Key takeaways
- Punta Cana and Cancún / Riviera Maya remain the cheapest sun destinations from Canada, thanks to the high volume of Sunwing and Air Transat charter flights.
- Jamaica, Aruba and the Bahamas often cost CA$500 to CA$1,000 more per person for the same week because direct flights are less frequent.
- The price gap between destinations mostly comes from the number of available charter flights, not just the destination's popularity.
- The same destination can cost twice as much depending on hotel category. Always compare several packages before deciding a destination is expensive.
When people search for a sun vacation, they almost always pick a destination first, then look at the price. We wanted to reverse the logic: what does a week all-inclusive actually cost, destination by destination, from Canada?
We compared 7-night packages, per adult based on double occupancy, sold by Canadian tour operators for 8 of the most searched sun destinations. Here is what we found, with real price ranges instead of invented averages.
Table of contents
The comparison: 7 nights, all-inclusive, by destination
The prices below are low-to-high ranges found through tour operators departing from Montreal (Toronto for some dates), for a 7-night all-inclusive package per adult based on double occupancy. For 4 destinations, we found precise prices with a tight range. For the other 4, prices vary more by season and hotel, and we say that clearly.
| Destination | Price / person / 7 nights | Reliability |
|---|---|---|
| Punta Cana, Dominican Republic | CA$1,279 - CA$1,669 | Precise price |
| Cancún / Riviera Maya, Mexico | CA$1,579 - CA$1,849 | Precise price |
| Puerto Plata / La Romana, Dominican Republic | CA$1,355 - CA$2,035 | Precise price |
| Puerto Vallarta, Mexico | CA$1,249 - CA$2,555 | Precise price (wide hotel gap) |
| Los Cabos, Mexico | CA$1,200 - CA$2,500 | Estimated range |
| Montego Bay / Ocho Rios, Jamaica | CA$2,045 - CA$2,405 | Estimated range |
| Aruba | CA$1,800 - CA$3,200 | Estimated range |
| Nassau, Bahamas | from CA$1,429 | Partial data |
The clearest finding: Punta Cana and Cancún / Riviera Maya are consistently the cheapest destinations on our list, by a wide margin. Montego Bay, Aruba and Nassau regularly cost CA$500 to CA$1,000 more per person for a comparable stay.
Why the gap is so wide between destinations
It is not about hotel quality or popularity. It is about charter flights. Punta Cana and Cancún / Riviera Maya are heavily served by Sunwing and Air Transat from several Canadian airports, several times per week. The more charter flights on a route, the more tour operators compete and push prices down.
- Jamaica, Aruba and the Bahamas have fewer direct rotations from Canada, so prices stay higher year-round.
- Los Cabos is farther away (a longer flight from Eastern Canada), which adds transportation cost.
- Within the same destination, the gap between the cheapest and most expensive hotel can exceed CA$1,000, often more decisive than the destination itself.
How to read these numbers before booking
These ranges give you an order of magnitude, not a guaranteed price. All-inclusive packages change price almost every day depending on demand, remaining seats and time of year. If Punta Cana or Cancún are already at the top of your list, it is also because they give you the best chance of catching a real drop, simply because there are more packages in circulation to watch.
Frequently asked questions
Why are Punta Cana and Cancún always the cheapest?
Because they are the sun destinations with the most charter flight service from Canada. More flights and more competition between tour operators bring the average price down, regardless of season.
Does a destination's price stay stable year-round?
No. The same destinations can cost 30% to 50% more during peak periods (Christmas, March break) than during quieter weeks.
Why are some price ranges marked as estimated?
For Los Cabos, Montego Bay and Aruba, prices vary much more by hotel and exact date, and we did not find one reliable direct-source price as precise as for Punta Cana or Cancún. We prefer saying that instead of inventing a precise number.
How do I know whether the price I see is a real deal?
Compare it to the usual range for that destination, not just to the agency's displayed price. If a Punta Cana package drops below CA$1,200 or an Aruba package drops below CA$1,800, that is generally a sign of a real price drop.
We watch all-inclusive package prices departing from Canada and alert our members when a real drop appears. Our mission: make sun travel more accessible.