Cheaper alternatives to Hawaii, priced all-in
From Los Angeles, a week on Maui for 2 adults costs about $6,670 with flights. All 9 beach trips we price are cheaper, led by Mexico (Puerto Vallarta) at about $3,600, roughly $3,050 less.
. Flight fares and all totals are estimates, not live pricing.
Hawaii alternatives ranked by all-in cost from Los Angeles
A week on Maui next to 9 beach and tropical trips, all priced the same way. "vs Maui" is the difference between midpoints; a minus sign means cheaper than Maui.
| Trip | All-in for 2 | vs Maui | Round-trip fare from LAX | Passport? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (Maui), benchmark | ≈ $6,670$4,918–$8,426 | – | $394–$608 ppKAYAK typical, October 2026 | No |
| Mexico (Puerto Vallarta) | ≈ $3,600$2,670–$4,535 | −$3,050 | $390–$570 ppKAYAK typical, October 2026 | Yes |
| Portugal (Lisbon) | ≈ $4,090$2,929–$5,246 | −$2,600 | $677–$1,188 ppKAYAK typical, October 2026 | Yes |
| Bali (Indonesia) | ≈ $4,120$3,030–$5,200 | −$2,550 | $885–$1,340 ppKAYAK typical, October 2026 | Yes |
| Mexico (Cancún) | ≈ $4,200$3,023–$5,374 | −$2,450 | $444–$517 ppAviasales cached, Oct 18, 2026 | Yes |
| Puerto Rico (San Juan) | ≈ $4,380$3,174–$5,580 | −$2,300 | $327–$375 ppAviasales cached, Oct 17, 2026 | No |
| San Diego | ≈ $4,490$3,270–$5,710 | −$2,200 | $235–$370 ppKAYAK typical, October 2026 | No |
| Florida (Miami) | ≈ $4,550$3,286–$5,804 | −$2,150 | $278–$417 ppAviasales cached, Oct 17, 2026 | No |
| Costa Rica | ≈ $4,740$3,344–$6,128 | −$1,950 | $587–$999 ppAviasales cached, Oct 17, 2026 | Yes |
| Thailand (Phuket) | ≈ $4,860$3,495–$6,222 | −$1,800 | $715–$1,221 ppAviasales cached, Oct 18, 2026 | Yes |
Maui stands in for Hawaii because it's the island we price; Oahu, Kauai or the Big Island will come out differently. Pairs that aren't head-to-head matchups on the site (for example Maui vs Cancún) use the same per-destination numbers as the comparison pages.
Photos: Maui: Rick Obst, CC BY 4.0 · Puerto Vallarta: Feedmepaperr, CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons · Photo credits
Cheapest Hawaii alternative from each US city
Because the flight is priced from your own airport, the answer moves a little by city. The cheapest pick changes between Mexico (Puerto Vallarta) and Portugal (Lisbon).
| Flying from | Maui | Cheapest alternative | Saving vs Maui | Cheaper than Maui |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles (LAX) | ≈ $6,670$4,918–$8,426 | Mexico (Puerto Vallarta)≈ $3,600 | $3,050 | 9 of 9 trips |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | ≈ $6,770$4,930–$8,610 | Mexico (Puerto Vallarta)≈ $3,660 | $3,100 | 9 of 9 trips |
| Phoenix (PHX) | ≈ $6,920$5,134–$8,712 | Mexico (Puerto Vallarta)≈ $3,740 | $3,200 | 9 of 9 trips |
| Denver (DEN) | ≈ $6,990$5,082–$8,900 | Mexico (Puerto Vallarta)≈ $3,950 | $3,050 | 9 of 9 trips |
| Dallas (DFW) | ≈ $7,170$5,300–$9,046 | Portugal (Lisbon)≈ $3,910 | $3,250 | 9 of 9 trips |
| Seattle (SEA) | ≈ $6,960$5,030–$8,880 | Mexico (Puerto Vallarta)≈ $3,840 | $3,100 | 9 of 9 trips |
| Chicago (CHI) | ≈ $7,310$5,354–$9,266 | Mexico (Puerto Vallarta)≈ $3,870 | $3,450 | 9 of 9 trips |
| New York (NYC) | ≈ $7,060$5,238–$8,872 | Portugal (Lisbon)≈ $3,580 | $3,500 | 9 of 9 trips |
Why a week in Hawaii costs so much
It isn't the flight. From Los Angeles, round-trip fares to Maui run $394–$608 pp, against $444–$517 pp to Cancún. The difference is on the ground: our Maui lodging estimate is $300–$500 a night ($2,100–$3,500 for 7 nights), against $150–$300 in Cancún and $110–$200 in Puerto Vallarta. Daily food for two is $150–$250 on Maui versus $80–$150 in Cancún.
