Which place is cheaper, Cancun or Mumbai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Mumbai or Cancun?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Mumbai or Cancun, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Mumbai or Cancun?
Mumbai
Mumbai is the largest city in India and the capital of Maharashtra state. It is still occasionally referred to as Bombay, but most people know it now as Mumbai. It's the commercial capital of the country and is a major port city. It's also famous for Bollywood, which is the movie capital of the country and famous for it's music filled Bollywood flicks that have become popular around the world. Mumbai is arguably the most cosmopolitan city in India and has some of the most liberal views of an otherwise conservative country. Many immigrants and expats live in Mumbai and it's easy to see the blend of cultures.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Mumbai, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to India, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun.
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Mumbai Prices
India PricesCancun Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMumbai $83Cancun $153
The average daily cost (per person) in Mumbai is $83, while the average daily cost in Cancun is $153. 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 Mumbai and Cancun in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMumbai $32Cancun $89
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMumbai $64Cancun $178
Compare Hotels in Mumbai and Cancun
Looking for a hotel in Mumbai or Cancun? 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: Mumbai Hotel Prices and Cancun Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mumbai $7.37Cancun $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mumbai
Also for Mumbai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer to & fro Airports,Cruise Terminal,Hotels or any whichway, one way/time: $69
- Transfer from Mumbai Airport to Hotel: $55
- Private Transfer: Mumbai Airport to Hotel: $35
- Private Transfer from Mumbai to your Accommodation in Pune: $24
- Private Transfer from Mumbai hotels to Mumbai Cruise Port: $168
- Private Transfer from Mumbai Int Airport (BOM) to Mumbai Port: $162
- Private Transfer from Mumbai Cruise Port to Mumbai Hotels: $81
- Private Transfer from Mumbai Cruise Port to Mumbai Hotels: $168
- Private Transfer from Mumbai Cruise Port to Mumbai Airport (BOM): $62
- Private Transfer Mumbai Airport by Innova Crysta: $25
- One way Private transfer from Mumbai Airport to Hotel: $39
- Mumbai Private Airport Transfer to Hotel Easy & Safe: $24
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
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Taxi Around Town$1.52
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Airport Shuttle (for 2)$13
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Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$15
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Local Bus (for 2)$1.85
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Cancun Airport to Tulum Roundtrip Private Transfer: $290
- Private Transfer roundtrip (Cancun Airport-Akumal): $259
- Luxury Transfers in a Mercedes Maybach GLS 600: $242
- Cancun Airport Private Transfer One Way: To or From Akumal Area Up to 15 Pass.: $225
- Private One Way Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum: $220
- Private Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum: $220
- Private Round Trip Transfer (Cancun Airport - Playa del Carmen): $219
- Round Trip Transfer from Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen : $200
- Private transfer round trip (Playa del Carmen): $199
- Xplor-ticket included 1 Day Tour from Cancun with hotel transfer : $198
- Round Trip Private Transfer from Cancun Airport - Playa de Carmen: $190
- Private transfer round Cancun airport -Playa del Carmen - airport.: $190
Is it cheaper to fly into Mumbai or Cancun?
Prices for flights to both Cancun and Mumbai 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
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Food Meals for one dayMumbai $42Cancun $45
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mumbai
For Mumbai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Street Food Tour with Mumbai Sightseeing Tour including AC vehicles: $19
- Vegetarian Indian Cuisine Virtual Cooking Class Experience from Mumbai: $20
- Mumbai Food Tour: $20
- Small Group Authentic Mumbai Virtual Cooking Class with Dessert: $20
- Mumbai Street Food Tour with Evening Bazaar Walk: $29
- Indian cusine demonstration cum hands on with Hi Tea / Dinner at a Family home: $31
- Bombay Express Mumbai Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $39
- Mumbai Street Food Tour: $42
- Daily Mumbai Street Food Tour : $52
- Private Mumbai Market Tour and Cooking Class With an Expert: $52
- Private Vegetarian Indian Cooking Class in Mumbai: $53
- Private Market Tour and Vegetarian Cooking Class in Mumbai: $64
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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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
- Mayan Chichen Itza And Pirate Dinner Two Day Experience: $57
- Pirate Show in Cancun! Dinner & drinks: $62
- Pirate Shop & Dinner at Cancun! Drinks, Adventure and Fun: $65
- Pirate Night! Dinner, Fun and Show at Cancun : $65
- Puerto Morelos Walking Food Tour: $77
- Cancun Hands-On Mexican Cooking Class : $79
- Columbus Romantic Dinner in Cancún: $79
- Cancun Private Mural Art and Food Tour: $81
- Pirate’s Night Out: Dinner and Entertainment in the Caribbean: $89
- Cancun City Shopping and Local Food Tour Private Experience: $92
- Feel the love on a romantic dinner at Cancun sea, with live music and open bar.: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mumbai $2.52Cancun $32
Tours and Activities in Mumbai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Mumbai.
- Dharavi Authentic Slum Tour: $120
- Kanheri Caves Heritage Tour: $45
- Mumbai by Night Guided Tour : $50
- Private Full-Day Mumbai Sightseeing Tour with Dharavi Slums: $41
- "Private Mumbai City Sightseeing Tour": $46
- "Private Mumbai Dharavi Slum Tour": $9.24
- "Private Mumbai Kanheri Caves Tour : A Buddhist Settlement": $46
- 3 Day Private Tour in Aurangabad: $290
- 3 Hours Early Morning in South Mumbai Heritage Bicycle Tour : $46
- 3-Hour Private Guided Tour in Bollywood from Mumbai: $226
- 7 Hour Mumbai City Sightseeing Tour By Navv Om Namaha Shivaya: $116
- All In One Combo Tour of Mumbai City, Dabbawalas, Dhobhi Ghat, Slums & Bollywood: $150
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Seasick Pills$0.54
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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:
- 3 in 1 Tour to Coba Cenote and Maya Village: $149
- Cancun Private Street Art Tour: $65
- Catamaran Adventure to Isla Mujeres with Open Bar and Beach Club: $60
- 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
- Reef and Sunken Ship Snorkeling Experience in Cancun: $85
- Riviera Maya Luxury Snorkeling Cruise with Lunch and Drinks: $139
- Tour to Tulum and Cenote for the best price! : $20
- Tulum Ruins, Turtle Sightseeing & Cenote from Playa del Carmen: $150
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMumbai $3.50Cancun $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Mumbai
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Mumbai:
- Bombay Party (Bar Crawl): $25
- South Bombay Pub Crawl: $37
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mumbai and Cancun, we can see that Cancun is more expensive. And not only is Mumbai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mumbai is in Asia and Cancun is in North 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 Mumbai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mumbai 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 Mumbai.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mumbai Expensive? and Is Cancun Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mumbai or Cancun?
Mumbai has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Cancun. When comparing the sizes of Mumbai and Cancun, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.