There are so many great things to see and do in Cancun, that is not up for argument!
However, the best way to explore the wider city & surrounding Yucatan Peninsula with complete freedom is by renting a car.
The best thing about having your own car in Cancun is that you can do everything on your terms, and stop at lots of unexpected beauty spots along the way that you’d otherwise miss on an organised tour.
When you’re travelling to another country it can be hard to know where to start with car rental.
There’s lots of options and it can often be overwhelming, so I’ve whittled it down to the top 10 car rentals in Cancun.
These are suitable for all budgets, whether you’re looking to really treat yourself, or you’re travelling Mexico on a shoestring budget.
First up ...
When you’re looking for the best car rental in Cancun, you’ll find there’s a lot to choose from, so it’s difficult to know where to start.
We’ve found Discover Cars really useful when it comes to finding great car rental companies. It’s a well trusted car rental search firm, operating in over 10,000 locations all over the world.
Depending on when you’re visiting Cancun, you might find that lots of vehicles have been booked up in advance. So if you’ve booked a spontaneous trip to Cancun, you might find your car rental options are limited.
Discover Cars make it easy to see what’s available within your dates from some of the world’s best car rental companies. You can then filter further by price, size, mileage, and fuel policy.
And if this wasn’t enough to convince you to check out Discover Cars, here’s some more reasons we love them:
For all the firms I’ve recommended below, I’ve provided Discover Cars links where possible to help make your search for the perfect Cancun car rental.
Keddy is Europcar’s simplified car hire, aiming to give renters full transparency with no hidden surprises along the way!
Keddy aims to offer the fairest prices, along with peace of mind that the rental will be smooth sailing.
Of course, Europcar is a world renowned car rental firm, so renting from Keddy gives you access to the extensive Europcar network.
Benefiting from Europcar’s fleet, means there’s a HUGE variety of cars on offer at Keddy.
Cars have capacity for 4 passengers, all the way up to large people carriers with space for 8-15 passengers.
The wide variety of vehicles means there’s always something for everyone at Keddy.
Another great feature is you can get reviews about each specific vehicle, so you can make the best informed decision on which rental to go for.
Flex Ways are a well established car rental firm operating across 208 cities in 30 countries. With 24 hour support, and no hidden fees they’re a great choice for car rental in Cancun Airport.
You can cancel your rental for free up to 72 hours in advance.
And you can have a worry free trip with Flex Ways full protection against robbery, theft, fire, and breakdowns, as well as third party protection.
Rated excellent on TrustPilot, they also offset all the CO2 emissions of rentals.
There’s a huge variety of vehicles on offer at Flex Ways. Their cheapest and smallest vehicle is the compact which starts at £18 a day.
There’s midsize and full size vehicles too, then the fleet extends all the way up to SUVs and minivans.
Europcar has got to be one of the most famous car rental firms out there! With a great name like this you know you’re in safe hands.
Europcar guarantees the best rates, as well as great benefits on their loyalty programme.
Their vehicles all come with unlimited mileage and basic protection, so there are no unexpected fees at the end of your trip, and you’re free to explore far and wide in Cancun.
There’s a huge fleet on offer from Europcar, with space for up to 7 people! So whether you’re a couple, small group or family there’s a Cancun car rental for you at Europcar.
Minimum driving age on all vehicles from Europcar is 18!
Sixt operates in over 105 countries, with over 2000 branches worldwide. They certainly know a thing or two about car rental, so they’re a great choice for Cancun car rental.
If you are looking at longer term rental, Sixt offers a 10% discount on rentals over 28 days. Their up to date fleet means you don’t need to look anywhere else for the newest models.
Sixt also aims to offer the VIP experience through their premium rate vehicles.
They’re fully digital which means you can skip the queues at branches, and get on the road straight away.
There are 25 vehicles in Sixt’s Mexican fleet. There’s lots of options to choose from, including Saloon cars, SUVs, minivans, and people carriers.
All cars have capacity for 5, and certain larger vehicles have space for 8. There’s even a Chevrolet Express Bus which seats up to 15.
