Tulum on a Budget
Looking to escape to paradise, but can’t shell out a small fortune? You can still visit (or move to) Tulum, the jungle oasis on Mexico’s East Coast.
Here are a few tips on how to do it on a budget:
Beach at the public beach. Paying cover and committing to a minimum consumption charge is not your thing? Go to the beach for free. Playa Paraiso is a great beach at the north end of Tulum.
Exercise for free. Tulum’s Hotel Zone stretch of beach is a runner’s heaven - you can just run on and on forever. You can come to Tulum and pay $30 per session at the Jungle Gym, or $20 on average for a yoga class (More on Tulum’s Best Yoga Spots). Or, you can throw on a bathing suit, leave your shoes at home, and simultaneously exercise and work on your tan with a long run or walk on the beach.
Feast on street tacos. Tulum’s town has more than a few street taco trucks. You can fill up on inexpensive, authentic tacos, and some may even be better than fancy ones you will pay for at restaurants on the beach. For example, Don Honorio is known to be one of the best and it will only cost you $50 MXN per taco. The two main streets with great taco options in town are Avenida Satélite and Calle del Oxxo (in front of Go Mart).
Buy a scooter. If you are going to be living in Tulum, this is likely your best and most economical option for transportation. I personally bought (and then sadly sold) one, so I wrote a post on Buying a Scooter in Tulum. Renting a scooter may also be your best option if you are living outside of the Hotel Zone and visiting for a week or so.
Take the Colectivo. This is the shuttle/bus that runs from town to the end of the Hotel Zone. Local residents use this to commute to work, and for good reason. It only costs $20 MXN.
Understand how the Taxis work. This topic deserves its own section or separate blog post. Here are a few hopefully helpful tips:
Taxi prices have only gone up over the past few years, where they will actually charge $40 USD one way at times, especially if you are staying in La Valeta, town, or Aldea Zama and are just trying to get home from the Hotel Zone after a night out.
I try to take a taxi down to the beach or run errands early in the morning when there is less demand so I have more negotiating power. There’s also a lot less traffic then.
When I stay anywhere other than the Hotel Zone (Aldea Zama, town, etc.), I almost always pack a bag for the entire day - with clothes to go out at night in, so I am not going back and forth (saves money and time that may be wasted sitting in traffic). I always try to avoid taking more than 2 taxis in a day, because that’s typically $30USD+ right there.
Which brings me to my next point:
Walk as much as you can. When I lived at the beach, I would walk on the beach any time I needed to get to somewhere within the Hotel Zone. Not only is it cheaper and you get some exercise, but in my opinion it’s safer. The beach road doesn’t have sidewalks or lighting.
Note: The entire beach does not connect from north to south. You will not be able to walk along the beach between Habitas and El Pez hotel because it is not accessible to the public.
If you end up taxi-ing from town to the beach, you can get out right around Amansala Resort and walk the rest of the way south on the beach. This will save you both money and time if traffic is bumper to bumper.
Be careful of scammers. I’ve seen this with friends buying “jungle party” tickets. Tickets that were paid for and were never delivered or never existed. Just make sure the seller is legit before sending money anywhere.
Stock up on water at the grocery store. I have an irrational fear of not having water at all times, so I always carry a bottle with me. If you don’t feel like spending $6 USD per bottle at a restaurant or beach club, grab one for a fraction of the price at Chedraui (grocery store) or any pharmacy.
Buy any medications from Farmacias Union (Centro). This pharmacy is located in town. It was recommended to me by a doctor who let me know that prices there are usually much cheaper than the price of any of the pharmacies in the Hotel Zone.
If you’re visiting Mexico, you’ll likely need to grab some medication at some point (Montezuma’s Revenge is real and Tulum also has terrible infrastructure so the water is not clean). I always strongly recommend taking a daily probiotic each morning, especially in Tulum.
Know where to go for a Rapid or PCR COVID test. Most Tulum hotels offer this service to their guests - for ~$65 USD. There are so many tents set up in town and the Hotel Zone and you can get your test at one of those for $40 USD.
Consider flying into Cozumel instead of Cancun. It’s worth checking flight prices to see which airport is cheaper. Getting to Tulum from Playa del Carmen is only an hour drive vs. the two hours between Tulum and Cancun.
Make friends. It’s always fun to make friends and also great to end up splitting hotel rooms, taxis, rides to the airport, etc.
Budget Accommodation Options:
Tulum has a few great hostel options.
The Mayan Monkey is solid one and a great location. It’s not along the beach and it’s not quite in town - it’s in the middle.
Selina is a hotel on the beach that offers a full range of rooms from pretty large suites on the beach to hostel rooms where 8+ people cram into the same size room in bunk beds.
Opt for a cheaper hotel in town. There are a few I’d recommend:
Amansala Pueblo
Hotel Bardo
Look at the Hotel Tonight app for last minute deals
Getting to/from Cancun Airport:
Take the ADO bus from the Cancun Airport. Private shuttles will cost ~$100 USD one way. The ADO bus is only $15.
For more tips on how to save money while traveling, check out my 11 Tips for Traveling on a Budget post.
xx Em
