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Can You Visit Cancun As A Budget Traveler In 2024?

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Looking for an affordable travel destination to spend your vacation getaway this year?

There’s no need to look any further than Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean. That’s according to the annual Most Affordable Travel Destinations survey by Wethrift.com.

Affordable Cancun

Multi-directional sign with wooden arrows at Xcaret Park

According to the review of affordable travel destinations around the world by Wethrift.com, Cancun came in at No. 15. It was the only city in Mexico to make the top 15 in the world.

The website evaluated each city for nine different factors, including the number of flights to and from, traveler counts, cost of tourist attractions, affordability of public transport, price of a meal, cost of grocery shopping, hotel for a weekend, B&B for a weekend and Airbnb price for a weekend.

Cancun ranked in the middle for the number of flights. It was the highest of the 15 cities when evaluated for the cost of tourist attractions. It was also in the middle for the other factors, including the price of accommodation, where summer pricing must have been factored in.

Tourists relax at the beach at Finest Playa Mujeres Resort in Cancun, Mexico

What Cities Topped The List?

Three countries were featured prominently in the Wethrift.com list of affordable travel destinations. Egypt, Thailand and Spain all had two cities in the list. That included the popular tourist hot spots of Cairo, Phuket and Barcelona.

However, the No. 1 city on the list was actually New Delhi in India, followed by Hanoi, Vietnam and Cairo, Egypt.

Cancun Airport Filled With Travelers

Strangely enough, Doha, Qatar made the list ahead of Cancun. Last I checked, Doha did not seem to be an affordable destination to visit, but I was not surveyed for this list.

The most expensive city they surveyed for the list this year was Florence, Italy.

How To Be a Cancun Budget Traveler

Maya ruins in the middle of Cancun

Wethrift.com has a number of different recommendations for budget travelers heading out on a vacation getaway to a destination like Cancun this year.

First, when it comes to booking flights, the website recommends that travelers should shop around with airlines, fly midweek, and book last minute to get a deal.

They recommend using comparison websites, such as Google Flights, to set up flight price alerts and find a bargain.

Southwest plane about to land

Another recommendation around flights is to fly midweek because those flights are typically cheaper than flying on weekends. The exception is during school holiday seasons.

I personally am not a fan of booking at the last minute, but that’s another recommendation on the website. If travelers are flexible, they may find some good last-minute deals on flights.

The website also suggests that travelers can save money by booking apartments as opposed to hotels. That has shown to be the case lately in Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean.

A view of a pool in a cancun airbnb

Traditionally, Airbnb properties are cheaper than resort hotels on the beach. That’s if travelers don’t mind not having the resort-style amenities in exchange for lower prices.

Other suggestions for budget travelers heading to Cancun include booking tourist attractions online in advance of travel; making packed lunches instead of eating out all of the time; and using public transportation as much as possible.

What Travelers Need to Know

ADO Bus Station At Cancun Airport

While the cost of a vacation to Cancun seems to be increasing, especially when it comes to the rates for hotel room nights, there are several ways tourists can still be budget travelers and save money on their vacation getaway.

The key to remember for budget travelers is to plan ahead for their trip to the beach resort destination of Cancun and consider skipping the amenities at the luxury beachfront resort hotels and selecting more city-center apartment accommodations instead.

The good news is there are still several ways for money-savvy travelers to save on their next vacation trip to Cancun.

Plan Your Next Cancun Vacation:

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