How To Plan A Romantic Tulum Getaway

For financially impulsive girlies & their more frugal boyfriends.

When it comes to travel, I am someone who likes to go with the flow & not necessarily consider a Monetary Guideline aka budget, beforehand nor along the way. This is admittedly not always the most sustainable, but it is how I've approached most of the travel I've done in my 20's, in the form of group trips, girls weekends, or solo travel.

Tulum was the first big vacation I've taken with my boyfriend, and what I've found is that planning & budgeting a trip with your partner is different from other kinds of trips, in the sense that I actually needed to plan & budget. Tyler is more frugal than me though his salary/age allows him a higher spending threshold in theory, while I am not frugal & candidly have less money to spend—you can see where friction may arise.

Not without some friction, I do think we ended up finding a happy compromise on the scale of impulsive to planned, indulgence to minimalist, and boujee to laid-back. On girls trips I almost subconsciously default to the extreme end of the impulsive/indulgence/boujee scale, because I don’t necessarily have to consider my friends’ monetary views in the same way that you do a partner, and additionally most of my friends are similar to me in “defaulting” to that end of the scale. So, this trip was a really cool growth experience for learning healthy communication & decision-making surrounding spending money on vacation. I learned a lot about how to travel with my boyfriend, and I learned a lot about the lil Mexican beach town gem that is Tulum.

In addition to learning, this was vacation so obviously I also did a lot of relaxing, reading, eating seafood, drinking mezcal, swimming, moped-riding, tanning, exploring, summoning Spanish back from the depths of my brain, and having a fabulous time. So naturally I decided to write about it.

This blog primarily offers financial context to our daily itineraries—I would say "how to not to break the bank on a 5-day Tulum getaway" but it's really more "how to toe the line between indulgence & frugality on a 5-day Tulum getaway." You can do Tulum for a lot cheaper than we did, and you can do it for a lot more expensive. Tulum feels like 2 sides of 1 coin to me, with a split personality. Tulum Pueblo is very affordable, cheap even—an authentic Mexican town that is laid-back & cultural; Middle Beach is boujee, eccentric, Instagram trendy, vibey & expensive. Like, pretty expensive. Experiencing both aspects was important to me, as they are 2 parts to a whole for the full Tulum experience, in my opinion. Know that depending on how you like to travel and what your budget is, you can tailor it more towards either end to get what you want. This is so cliche, but the best travel destinations have something for everyone, and Tulum is no exception.

I did a decent amount of research beforehand, but found a lot of contradictory or more importantly outdated info on costs of things like airport transport, taxis, beach club cover, attraction entrance fees, & restaurant/bar price ranges. Tulum has undeniably gotten more expensive since Covid, and of course with Covid there are some new travel must-knows. The cost breakdown & pro tips I've written about provide insight that could’ve eased my travel planning process and given a more accurate foundation to budget discussions with my boyfriend. Of course, part of travel is figuring out as you go, sometimes getting things wrong, & pivoting in the moment to handle the inevitable inconveniences & mishaps that come with venturing to a different country. That being said, I welcome you to learn from our convictions & also our mistakes, so that you can form your own convictions & make your own mistakes. :)

PRE-TRAVEL

WHERE TO STAY: Vacationers in Tulum can stay in Tulum Pueblo or in the beach zone. This article sums up the different beach areas well. The North Beach Zone & Beach Town are north of Av. Coba, the road that takes you from the Pueblo to the beach; Middle & South Beach are south of this road. The northern beach area is cheaper & known for being more chill & relaxing, whereas Middle + South Beach are expensively beautiful & boujee with energetic party vibes. Tulum Pueblo gives you walking/biking access to everything in town, where everything is cheaper and more authentic Mexican, although still trendy.

