Winter sun resort price index 2026–27: the cheapest and priciest weeks for Canadians
Updated November 6, 2026
Short answer: the cheapest weeks for a top-rated all-inclusive in Mexico or the Caribbean this winter are December 5–12 and April 17–24. Christmas week (December 26 to January 2) costs 38% to 161% more than early December, and the same resorts are 25% to 43% cheaper in the week of January 9.
When is the cheapest week to go south this winter, and how much more does Christmas really cost? On November 4, 2026 we checked live prices for 59 of the highest-rated resorts in five of the most popular winter sun destinations for Canadians: Los Cabos, Cancún, the Riviera Maya, Punta Cana and Aruba. For each resort we priced the same seven-night stay for two adults in eleven different weeks between December and April, in Canadian dollars.
The short version: the holiday week is by far the most expensive everywhere, waiting one week until January saves a quarter to almost half, mid-March is not more expensive than late February, and the cheapest weeks of the whole season are early December and the second half of April.
Key findings
Christmas to New Year's is the most expensive week in every destination. A typical night at a top-rated resort costs CA$1,255 in Punta Cana and up to CA$1,784 in Los Cabos that week, between 38% (Riviera Maya) and 161% (Cancún) more than the same resorts in the first week of December.
Waiting one week saves a lot. The same resorts are 43% cheaper in Los Cabos, 42% in Cancún, 32% in Punta Cana and Aruba and 25% in the Riviera Maya in the week of January 9 than over the holidays.
March Break is not the price spike you might expect. Mid-March (March 13–20, when Ontario's March Break usually falls) was cheaper than the last week of February in Cancún (−18%), Aruba (−14%), Los Cabos (−7%) and Punta Cana (−4%), and about the same in the Riviera Maya.
Family Day week is a small peak in Los Cabos and Aruba: the week of February 13 was 23% and 17% more expensive than two weeks later.
The cheapest weeks of the season are early December and late April. After Easter, typical nightly prices fall to CA$682 in Aruba, CA$717 in Punta Cana and CA$742 in Cancún.
Punta Cana was the least expensive destination in most weeks. Los Cabos was the most expensive over the holidays, and Los Cabos and Aruba were the priciest in February.
Typical nightly price, week by week
Median nightly price per resort for a seven-night stay for two adults, starting on the Saturday shown. Each column uses the same group of resorts in every week, so the weeks can be compared directly.
| Week (7 nights) | Los Cabos | Cancún | Riviera Maya | Punta Cana | Aruba |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 5–12 | CA$859 | CA$614 | CA$992 | CA$729 | CA$653 |
| Dec 19–26 | CA$1,077 | CA$967 | CA$1,023 | CA$973 | CA$1,021 |
| Dec 26–Jan 2 (holidays) | CA$1,784 | CA$1,604 | CA$1,366 | CA$1,255 | CA$1,514 |
| Jan 9–16 | CA$1,011 | CA$930 | CA$1,025 | CA$850 | CA$1,034 |
| Jan 23–30 | CA$940 | CA$877 | CA$892 | CA$877 | CA$1,065 |
| Feb 6–13 | CA$1,099 | CA$957 | CA$928 | CA$879 | CA$1,129 |
| Feb 13–20 (Family Day) | CA$1,259 | CA$905 | CA$995 | CA$919 | CA$1,150 |
| Feb 27–Mar 6 | CA$1,020 | CA$1,010 | CA$914 | CA$855 | CA$986 |
| Mar 13–20 (March Break) | CA$947 | CA$829 | CA$930 | CA$824 | CA$844 |
| Mar 27–Apr 3 (Easter) | CA$888 | CA$900 | CA$909 | CA$794 | CA$844 |
| Apr 17–24 | CA$808 | CA$742 | CA$985 | CA$717 | CA$682 |
How we measured it
Resorts: the highest-rated resorts from our guides to Los Cabos (15 resorts), Cancún (7), the Riviera Maya and Tulum (17) and Punta Cana (11), plus 9 of the top-rated hotels in Aruba. Only resorts with a price in at least 10 of the 11 weeks are included, so each column compares the same hotels across the season. Most are all-inclusive; the Los Cabos and Riviera Maya groups also include a few luxury hotels where meals are extra, so compare weeks within a destination rather than destinations with each other.
Prices: the cheapest available public rate for two adults for seven nights, checked once on November 4, 2026 and divided by seven, in Canadian dollars. Hotel prices change daily, so treat these as a snapshot of how the season is priced rather than a quote. Flights are not included.
You are welcome to quote or republish these figures with a link to this page.
How to use this when booking
If your dates are flexible, moving a holiday trip from the week of December 26 to early or mid-January is the single biggest saving in this data.
If you have to travel at Christmas, book a rate with free cancellation early: if the price drops later, you can cancel and rebook.
Compare the total price for your dates, including taxes and fees, rather than the nightly rate. Our resort guides list the top-rated resorts in each destination with live prices.
Good to know
- What is the cheapest week to go to an all-inclusive in Mexico or the Caribbean this winter?
- In our November 2026 price check, the cheapest weeks were early December (December 5–12) and the second half of April (April 17–24).
- How much more expensive is Christmas week at all-inclusive resorts?
- Between 38% and 161% more than the first week of December, depending on the destination. Cancún and Aruba had the biggest holiday jump, the Riviera Maya the smallest.
- Is March Break more expensive than February?
- Not in this data. The week of March 13 was cheaper than the last week of February in Cancún, Aruba, Los Cabos and Punta Cana, and about the same in the Riviera Maya.
Get member-rate alerts for winter resorts
An occasional email when member rates drop at top resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean, plus our new guides.