Comparison · Playa del Carmen vs Tulum · Mexico
Playa del Carmen vs Tulum
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: FeldBum, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Choose Playa del Carmen for Quinta Avenida, Caribbean beaches, lower day-to-day costs and free sights; choose Tulum for Clifftop Maya ruins and Cenotes. Playa del Carmen is generally less expensive, and the two are about 62 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 62 km
- Less expensive
- Playa del Carmen
- Best time for Playa del Carmen
- November–April
- Best time for Tulum
- November–April
Side by side
| Playa del Carmen | Tulum | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Mexico | Mexico |
| Known for | Quinta Avenida, Caribbean beaches and Cozumel ferry | Clifftop Maya ruins, Cenotes and Caribbean beaches |
| Best time to visit | November–April | November–April |
| Ideal stay | 6 days | 5 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $110–$220 | $150–$300 |
| Cost level | Moderately priced | Expensive |
| Warmest month | July, 33°C (91°F) | August, 33°C (91°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 28°C (82°F) | January, 28°C (82°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 6 | 3 |
| Day trips in our guide | 6 | 6 |
| Beaches | Mamitas Beach | Playa Paraíso |
| Airports | CUN, CZM | CUN, TQO |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Playa del Carmen for…
Quinta Avenida, Caribbean beaches, lower day-to-day costs and free sights. Playa del Carmen grew from a fishing village into the Riviera Maya's main town, strung along a white-sand coast about 55 km south of Cancún airport. Its spine is Quinta Avenida, a pedestrian street of shops, restaurants and bars running parallel to the beach…
Choose Tulum for…
Clifftop Maya ruins and Cenotes. Tulum on Mexico's Riviera Maya combines a walled Maya port on a limestone cliff above the Caribbean, a long beach road of boutique hotels and beach clubs, and a jungle dotted with cenotes, the freshwater sinkholes of the Yucatán. The town (Tulum Pueblo) on…
Top sights compared
| # | Playa del Carmen | Tulum |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quinta Avenida | Tulum archaeological site |
| 2 | Parque Fundadores and Portal Maya | Playa Paraíso |
| 3 | Mamitas Beach | Beach road and Zona Hotelera |
| 4 | Punta Esmeralda | Gran Cenote |
| 5 | Xcaret | Cenote Calavera |
Food compared
| Playa del Carmen | Tulum |
|---|---|
| Tacos al pastor | Cochinita pibil |
| Cochinita pibil torta | Tacos al pastor |
| Fish and shrimp tacos | Panuchos and salbutes |
| Ceviche | Sopa de lima |
Which is cheaper?
Playa del Carmen is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $110–$220 per person there, against $150–$300 in Tulum (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Playa del Carmen on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Playa del Carmen and Tulum are about 62 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 6 days in Playa del Carmen and 5 in Tulum.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Playa del Carmen or Tulum cheaper?
Playa del Carmen is usually less expensive: about $110–$220 a day mid-range against $150–$300 (estimates).
+Is Playa del Carmen or Tulum better for a first trip?
Pick Playa del Carmen for Quinta Avenida, Caribbean beaches, lower day-to-day costs and free sights, or Tulum for Clifftop Maya ruins and Cenotes.
+How far is Playa del Carmen from Tulum?
About 62 km in a straight line.