>> Do it us like us: We chose to stay in Tulum Pueblo at a condo complex called Mun Tulum, which is a private gated community situated right on the eastern edge of the Pueblo. It's a 10-min tops walk to the main intersection of the downtown main street (Cancun Chetumal) & the road that takes you to the beach (Av. Coba). Súper Akí grocery store is located at this intersection, which is super convenient for grabbing snacks + drinks if you’re staying at an Airbnb. The farthest we walked was almost to the western end of town, 30 minutes—bicycles & mopeds are also great for getting around the Pueblo. We felt pretty safe walking at night and only taxi-ed into town one of the nights, which costs $5-10 USD. From our Airbnb it was a 20 to 30-minute taxi to Middle/South Beach and 15 to 20-minute moped ride to the northern beaches near the ruins. If you're staying in town—this is as close as you can get to the beach. I personally would recommend staying in town vs. the beach, because it's so nice being close to everything in Tulum Pueblo & also definitely cheaper. >> If you give a shit: Cannot recommend this property enough, it is my favorite Airbnb I’ve ever stayed at. If you are looking for a luxe modern treehouse romantic getaway—this is your sign to book it. The studio space is small, but as advertised—& is just enough space for a couple. The private rooftop patio includes a small pool, swings, and 2 daybeds. The floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors open all the way to provide the most idyllic indoor-outdoor space, which also makes it feel larger. The weather was amazing while we were there so we pretty much always had the doors open. The views are incredible & it’s super private, you literally have the view of the whole jungle in between town + the beach.

COVID TESTS: As of March 2022, you do not need one to enter Mexico, but you do need one to get back into the US. I was not able to find conclusive info on the interwebs regarding how easy it would be to get a test in Tulum, so I scheduled one beforehand to be safe. I used this service & would highly recommend. Luis emailed right away to confirm my request & was responsive throughout the trip clarifying other details. The Covid nurse came directly to our Airbnb (Roman was a delight to chat with, even at 7am) and they charged the same price as all the test stands in town—600 MXN per test, or $35 USD. You get the test results in an email & then just upload it in your airline app, it’s super simple. If you don’t want to schedule one in advance, no pasa nada because you will see these Covid test stands literally everywhere in the Pueblo. >> Pro tip: Don’t plan on getting one at the Cancún airport. They do offer tests, but it’s advertised as a last-resort option & you’d likely have to get to the airport obnoxiously early to make sure you got the test results back in time.

VACCINE CARDS: Being fully vaccinated is not required for entering Mexico or reentering the US as of March 2022 (although in IMO, it is required for being a respectable contributing member of society). That being said, going anywhere with your vaccine card these days is a good idea; however we did not have to show them to get into any bars or restaurants in Tulum.

MEXICO DECLARATION OF HEALTH: This form was previously required upon arrival in Mexico, but starting March 2022, it is no longer necessary!

CURRENCY EXCHANGE: After much debate between my financially secure/objectively frugal boyfriend and my less-budget-inclined self, we decided to start with $700 USD total, which is 12,750 MXN. There is a $10 exchange fee so we spent $710 technically, at the DIA World Wide Currency Exchange. >> Do it better: Order pesos online from your bank in advance. By in advance I mean earlier than 2-3 business days, which is how long it takes banks to order the foreign currency. I planned on doing this in person at the bank across the street from my office 2 days before our flight, because it didn’t occur to me that the Bank of America in downtown Denver might not have hundreds of Mexican pesos in stock. Most banks do not charge for currency exchange, and it’s one less thing to do in the airport. >> Pro tip: While most places in Tulum do accept cards, there’s a fee. I would recommend trying to always pay in pesos. It’s a good way to budget plus it’s kind of fun & part of the travel experience! We did go to the ATM a few times in Tulum at Súper Akí, which was super safe & convenient. The withdrawal fee was actually cheaper than most ATMs in the US, less than $2.

CANCÚN AIRPORT→TULUM TRANSPORTATION: Find out if your Airbnb or resort offers airport transportation so you can gauge that cost against taxi prices. Taxis were notoriously expensive when I was there in February 2022, so if you’re doing research or asking friends, note that taxi fares from pre- & early-covid times are likely not accurate. $100 USD at minimum up to $130ish for Cancún/ Tulum transport is the threshold I can quote from my experience, per convos with drivers & our own airport taxi experience on Tuesday. Our Airbnb host coordinated a private van for us for $115 USD, which we decided to ~splurge~ on in the pursuit of convenience & comfort during a 1.5-hour ride. We ended up getting a 50% discount because it wasn’t truly "private" & we had to wait for a bit. We had a lovely convo with a gal named Laura from Bozeman who was en route to celebrate her friend’s divorce, so it was really not an issue sharing the van but I won’t say no to a discount. >> Do it differently: Taxis are an option like I said, just make sure you agree on the price beforehand. ADO buses are a popular option as well & by far the cheapest—this was our original plan, but our arrival time was cutting it too close for the latest bus departure and since our flight got delayed this was a good call. Bus stations are located in Terminal 2, 3 & 4 and take you to the downtown Tulum bus station for $19.99 USD per ticket, before tax. Note that all Tulum buses stop in Playa del Carmen for 30 minutes, so total transport time will be closer to 2 hours rather than 1.5.

