Between 1500 MXN and 2000 MXN is the approximate expense to travel from Isla Mujeres to Cancún and then from Cancún to Playa del Carmen. If we consider the “return trip,” then this cost doubles to 3000 MXN to 4000 MXN.

But why so expensive? Because there isn’t a direct maritime or land transportation from Isla Mujeres to Playa del Carmen, so various expenses such as ferry and transfer prices need to be considered.

Of course, there are logistics you can use to “minimize expenses,” and that’s what we’ll explore next.

From Isla Mujeres to Playa del Carmen

Isla Mujeres is a small island about 25 minutes from the city of Cancún and the Puerto Juárez municipality.

As it’s a small island, it doesn’t have “air access,” so its only means of access is maritime. While there are several ports in Cancún where ferries and boats dock to drop off or pick up passengers, they aren’t usually very crowded.

What does this mean? The busiest terminal for maritime transportation from Isla Mujeres arrives at the Puerto Juárez terminal.

So, we ask, “What is the cost of the ferry from Isla Mujeres to Cancún?” The public fare is 270 MXN per person.

Now that we know the price of maritime transport from Cancún to Playa del Carmen, we have our first expense that answers the question: “How much does it cost to go from Playa del Carmen to Isla Mujeres?”

However, remember that we now have to “add” the transfer cost. So let’s do that.

Private Transportation

If you choose private transportation, the price would be 50 USD, which is approximately $1000 MXN at the moment. Therefore, the cost of going from Isla to Playa would be $1250 MXN.

Note that the transfer cost with us is 50 USD, but this price may be higher with other private transportation companies. Also, remember that the exchange rate between the US dollar and the Mexican peso can influence the price.

Public Transportation

If you want to save money and travel from Isla Mujeres to Playa del Carmen without spending much, then public transportation would be your ally.

Once you’re at the Puerto Juárez maritime terminal, your next step would be to take a public transport bus to the center of Cancún, which costs $12.00 MXN.

This bus will drop you off in downtown Cancún, and all you have to do is walk to the ADO terminal, which takes about 5, 10, or 15 minutes approximately.

Then, you can take the ADO bus at an approximate cost of 104 MXN per person, or take the Playa Express intercity transport, which has a base fare of $55 MXN.

This way, you would be spending less than $500 MXN on the journey from Isla Mujeres to Playa del Carmen, BUT consider that this alternative “extends” the travel time, and it can take up to two hours to arrive.

Conclusion

Getting to Isla Mujeres from Playa del Carmen doesn’t have to be complicated. As you can see, you’ll have to pay the ferry price to Cancún no matter what. However, for land transportation, there are various alternatives.

You just have to choose between comfort and speed vs. economy. If you want comfort and speed, private transfer services are your best choice. But if you’re looking to save money, then public service would be ideal for you.

Happy travels to PDC!