Watch for the extras, too: resort fees and parking at many hotels; Hawaii lodging taxes can add a significant percentage to the room rate. A rental car is close to essential.
When the long flight eats the savings
Bali and Phuket have some of the lowest daily costs on this list, but the highest fares: $885–$1,340 pp to Bali and $715–$1,221 pp to Phuket from Los Angeles, versus $394–$608 pp to Maui. For two travelers, flights alone are $1,770–$2,680 for Bali. Its full week (≈ $4,120) still lands below Maui's (≈ $6,670). Expect a much longer travel day: about 19–22 hr with 1 stop to Bali, against about 6 hr nonstop to Maui.
No passport? The domestic alternatives
Puerto Rico (San Juan), Florida (Miami) and San Diego need no passport for US citizens. Puerto Rico (San Juan) comes to about $4,380 from Los Angeles and is cheaper than Maui from 8 of 8 cities. Florida (Miami) comes to about $4,550 from Los Angeles and is cheaper than Maui from 8 of 8 cities. San Diego comes to about $4,490 from Los Angeles and is cheaper than Maui from 8 of 8 cities.
Book this trip: Puerto Vallarta or Lisbon (from Los Angeles)
Flight searches start in Los Angeles (LAX) for a 7-night trip for 2 adults. Partner prices are live and may differ from our estimates.
Mexico (Puerto Vallarta)
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Related comparisons and guides
- Maui vs. Bali · Tropical island showdown: Hawaii's beaches or Bali's temples and rice terraces?
- Maui vs. Lisbon · Is Hawaii really cheaper than Europe? Once you add up the hotel bill, maybe not.
- Miami vs. Cancún · Two beach cities, similar flight times. Which week costs less?
- San Diego vs. Puerto Vallarta · Pacific beaches, tacos and sunsets: SoCal or Mexico's Pacific coast?
- Puerto Rico vs. Costa Rica · Tropical week, no passport vs. tropical week with volcanoes and sloths.
- Miami vs. Phuket · Beach nightlife at home or Thailand's Andaman coast?
- Atlanta vs. Cartagena · Southern food and history or a walled Caribbean city?
- Hawaii vs Mexico vacation cost
- Cheapest beach vacations from Los Angeles
Frequently asked questions
What vacation is cheaper than Hawaii?
In our data, all 9 beach and tropical trips we price come in under a week on Maui when flying from Los Angeles. The cheapest is Mexico (Puerto Vallarta) at about $3,600 for 2 adults and 7 nights with flights, versus about $6,670 for Maui. The cheapest alternative depends on the departure city: Mexico (Puerto Vallarta) and Portugal (Lisbon). These are sample estimates, not live prices.
Is Bali cheaper than Hawaii?
For a full week, usually yes. From Los Angeles, Bali comes to about $4,120 all-in for 2 adults versus about $6,670 for Maui, even though the round-trip fare to Bali ($885–$1,340 pp) is far higher than to Maui ($394–$608 pp). Bali is cheaper than Maui from 8 of the 8 US departure cities we cover. The trade-off is a long travel day: about 19–22 hr with 1 stop.
Is Mexico cheaper than Hawaii?
In our estimates, yes. From Los Angeles, a week in Cancún is about $4,200 and Puerto Vallarta about $3,600 for 2 adults, flights included, versus about $6,670 on Maui. Cancún is cheaper from 8 of 8 departure cities and Puerto Vallarta from 8 of 8. Most of the gap is lodging: $2,100–$3,500 for 7 nights on Maui versus $1,050–$2,100 in Cancún.
What is the cheapest Hawaii alternative without a passport?
Of the trips we price, Puerto Rico (San Juan), Florida (Miami) and San Diego need no passport for US citizens. From Los Angeles, Puerto Rico (San Juan) is the cheapest of them at about $4,380 all-in for 2 adults, versus about $6,670 for Maui. Puerto Rico is a US territory, so it is a no-passport option in the Caribbean.
How much does a week in Hawaii cost for two?
Using Maui as our Hawaii benchmark, 7 nights for 2 adults with round-trip flights runs about $4,918–$8,426 from Los Angeles (midpoint ≈ $6,670). Across our 8 departure cities the midpoint ranges from about $6,670 to $7,310. Lodging is the biggest line: $2,100–$3,500 for the week.
How we priced this
Every total is 7 nights for 2 adults: round-trip economy flights for both travelers, one mid-range room, and daily food, local transport and activities for two (plus lift tickets and rentals on ski trips). Flight ranges per route come from published typical fares or, where marked "Aviasales cached", from cached fare data refreshed automatically; lodging and daily costs are the same figures used on each comparison page, where every source is listed. These are sample estimates, not live prices. Read the full methodology.