This Is How Much Cash You Should Bring When Staying At A Cancun All-Inclusive

Share The Article

It’s one of the most persistent questions for any traveler heading to Cancun: “If I’m staying at an all-inclusive, how much cash do I actually need to bring?”

It’s a logical question. After all, you’ve pre-paid for your flights, your airport transportation, your hotel, your meals, and all your drinks. You can even charge spa treatments and gift shop purchases to your room. So, in a world where everything is supposedly included, why would you need a wallet full of cash?

Here at The Cancun Sun, we believe in giving you the real, on-the-ground answers. After analyzing traveler spending habits and polling our own readers, we’ve landed on the magic number for a stress-free, one-week all-inclusive vacation for two people: $500 USD (or about 9,200 pesos).

Here is our insider’s guide to why this is the perfect amount, and what you’ll be using it for.

The Big Assumption

First, let’s be crystal clear: this $500 budget is based on a few key assumptions. This number is for a one-week (7-night) trip for two people, and it assumes you have already pre-paid for your all-inclusive hotel, your round-trip airport transportation, and any major excursions like Chichen Itza or Xcaret.

This $500 is not for paying for your vacation; it’s for enhancing it.

The Primary Purpose: The Unspoken World of Tipping 💵

This is where the vast majority of your cash will, and should, go. While it’s technically true that tips and gratuities are “included” in your all-inclusive package, the reality of Mexican hospitality culture is that extra tipping is not only welcome but deeply appreciated. In a recent informal poll of Cancun Sun readers, over 90% said they always tip extra for good service at their all-inclusive.

The staff at these resorts work incredibly hard to make your vacation perfect, often for very modest wages. A few dollars here and there for excellent service is a gesture that goes a long, long way. It not only makes a huge difference in their day but, as any veteran traveler will tell you, it also makes your stay better.

A small tip often ensures:

• Your favorite bartender at the swim-up bar “remembers” you and your drink, even when it’s crowded.
• Your poolside or beach server makes more frequent, proactive rounds to your lounge chair.
• Your housekeeper takes extra care in stocking your room with extra towels or bottles of water.

A Sample 7-Day Tipping Budget for Two: How does $500 break down? It’s easier than you think:

As you can see, a budget for generous and appreciative tipping can easily reach $400-$500 for a week.

The All-Important “Emergency Buffer” 💳

The rest of that $500 is your peace-of-mind fund. While 99% of your non-tipping purchases can be charged to your room or paid with a credit card, you should never be left with an empty wallet.

This cash buffer is for those unexpected “just in case” moments:

• A spontaneous trip to a local convenience store like an OXXO for a specific snack or medicine.
• A local market stall or beach vendor where you find a perfect souvenir, but the vendor only takes cash.
• A credit card machine at an off-resort restaurant is suddenly “down.”
• An emergency taxi ride.

You will most likely come home with some of this cash still in your pocket. But as any savvy traveler knows, that is an infinitely better outcome than the stress of running out of money on day five of your trip.