MISC. MEXICO MUST-KNOWS: Don’t drink the tap water. Ice is fine because they use purified water. Tip 10-15%. Buy an international phone plan if you want to use cell data without WiFi (nearly every bar/restaurant does have free WiFi), or don’t & enjoy spending some time unplugged :)

Pre-Travel Expenses:

• Flights (2 plane tickets + 2 roundtrip checked bags) - $877

• Airbnb (5 nights) - $1,418

• TOTAL: $2,295

• Per person: $1,248

DAY 1: THURSDAY

The Vibe: Travel Day

The Itinerary:

• 2:30pm flight from Denver to Cancún

• ~8:30pm (EST) private shuttle from Cancún to Tulum

• ~10:30pm arrival at Airbnb; drink complimentary sauvignon blanc on our private rooftop

Expenses:

• Sandwiches from Mr. Lucky’s. Cheaper & better than airport food - $20

• Lyft to airport - $40

• Excedrin from airport convenience store because Tyler forgot to pack Advil, + 2 granola bars - $18

• Airplane booze (2 whiskeys) - $18

• Shuttle from airport to Tulum - quoted $115, paid $58

• TOTAL: $154

• Per person: $77

DAY 2: FRIDAY

The Vibe: Get-A-Lay-Of-The-Land Day / Night Out In Middle Beach

The Itinerary:

• Explore Tulum Pueblo

• Fresh fruit smoothies at Monkey’s Juice Bar

• Breakfast burritos etc. at Burrito Amor

• Súper Akí grocery / booze run

• Afternoon lounge on Airbnb rooftop patio

• Dinner at Batey Mojito & Guarapo Bar

• Gypsy disco night at Gitano

• READ MORE :)

Expenses:

• Monkey’s Juice Bar - 2 smoothies for 140 MXN (~$7 USD)

• Burrito Amor - 430 MXN w/ tip (~$21 USD)

• Tourist trap / convenience store where we suffer a moment of pure idiocracy while purchasing wildly overpriced forgotten toiletries - 745 MXN ($36 USD)

• Súper Akí - 500 MXN for groceries + 520 MXN for booze (~$50 USD)

• 7/11 for a pack of cigarettes & a lighter because this is something I do when On Vacation - 83 MXN ($4 USD)

• Batey Mojito & Guarapo Bar - 1,035 MXN ($50 USD)

• Taxi to Middle Beach - 500 MXN total → 250 MXN split with friends ($12 USD)

• Gitano - 1,800 MXN for 2 entrance fees + 4 drinks (~$86 USD)

• Taxi from Gitano to Airbnb - 900 MXN ($44 USD)

• TOTAL: $310

• Per person: $155

DAY 3: SATURDAY

The Vibe: Boujee Beach Day

The Itinerary:

• Brunch at Botánica Garden Café

• Boujee beach cabana + cocktails at Ziggy’s

• Espresso martinis at Hotel Panamera

• Dinner at El Milagrito

• Nightcap at Kay Nah

• READ MORE :)

Expenses:

• Botánica Garden Café - 500 MXN (~$24 USD)

• Taxi from Tulum Pueblo to Middle Beach - 300 MXN (~$15 USD)

• Ziggy’s - 2,600 MXN (~$125 USD)

• Hotel Panamera - 700 USD (~$34 USD)

• Taxi from Middle Beach to Tulum Pueblo - 800 MXN (~$40 USD)

• El Milagrito - 750 MXN (~$36 USD)

• 2 yarn bracelets from 5-year-old Carlos - 100 MXN (~$5 USD)

• Kay Nah - 570 MXN (~$28 USD)

• Tip for the Mayan dancers - 100 MXN (~$5 USD)

