How much it costs to visit Tulum: official price, hours and who gets in free
The short answer
Entry to the Tulum archaeological site costs 80 pesos if you are a Mexican national or resident in Mexico, and 265 pesos for foreign visitors. It is a single fee that already covers every charge. The site opens 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, with last admission at 3:30 pm.
Search for the price online and you will find anything: one hundred pesos, two hundred, three hundred and fifty. Almost none of those figures is right today, and several mix together charges that no longer exist. This guide uses the figure published by INAH, Mexico's national institute of anthropology and history, updated in August 2026.
The official entrance fee for Tulum
INAH charges a single unified fee, one ticket:
| Visitor | Price |
|---|---|
| Mexican nationals and residents in Mexico | $80 MXN |
| Foreign visitors | $265 MXN |
| Children under 13 (nationals or residents) | Free |
| Nationals and residents, on Sundays | Free |
That fee already covers everything. It includes the INAH charge, the CONANP charge for the protected natural area and the Jaguar Park charge. Not three tickets: one.
Why you see different prices online
For a while, entry was charged in parts: an INAH fee, a protected-area fee and a Jaguar Park fee, each with its own price. A lot of content published back then is still circulating, which is why you find figures that contradict each other.
On top of that, the scheme changed more than once in recent years, including a reduction announced by the Mexican government. If a website does not say when its price was checked, treat it with suspicion.
Who gets in free
Entry to Mexico's archaeological sites is free every Sunday for Mexican nationals and foreign residents in Mexico.
On other days, the following are also exempt, as long as they are nationals or residents in Mexico:
- Children under 13
- Students and teachers with a valid ID card
- People with disabilities
- Senior citizens with an INAPAM card
- Researchers with authorisation
- Members of indigenous communities from neighbouring municipalities, with official ID
Bring the ID. Without it the exemption does not apply. And since Tulum's fee is unified, it is worth confirming at the ticket office on the day.
Opening hours and the best time to arrive
The site opens from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and last admission is at 3:30 pm. Arrive at 3:40 and you will not get in, even though the site is still open.
Two reasons to go early:
- The coaches arrive mid-morning and the paths between the buildings are narrow.
- Tulum has no shade. The site sits on an open cliff above the sea, and between eleven and two the sun is relentless.
What those 265 pesos do not cover
The ticket covers entry. These are not included, and you will need them:
- Getting there. Tulum is 128 km south of Cancún on federal highway 307. About two hours by car; longer by public transport, and then you still have to get from the bus station to the entrance.
- The walk inside the park. It is a fair distance from the entrance to the ruins.
- Water, food and a hat. There is nowhere to shelter from the sun inside.
- A guide. Optional, hired at the entrance. Without one, Tulum takes forty minutes and makes little sense.
On your own or on a tour
Going on your own is cheaper if you are already in Tulum or the Riviera Maya and have a car. You pay your ticket and that is it.
From Cancún the maths changes. Between fuel or transport, the travel time and the ticket, the gap with an organised tour narrows considerably — and the tour usually adds a cenote, lunch and a guide.
One thing before you compare prices. When a tour quotes an entrance fee higher than INAH's 265 pesos, it is almost always because it bundles several admissions — Tulum plus the cenote visited afterwards, each with its own conservation fee — not just the archaeological site.
Our tours that visit Tulum
- Tulum, Cenote and Playa del Carmen — from Cancún, with a semi-open cenote and two free hours on Fifth Avenue.
- Tulum and Cenote from the Riviera Maya — half a day, departing only from the Riviera Maya and Tulum.
- Coba, Tulum and Mayan Traditions — two archaeological sites in one day, with a guide in Spanish, English, French or Italian.
- Tulum, Cenote and Turtles in Akumal — adds snorkelling with turtles in Akumal bay.
Quick questions
Can you swim at Tulum beach?
There is a small beach below the ruins, but access depends on sea conditions and conservation work; it may be closed. Do not count on it.
Can you climb the buildings?
No. You walk marked paths and the temples are roped off.
Do they take cards at the ticket office?
Bring cash. It is what always works at archaeological site ticket offices.
How long do you need?
An hour and a half to two hours to see it without rushing.
Would you rather be taken there?
Transport, a certified guide and a cenote included. Departures from Cancún and from the Riviera Maya.
See the Tulum toursPrices and hours verified on INAH's official site in October 2026. Fees change by official decree: if you are visiting much later than this date, check them again.
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