In recent years, Los Cabos has repositioned itself as a luxury destination, a process helped by a slew of newly opened properties from high-end hospitality brands. Not surprisingly, as the quality of available vacation experiences has risen, so have the attendant costs for visitors — including an average daily hotel room rate north of US $500. That’s not to say, however, that it’s not still possible to enjoy a budget friendly travel in Los Cabos. Some people still do. But it’s not as easy as it used to be.
The good news is that many of the best things about Los Cabos — the beaches, for instance — don’t cost a thing… unless you want the frills. A lounge chair in a roped-off area, for example, and a waiter to bring you seafood and margaritas. If that’s what you want, more power to you. It’s a vacation, after all. But implicit in the experience is deciding which things you’re willing to pay — or pay extra — for and which you’re not.
With that in mind, here are a few tips on spending less for your Los Cabos vacation. Finding budget-friendly airline fares is a good start. Southwest — which flies to Los Cabos from 10 U.S. cities — is one of several airlines that offer a low-fare calendar that allows you to shop for the best fares in any given month. The differences in prices are often striking and number in the hundreds of dollars.
But that’s a bonus tip. The real savings start when you decide where to stay.
Choose a reasonable hotel in an appropriate location
The location of your hotel or resort matters — a lot. The average daily room rate at resorts in the 20-mile-long Tourist Corridor in May was US $656. In San José del Cabo, for comparison’s sake, the average was US $383. In Cabo San Lucas, it was only US $316. If you surveyed accommodations only in the downtown area of Cabo San Lucas, that number would be even lower, as many of the best budget-friendly hotels are located there.
There are over a dozen budget-friendly inns and boutique hotels in downtown Cabo San Lucas where you can stay for less than US $200 per night — and a handful where you can find a room for under $100. Airbnb rentals offer even more options in the latter category, but hotels are usually a significant step up with amenities, service, and responsiveness.
For the best hotel rates, contact the properties directly. Third-party hotel booking sites lure you in with great rates, but by the time taxes and fees are added they’re seldom better than the ones the local hotel owners would happily provide.
Take advantage of free activities
If there’s one thing Los Cabos has no shortage of, it’s beautiful, free beaches. No other municipality in Mexico has more blue-flag beaches — meaning they have been certified to meet certain standards for sustainability and services like informational signs, bathrooms and handicap access. Blue flag beaches don’t welcome pets outside of service animals, but they’re a great place to spend time.
They may be perfect not just for sunning, but swimming and snorkeling, too. However, a qualifier is necessary as not all Los Cabos are swim-friendly, and some on the Pacific Ocean are dangerous due to strong rip currents. As a guide, the following popular beaches are all swimmable: Lovers Beach and Playa El Médano in Cabo San Lucas; and Chileno, Santa María and Palmilla beaches in the Tourist Corridor. The middle two of these are also excellent snorkeling spots. So don’t forget to pack your mask and fins. Otherwise, you’ll have to rent them.
Sightseeing, of course, is likewise free, and museums are nearly so. Todos Santos and La Paz are wonderful in this regard, although you’ll need to rent a car or take a bus to get to these regional destinations. San José del Cabos is a better local option, particularly on Thursday evenings from November through June, when its lovely downtown area and historic Art District come alive for Art Walk. But its picturesque downtown area is worth visiting any day.
Don’t dine or drink in tourist traps
A good adage to remember regarding food and drinks is that the farther the establishments that serve them are from the ocean, the cheaper they will be. It’s not foolproof. There are exceptions. But generally speaking, the most popular — and expensive — bars and restaurants for tourists are on or near beaches and feature ocean views. It stands to reason, right? But you’re paying more for the great views because the bars and restaurants in these locations pay a lot more in rent.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t occasionally splurge on a great meal. It’s just a reminder that some of the most enjoyable food is found at taquerías and locals’ favorite restaurants — and these, for the reasons given above, are rarely located near the water. So where should you eat? In Cabo San Lucas, try chicken or ribs — or both via a combo meal — at Pollo del Oro, seafood at Las Tres Islas and fish tacos at Los Claros. Ask the nearest local if or when you ever exhaust your appetite for these reliable comfort food pleasures.
You’re in Mexico: Use pesos!
Everyone in Los Cabos will accept American dollars. However, that doesn’t mean you should use them as currency. Each local business establishes its own exchange rate to effect transactions, and guess what? If you use dollars, you’ll lose money every time.
Let’s say the actual exchange rate is 19 pesos to the dollar. But the restaurant where you’re dining has a posted rate of 18 to 1. It may not sound like much, but paying a few dollars extra for every meal adds up quickly. Use pesos exclusively. They’re best gotten at your bank before you even leave home.
Credit cards have similar issues since you’ll likely be charged for the conversion rate if you pay in pesos. And, as noted, if you pay in dollars you’re not getting the best value.
Avoid taxis and airport shuttles
It’s not just resort room rates that have been steadily rising. The price of everything in Los Cabos has gone up. For more than a decade, it was possible to get a shared airport shuttle for about US $20 per person. Now it’s skyrocketed to US $85 and up from Cabo San Lucas. Taxis, of course, have always been expensive in Los Cabos. So both are best avoided for those on a budget.
Except for walking, buses are invariably the most cost-effective way to get around Los Cabos. It bears noting there are several kinds of buses. Ruta del Desierto’s purple buses will take you — quite cheaply — from Cabo San Lucas to San José del Cabo and all the parts in between. Autobuses Aguila is the best bet for trips to Todos Santos and La Paz — US $10 and $18 per person, respectively. If you want to get to and from the airport, meanwhile, take Uber. It will save you at least $30 over taxis coming and going from Cabo San Lucas. Or rather, the peso equivalent.
Any more advice for budget friendly travel in Los Cabos you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below!
Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook, and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.