• Taxi from Calle Centauro Cur to Airbnb - 100 MXN (~5 USD)

• TOTAL: $317

• Per person: $158

DAY 4: SUNDAY

The Vibe: Cenotes Day

The Itinerary:

• Moped rental (Kar Kun)

• Breakfast at Matcha Mama

• Afternoon at Cenote Car Wash (aka Cenote Aktun Ha)

• Happy hour at La Tulumeña

• Late afternoon lounge on Airbnb rooftop patio

• Dinner at La Coqueta

• READ MORE :)

Expenses:

• Súper Akí (2 tall boy Dos Equis & a bag of chips) - 85 MXN ($4 USD)

• Moped rental - 650 MXN per day x 2 ($62 USD total)

• Matcha Mama - 450 MXN ($22 USD)

• Cenote Car Wash - 400 MXN for entry x2 + 50 MXN for goggles (~$22 USD total)

• Hotel Tulumeña - 400 MXN (~$20 USD)

• La Coqueta - 1,200 MXN ($58 USD)

• TOTAL: $188

• Per person: $94

DAY 5: MONDAY

The Vibe: Mayan Ruins + Chill Beach Day

The Itinerary:

• Explore Mayan Ruins

• Breakfast at Burrito Amor (again)

• Chill beach day at Playa Paraiso

• Late afternoon lounge on Airbnb rooftop patio

• Dinner at La Chula

• READ MORE :)

Expenses:

• Mayan Ruins entry fee x2 - 175 MXN (~$8 USD)

• Burrito Amor - 815 MXN (~$40 USD)

• Beers at Playa Paraiso (4) - 260 MXN (~$13 USD)

• 6-pack of Bohemia beers at Súper Akí - 90 MXN (~$4 USD)

• La Chula - 1,050 MXN ($50 USD)

• TOTAL: $115

• Per person: $58

DAY 6: TUESDAY

The Vibe: One Last Morning + Travel Day

The Itinerary:

• 7:30am Covid tests

• Breakfast at Lief’s

• Last minute souvenir shopping & moped cruising

• 12:30pm taxi to airport

• 4:30pm flight back to Denver

• READ MORE :)

Expenses:

• Covid tests - 600 MXN per test ($60 USD total)

• Lief’s - 470 MXN (~$23 USD)

• Gas for the moped - 70 MXN (~$4 USD)

• Souvenirs in Tulum Pueblo - 600 MXN ($29 USD)

• Taxi from Tulum to Cancún Airport - 2,500 MXN w/ tip ($120 USD)

• Airport sandwiches & random Mexican sombrero souvenir - 910 MXN ($44 USD)

• Uber from DIA to home - $70 USD

• TOTAL: $350

• Per person: $175

$$$ RUNDOWN

• TOTAL COST minus flights + Airbnb: $1,434 USD / $717 USD per person

• AVG. SPENT PER DAY: $120 USD per person

• TOTAL SPENT IN PESOS, minus Ubers to/from airport & everything on Day 1 (paid for Cancún to Tulum shuttle via Venmo): $1,210 USD / $605 USD per person (13,000 MXN)

• TOTAL COST OF TRIP, with flights + Airbnb: $3,729 USD / $1,865 per person

Since we got to Tulum with $700 USD in pesos, we ended up pulling out another ~$500 USD while we were there. I knew the 700 would be not enough but figured it was a good start & would help me with budgeting. Knowing ATMs in Tulum are super accessible, if you're wanting to do Tulum similar to how we did, I'd use $100 USD per day per person as a starting rule of thumb for how much pesos to bring / withdrawal.

You can do this trip for cheaper if you:

- avoid Middle/South Beach

- find a cheaper (albeit less cool) Airbnb and/or split an Airbnb with a larger group

- take the ADO bus to & from Cancún and/or don't fuck up 1 round of airport transport

- don't rent a moped

- stay fewer days

You can spend more $$ on this trip if you:

- stay in Middle/South Beach

- do more than 1 "boujee" beach day (with the ~$70 USD minimum for F&B/daybed)

- go to more than 1 nightclub (taxis there + more expensive drinks)

- stay a full week

If you care to read more about the daily itineraries including background stories, descriptions of places, food/drink recommendations, and other miscellaneous details—I have saved that for another blog.