If you’re planning a trip to Cancun and want to save money, check out our strategies on how to plan a trip cheaply and intelligently to this unique destination.
1. Travel during off-peak times in Cancun
Let’s start with the simplest tip, but also the most effective for saving money: avoid the high season. July, December and January are the most expensive months in Cancun, while February to May offer pleasant temperatures and less chance of rain.
Also avoid the busy Spring Break in March, a holiday that attracts many tourists, as well as other long holidays.
2. Find cheap airline tickets to Cancun
To save on airfare, the tip is to start researching in advance and look at the websites of different airlines. Fortunately, there are tools on the internet that can help you monitor prices and find the best deals on the market.
You can also find even cheaper flights by using a few tips:
- Search for flights during weekdays, especially on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which are usually cheaper.
- Do your research for flights during weekdays, especially on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
- Use a reliable airfare comparator and monitor prices every week.
3. Tips for saving on shopping in Cancun
Cancun is a shopper’s paradise, and you can save on shopping too:
- Visit the Chedraui Selecto Supermarket to find Mexican drinks at friendly prices.
- Don’t miss the Duty Free on the way BACK from your trip. Leave the going trip to research prices and see what’s worthwhile.
- Don’t forget to ask for a Tax Back in the store when you make a purchase, so you can get a tax refund on your purchases.
- Outside of the hotel zone and in grocery stores, take cash, as not all places accept cards. Also take the opportunity to bargain.
4. Tips for saving on car rental in Cancun
If you choose to rent a car in Cancun, the main tip for saving money and traveling cheaply is to book in advance. Plus, don’t rent a GPS and use the one on your cell phone instead. And be aware that there are also websites that compare the price of car rental, showing you all the vehicles available during your trip. They search all the major car rental companies in Cancun and around the world.
It’s the best way to find the lowest price among all the companies, find incredible deals and save a lot on car rental. If you want to do the search, click here on Car Rental Comparator. In a few seconds, you’ll have all the options on your screen and just choose the cheapest one. It has very strong partnerships with car rental companies, so you can get unbeatable prices.
More tips: prefer larger and reliable rental companies such as Alamo, Hertz, Dollar, Budget and Avis. Take out basic insurance at the time of booking, which is super important and is usually already included in the price, but don’t fall for the companies who, when you pick up the car, try to push extra insurance on you, which isn’t worth it.
5. Save on transportation from the airport to the hotel in Cancun
Not renting a car? The main choice of travelers has been to use a transfer, both to get from the airport to the hotel (and vice versa) and for famous excursions, such as to the cenotes or Chichén-Izá.
If you don’t want to hire a car, this is the cheapest and safest way to get around, avoiding possible cab scams and guaranteeing a smooth, pre-paid journey. We particularly recommend this transfer website to find the cheapest routes. They also sell various tours of Cancún on the same site.
6. How to save money using the cell phone in Cancun?
When we travel, it’s common for our cell phone to run out of signal and, when we finally manage to use it, we end up paying exorbitant rates for calls and internet.
So, to counteract this situation and have quality internet (wherever you are), the way out is to use a travel SIM card. These are pre-paid chips that work from local telephone networks, in this case those in Mexico. You pay for the chip and use the internet during your trip, with quality at a much lower price.
In our experience traveling all over the world, we tried several options and found a SIM card that was our salvation. It provided high-speed, stable internet that worked even in small towns around the world. To see the prices and plans, click here on cell phone chip.
7. Tactics for saving a lot on accommodation in Cancun
Just as we said about airline tickets, to find good value accommodation you need to plan for the low season in Cancun. In addition, remember to compare the prices of the accommodation available: there are several accommodations offering quality places, but with a good price difference between them.
It’s also worth choosing well-located accommodation, prioritizing the Hotel Zone, and booking as far in advance as possible – as the best accommodation at the best prices tends to sell out quickly. It’s a question of supply and demand: the later you book, the fewer hotels will be available and the more expensive they will be.
Our tip for choosing a hotel is to use this Hotel Search Engine to find options at incredible prices, with ratings from previous guests and all the information you need to choose the ideal accommodation.
The site offers some excellent benefits for guests, such as free cancellation at several selected hotels. This means you don’t have to pay a cancellation fee if you can’t travel or change your mind. You can book in advance and simply “change” hotels if you find a better one.
Not to mention the discounts they offer: as the world’s leading hotel search engine, they negotiate with the hostels and offer promotions that help you save a lot.
8. How to save on international travel insurance
If you want to have an enjoyable trip without having to deal with mishaps, you need travel insurance. This insurance includes medical assistance, life insurance, flight cancellations, travel assistance, legal aid and even reimbursement in the event of lost luggage or theft.
Even though it’s not compulsory, we advise you to take out insurance (especially for a trip to Mexico), especially as it’s a small amount considering everything it covers.
When we went to Cancun, one of us became very ill during our visit to Chichén-Itzá (because of the heat) and we had to take out insurance. In addition to care and medication, he had to have an injection and all of this was covered by the insurance, which didn’t cost anywhere near what the care would have cost without it.
So, our tip is that you compare the prices of the best international insurances from the world’s leading companies. It sounds complicated, but you can do it using this international travel insurance price comparison tool. All you have to do is enter your destination and the number of days you’ll be staying and, in a few seconds, it will compare quotes from the biggest insurance companies around the world.
Please note: a physical visa is required for Mexico. You now need a physical visa, which you can apply for on the SRE website for US$ 48 for tourists, students, transit and business travelers, and hand in at the Mexican consulate. Be aware of up-to-date information on the requirement for a physical visa.
9. How to save a lot on tickets for tours and excursions in Cancun?
A trip to Cancun is only complete if you visit the cenotes, Chichén-Izá, Isla Mujeres, Xcaret Park and the nightlife. And to visit these and other of the city’s best sights, the best way is to buy your tickets online, guaranteeing your entry to attractions that are very popular.
We use this Cancun tours website in excursions to secure our tickets, as they always get very cheap discounts on various tours around the world, which helped us to visit more sights during our trip. It’s always worth taking a look at their tours when traveling.
Buying on their website helps you save time that would otherwise be wasted queuing at the ticket offices, not to mention the risk of running into sold-out tickets. They also allow each traveler to rate the tours they have already taken so that you can see their real opinions. This way, you can be sure that you’re getting quality, safe tours.
