an abundance of parks, libraries, museums and public spaces with many cultural events taking place. Many travelers also enjoy visiting the surrounding villages, where life is simple and landscapes and nature reserves are wonderful. Medellin has now become one of the "it" cities in the world, with tons of tourists visiting and foreigners settling and retiring here. Beautiful mountains, warm weather, friendly locals, and a vibrant culture are just a few of the reasons why you should visit Medellin.
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 Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.
Which place is cheaper, Medellin 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 Medellin is $29. 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 Medellin in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Cancun or Medellin? 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:
Cancun Hotel Prices and
Medellin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Cancun Private Round trip Airport Transfer:
$65
-
Airport Transfer Cancun:
$60
-
Airport Transfers to Costa Mujeres - Private van (ROUND TRIP) FLAT RATE:
$215
-
Akumal One Way Or Roundtrip Private Transfer:
$139
-
Atv Cancun (cenote, Ziplines, Lunch And Transfer Included) :
$49
-
Best SpeedBoat and Snorkeling tour with Transfer from Cancun:
$25
-
Cancún Airport (CUN) Cancun hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$77
-
Cancún Airport (CUN) to Akumal - Private Arrival Transfer:
$107
-
Cancún Airport (CUN) to Akumal - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$214
-
Cancún Airport (CUN) to Cancun hotel or address - Private Arrival Transfer:
$38
-
Cancún Airport (CUN) to El Dorado Maroma - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$212
-
Cancún Airport (CUN) to Playa del Carmen - Private Round-Trip Transfer:
$180
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Medellin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Medellin:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Medellin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Medellin:
-
Transfer from or to Medellin's airport:
$65
-
Transfer from Medellin - Airport OR from Airport - Medellin:
$49
-
Transfer airport JMC - Medellin or vice versa - Private :
$39
-
Seamless Transfer: JMC (MDE) Airport ↔ El Peñol & Guatapé:
$289
-
Private tour transfer from Medellin to JMC airport, or:
$25
-
Private Transfer from Medellín City to José María Córdova (MDE) Airport:
$69
-
Private Transfer from MDE Airport to Hotels and City of Medellín:
$49
-
Private Transfer Jose Marie Cordova Airport to Medellin Bello:
$100
-
Private Transfer José María Cordova Airport in Medellín:
$38
-
Private Round Transfer to Guatape lakes and Penol rock!:
$239
-
Private Medellin MDE airport pick up transfer service one way:
$35
-
Private Arrival Transfer : From Airport to Medellín Hotels :
$67
Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or Medellin?
Prices for flights to both Medellin 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
Medellin $16
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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
Typical Food Prices in Medellin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Medellin:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Medellin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Medellin.
-
Medellín: Comuna 13 True Story and Street Food Tour:
$11
-
Medellín: Empanada Cooking Class by Local Chef in Comuna 13:
$19
-
Private Empanada Cooking Class in Guatape:
$30
-
A night in Medellín: food tour and bars in El Poblado!:
$32
-
Laureles Food Tour:
$35
-
Medellín: Comuna 13 Street Art and Street Food Tour:
$38
-
Food tour with 12 tastings in the best area of Medellin:
$40
-
Medellín: Guided Street Food Tour with Tastings (El Poblado):
$56
-
Private Night City Tour on Electric Bicycle + Gourmet Dinner:
$59
-
Cooking class: Street Food & Mojito making:
$60
-
Medellin Night E-Bike Tour with Gourmet Dinner Included:
$60
-
Community project cooking class and Medellin social transformation tour:
$64
Entertainment
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:
-
ATV Tour, Zip Lines, Horseback Riding, Cenote and Tequila Tasting:
$10
-
Tour to Kin Ha Cenotes with Craft Jewelry Workshop :
$12
-
Tulum Mayan Ruins + Shopping Tour + Tulum Jaguar Park:
$13
-
Discover Isla Mujeres tour with snorkel, buffet and open bar :
$14
-
Visit to 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen + Shopping Tour:
$14
-
Speedboat jungle tour and snorkel:
$15
-
Chichen Itza full day tour:
$16
-
Catamaran Adventure in Cancun:
$16
-
Isla Mujeres Catamaran Tour with Snorkeling, Open Bar and Buffet:
$16
-
Tour to Tulum and Cenote for the best price! :
$16
-
Full Day Tour to Coba and Tulum Cenote Swim and Lunch:
$16
-
Chichen Itza Tour Full day food included:
$16
Tours and Activities in Medellin
Here are a few actual costs in Medellin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
Atv or quats Tour adventure Quads tour in MEDELLÍN :
$90
-
Comuna 13 + Medellin City Tour:
$251
-
Historical Tour in Pablo Escobar :
$35
-
Medellin City Private Tour:
$85
-
2 Day Private Jardin Tour with Activities from Medellin:
$260
-
2 Days Medellin autentic Coffee Farm Experience :
$225
-
2 Hour Medellin Off Road ATV Experiences:
$160
-
2-Hours Street Art Walking Tour in Medellin Comuna 13:
$24
-
4-Hour Medellin, Envigado & Sabaneta Three County Tour:
$79
-
4x4 ATV Adventure from Medellin with Scenic Views, Lunch & Pickup:
$120
-
5-Hour Coffee and Pablo Express Mix Tour in Medellín:
$140
-
9-Hour Full Day Tour of Pablo Escobar Including C13, Museum and Barrio PE:
$245
Alcohol
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 Medellin
Also in Medellin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Pub Crawl in El Poblado with Drinks, Games and VIP:
$7.50
-
Medellin Pub Crawl in El Poblado with Drinks Games and VIP:
$12
-
Guided Medellin Pub Crawl:
$18
-
The Medellin Pub Crawl:
$20
-
Rooftop Bar Crawl with VIP Access & Hidden Clubs:
$27
-
Live the Nightlife Rooftop Pub Crawl :
$49
-
Medellín Nightlife: Rooftop Bar Crawl:
$85
-
Night Out Gay Bar Crawl in Medellin:
$130
-
NightOUT Medellin Gay Bar Crawl:
$150
-
Medellin LGBTQ Rooftop Bar Crawl:
$150
-
Medellín Pub Crawl Tour with Drinks:
$175
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cancun and Medellin, we can see that Cancun is more expensive. And not only is Medellin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cancun is in North America and Medellin 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 Medellin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Medellin 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 Medellin.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cancun Expensive? and Is Medellin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cancun or Medellin?
Medellin has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Cancun. When comparing the sizes of Cancun and Medellin, 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.
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