Only if you eat and drink a lot. For two people, 5 nights, our all-inclusive comes to about $5,740 and the same trip at a regular resort, paying as you go, about $4,515. The all-inclusive wins only if the two of you would spend more than about $122 per person, per day on drinks and extra food, on top of a normal $60-a-day food budget.
The all-inclusive pitch is beautiful in its simplicity: pay once, then never open your wallet again. No checks, no math, no moment at dinner where everyone suddenly gets very interested in the menu's cheapest pasta. Just you, a pool and a bartender who knows your name by Tuesday.
It's a great deal for some people and an expensive one for others. The difference is almost entirely how much you eat and drink, and how often you leave the resort.
The same trip, two ways
We priced a 5-night beach trip for two at a mid-range all-inclusive, and the same trip at a regular resort where you pay for meals as you go, using a $60 per person daily food budget. Both include flights and the costs nobody mentions.
| All-inclusive | Pay as you go | |
|---|---|---|
| Room, food and drinks | $3,600 | $2,470 |
| Flights | $900 | $900 |
| Looks like | $4,500 | $3,370 |
| Forgotten costs | +$1,240 | +$1,145 |
| Really costs | $5,740 | $4,515 |
The all-inclusive costs about $1,225 more for the week. Spread across two people and 5 days, that's about $122 per person, per day. So the real question is simple: beyond regular meals, would each of you spend more than that every day on cocktails, coffee drinks, snacks and the second dessert?
All-inclusive is worth it if…
- You like a drink. Resort cocktails aren't cheap, and a few a day each, plus coffees and smoothies, gets you to the break-even point quickly.
- You're traveling with teenagers. A teenager on vacation eats like a small army. Unlimited food is a feature.
- You'll stay on the property. If the plan is pool, beach, nap, repeat, you'll use everything you paid for.
- You hate doing math on vacation. This one is real. Not watching every bill is worth something, even if it costs a bit more.
Skip it if…
- You're out exploring every day. You'll pay for a resort lunch you never eat while you're at the ruins buying tacos.
- You're a light drinker. One glass of wine at dinner doesn't come close to $122 a day.
- You love trying local restaurants. Some of the best food is outside the resort gates, and you'll have already paid for the buffet.
What "all-inclusive" doesn't include
This is where people get caught. "All" covers the food and drink on the property. These usually cost extra:
Tipsabout $100
Many guests tip bartenders, servers and housekeeping each day, even when tips are included. About $10 per person a day is common.
Shrink it: Bring small bills. A few dollars to the bartender on day one tends to pay for itself.
Excursionsabout $240
Snorkel trips, ruins and tours off the resort are almost never included.
Shrink it: Pick one great outing rather than three average ones.
Airport transfersabout $100
The ride between the airport and the resort is often not included, and the airport desks charge the most.
Shrink it: Book a shared shuttle ahead of time.
Top-shelf drinks and specialty diningabout $150
House liquor is included. The premium bottles and some à la carte restaurants are not.
Shrink it: Ask at check-in which restaurants and drinks cost extra, so dinner has no surprises.
Arrival and departure taxesabout $60
Some places charge visitor taxes that aren't in your airfare, like Cancun's (about $16) or Los Cabos' (about $25).
How we got these numbers
Both columns come from our All-Inclusive Resort and Mexico Resort calculators, using their sample trips for two people and 5 nights. The all-inclusive uses a mid-range resort price of about $360 per person, per night. Prices vary hugely by brand and season, so plug in the real quotes for the resorts you're considering.
Run your own numbers
Every figure here comes from a free calculator. Change any number to match your trip.