Comparison · Cozumel vs Curaçao · Mexico / Curaçao
Cozumel vs Curaçao
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: NASA, Public domain
Quick answer
Choose Cozumel for Drift diving, Palancar Reef, lower day-to-day costs and a short break; choose Curaçao for Willemstad waterfront, Queen Emma Bridge, nightlife and free sights. Cozumel is generally less expensive, and the two are about 2,135 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 2,135 km
- Less expensive
- Cozumel
- Best time for Cozumel
- December–April
- Best time for Curaçao
- April–June and September
Side by side
| Cozumel | Curaçao | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Mexico | Curaçao |
| Known for | Drift diving, Palancar Reef and Snorkelling | Willemstad waterfront, Queen Emma Bridge and Cove beaches |
| Best time to visit | December–April | April–June and September |
| Ideal stay | 5 days | 7 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $130–$250 | $170–$320 |
| Cost level | Moderately priced | Expensive |
| Warmest month | May, 32°C (90°F) | June, 32°C (90°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 28°C (82°F) | January, 30°C (86°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 4 | 8 |
| Day trips in our guide | 4 | 4 |
| Beaches | Playa Palancar | Playa Kenepa (Grote Knip) |
| Airports | CZM, CUN | CUR |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Cozumel for…
Drift diving, Palancar Reef, lower day-to-day costs and a short break. Cozumel is a flat, jungle-covered island about 18 km off Playa del Carmen, and one of the world's best-known drift-diving destinations thanks to the coral walls of Palancar, Columbia and Santa Rosa in the Cozumel Reefs National Park. Its only town, San…
Choose Curaçao for…
Willemstad waterfront, Queen Emma Bridge, nightlife and free sights. Curaçao is a dry, cactus-covered island about 65 km off Venezuela, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its capital, Willemstad, is a UNESCO-listed port whose pastel merchant houses line both sides of the Sint Anna Bay, linked by the floating Queen Emma…
Top sights compared
| # | Cozumel | Curaçao |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palancar Reef | Handelskade |
| 2 | Santa Rosa and Columbia walls | Queen Emma Bridge |
| 3 | El Cielo | Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue |
| 4 | Chankanaab park | Fort Amsterdam |
| 5 | Punta Sur Eco Beach Park | Rif Fort |
Food compared
| Cozumel | Curaçao |
|---|---|
| Fish tacos | Keshi yená |
| Cochinita pibil | Stoba |
| Ceviche | Funchi |
| Tikin xic | Pastechi |
Which is cheaper?
Cozumel is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $130–$250 per person there, against $170–$320 in Curaçao (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Cozumel on a budget.
Can you visit both?
They are about 2,135 km apart, so combining them means a flight. With 13 days or more it works; otherwise pick one.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Cozumel or Curaçao cheaper?
Cozumel is usually less expensive: about $130–$250 a day mid-range against $170–$320 (estimates).
+Is Cozumel or Curaçao better for a first trip?
Pick Cozumel for Drift diving, Palancar Reef, lower day-to-day costs and a short break, or Curaçao for Willemstad waterfront, Queen Emma Bridge, nightlife and free sights.
+How far is Cozumel from Curaçao?
About 2,135 km in a straight line.