The Cost of Tulum
Tulum has seen an influx of tourism in recent years due to its beautiful white sandy beaches, shimmering turquoise waters, lush tropical jungles, picturesque cenotes, and its crown jewel: the Tulum ruins. This is what attracted me in the first place and perhaps what captivated the Spanish in the 1500s.
It doesn't matter if you’re visiting from the USA, Canada, or Europe; I heard the same complaint from everyone “it's too expensive.” We can analyze this through 3 different possible scenarios: Frugal traveler, festivalgoer, and bougie hotel stay.
THE FRUGAL TRAVLER
This is where I fall under. I traveled to Tulum mostly to get away from the winter in NC but also on a personal journey to reconnect with my Mexican culture by traveling around México- Tulum was the first stop.
I stayed at a hostel for 2 weeks, mostly ate street food, and did some light drinking/partying. Overall, I would estimate spending about $1409.50 USD (including my one-way flight of $373). The hostel I stayed at included breakfast, which helped me save a few dollars for lunch and dinner. I will write a more detailed expense report as well as cafe recommendations for the digital nomads in the coming days.
THE MUSIC FESTIVAL ENTHUSIAST
How much you spend as a festivalgoer depends on various factors: how many festivals you plan to attend, how many days you stay in Tulum, and if you are staying at a hostel, Airbnb, or at an ocean-front hotel? you can easily spend $1400 USD within a few days compared to $1400 USD over the span of 2 weeks (including lodging and cost of flight).
Zamna — this festival is perhaps the most popular, with year-round performances by some the best in the industry. The average entry is between 100–400 USD, depending on which release of tickets you manage to buy. The average cost of beer is $15 USD, water is $12 USD, and taxis are between $40–60 USD depending on where you are staying. Checkout this article by Tulum Bible for more detailed analysis.
THE FANCY OCEAN-FRONT HOTEL AND BEACH CLUB
The hotel zone is perhaps the most expensive place to stay, but if you have the money and are looking for a great time and accommodations, then this is worth checking out. The hotel zone is a long strip of restaurants, boutique shops, bars, hotels, and beach clubs that spans about 2.5 miles along the Carribean. Depending on what you’re looking for, there are a variety of hotel types to pick from ranging from all-inclusive, boutique, and treehouse. The average cost per night can vary but on the lower end you are looking at ranges between $150–300 USD, and on the higher end between $400–800 USD.
If you don’t care much about the overly priced accommodations and conveniences hotels offer, you can easily opt to stay in the Tulum center for a fraction of the cost, but still enjoy the beach clubs along the Hotel Zone. Many Beach clubs have a minimum consumption amount in exchange for a beach chair or bed. These minimums can vary but usually around the $50 USD mark. You can stay for as long as you want, and you have someone nearby always ready to take your second or third order of margaritas.
I think Tulum is worth visiting and you will have a great time so long as you know what to expect beforehand. Tulum is expensive but there are things you can do to offset major expenses, it's all a matter of doing your research and planning accordingly.
Have you been to Tulum? what was your experience like? what are some places you enjoyed going to?
