Real Prices of Tulum: What You Need to Know
This blog is designed to help people understand the real cost of Tulum without hidden fees. This way, you will know exactly what you are paying when booking a tour or a guided visit and understand the actual taxes involved if you do not want to read the entire blog, here is the short story… **”515 PESOS”**
Tulum prices, with a historical table to help you understand why I, as a local expert, do not agree with such drastic price changes. Prices of Tulum: What You Need to Know
Historical Prices Table (Mexicans)
| Year | INA (MXN) | CONANP (MXN) | Parque Jaguar (MXN) | Total (MXN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 40 | – | – | 40 |
| 2015 | 65 | – | – | 65 |
| 2018 | 70 | – | – | 70 |
| 2024 | 95 | 60 | – | 155 |
| 2025 | 100 | 120 | 295 | 515 |
When Ambition Outweighs Reputation
Tulum started as a famous place for its ruins facing the sea. People enjoyed visiting them, taking photos, learning about Mayan culture, and usually combining the visit with a nearby cenote.
Over time, Tulum became very popular, not just for the ruins but also for its beaches and as a destination overall. Instagram and influencers made it grow very fast, turning it into a favorite spot for tourists seeking trendy places.
This blog focuses only on Tulum ruins prices, without political, economic, or geographical discussions.
- Parque Jaguar is a park that the government forces you to pay for even if you do not want to visit it.
- CONANP tax was created to protect the jungle, but ironically, when implemented, some parts of the jungle started to be destroyed.
Also, make sure not to fall for express or VIP tickets scams as there are no entrance levels in Tulum.
How Prices Affect Tours and Tourists
For me, Keshi, who runs private tours, these changes affect the final price. For tour operators, the impact is much stronger, and for tourists, it is even greater.
Here is how it works:
- Tour operators need to earn a percentage for every peso they pay.
- Large agencies and hotels usually double the final price for the tourist.
- This means that if the base price is 100 MXN, the agency and operator commission can be 50 percent, and then it doubles for the tourist.
Historical Comparison: Tourist Price with Agency and Operator Commission
| Year | Total Official Price (MXN) | Price for Tourist with Commissions (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 40 | 88 |
| 2015 | 65 | 143 |
| 2018 | 70 | 154 |
| 2024 | 155 | 341 |
| 2025 | 515 | 1,133 |
We have gone from a tourist cost of 88 MXN to 1,133 MXN. Fortunately, I do not work with hotels, so the impact on tourists is lower. However, the real tax change is still significant, going from 40 MXN to 515 MXN, which remains a substantial increase, although smaller than the increase tourists experience through intermediaries.
Finally, if you visit Tulum, a professional guide costs approximately 900 MXN per tour. If you want me to recommend a guide who is excellent and committed to their work, you can contact me directly via WhatsApp.
Recommendations for Visiting Tulum
When you go to Tulum, I strongly recommend you also visit a cenote as part of your day.
For food in Tulum, there are only a couple of places I can truly recommend:
- Taquería Honorio: One of the few authentic, good, and inexpensive places in Tulum. It is located 10 minutes from the ruins.
- Camello Junior: A very delicious place, specializing in seafood. I recommend trying the ceviche, but be careful: ceviches are usually larger than expected. For example, a jumbo ceviche is enough for four people, so if you want a large portion, consider ordering a medium. Camello Junior is located 20 minutes from the ruins, heading towards Felipe Carrillo Puerto.
These are the only two places I confidently recommend in Tulum for quality, authentic food at reasonable prices.
Private Tours Announcement
Finally, a small announcement about my private tours. I do not recommend private tours for very small groups, unless you have a high vacation budget. However, for groups of six or more people, my prices become very attractive, take a quick look to my private tour tulum, specially if your group have more than 5 poeple.
Thank you so much for read my blog =).