These larger vehicles make Sixt a great choice for groups and families.
With pick up and drop off at Cancun airport, it’s easy and straightforward to start and round up your Cancun trip. Their airport depot is open 24 hours for pick up and drop off.
All of the rates are completely inclusive of unlimited mileage, collision damage waiver, legal assistance, and theft protection.
America Car Rental has a huge fleet, so there’s something for everyone. The majority of vehicles are 5 seat cars, so perfect for a couple or a small family.
You can choose from both manual and automatic transmission. There’s 20 different filters to choose from, so you can easily filter down to something that suits your requirements perfectly. Rental rates are the same at all Cancun depots.
Hertz is of course one of the best known vehicle rental companies in the world!
It’s Cancun Airport is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so no need to worry about flight times when sorting out your vehicle.
Hertz in Cancun rents to drivers aged 18+, but there are additional fees for drivers under 25.
The vast vehicle base at Hertz means there’s always something for everyone, whether it’s luxury, economy or SUV rentals.
There’s a mixture of automatic and manual vehicles from Hertz. The website also gives info on the mpg of each vehicle so you can estimate what your fuel consumption might be like - this is great for budgeting for your Cancun road trip.
Some vehicles give you the option to pay online beforehand for a reduced rate.
Payless has been in the car rental industry since 1971, and since then has grown to operate across 120 rental locations in the US, Canada, South America and Europe.
They’re a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, one of the world’s top vehicle rental services, so you know you’re in good hands.
There’s a variety of different options on the Mexican fleet.
Payless’ economy and compact vehicles are perfect for travellers nervous about maneuvering a larger vehicle. They’re also more economical.
The majority of vehicles are automatic, but some are manual so check the details before you book.
Fox has been in the car rental industry since 1989 and now operates in 21 locations across the US, as well as branches in Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, South and Central America, Australia, Europe and the Middle East!!
Fox offers a great rewards programme where you can earn points every time you rent a car. Fox Rewards also gives you access to member-only deals and benefits.
Fox has a fantastic range of vehicles including lots with a larger capacity. There’s some 7 and 8 capacity vehicles available, all the way up to 12 and 15 capacity mini buses!
Green Motion is the brand leader when it comes to eco-friendly car rental in Cancun.
Each branch and franchise of Green Motion pledge to follow the same Environmental Policy, to recycle and use renewable energy as much as possible.
Each rental location uses low energy lighting with passive sensors to reduce energy consumption even further.
All vehicles at Green Motion are low CO2. Whether you go for a small city car, or a luxury limo, customers have the chance to reduce CO2 emissions with every rental.
Vehicles like the Chevrolet Spark or the Nissan March are ideal for those after a super compact rental. But vehicles like the VW Nuevo Jetta are perfect if you need more space, or are travelling as a family.
Green Motion’s largest vehicle at the Cancun dept is the 7-seater Toyota Sierra.
When booking your rental you can choose from the four different rental packages that Green Motion offer. Have a read of all the information to see which best suits your rental needs.
Mex is a 100% Mexican rental company. Founded in 1994, they now operate across 19 other countries.
All rates are inclusive of unlimited miles, and the rental deposit at Mex is the lowest in Mexico, making them the ideal choice for budget Cancun car rental.
Mex rent to drivers that are 18 and over, but drivers aged 18-25 will incur extra daily charges.
The majority of vehicles on offer at Mex have space for 5 passengers, but there are also some 7,8 and even a 12 capacity vehicle to choose from, all at competitive rates.
All vehicles have air-con and are automatic, apart from the manual Toyota minivan.
The price of car hire in Cancun will vary depending on when you’re visiting, and the size of the vehicle. Sometimes you can rent a car for as little as $1 a day!!!
The average price to rent a car in Cancun works out at around $28 a day.
Remember that there are also other fees involved with vehicle rental such as fuel, taxes and road tolls.
Most companies will prefer to rent to drivers that are over 25. Whilst plenty of firms do rent to drivers over 18, it’s likely that drivers aged between 18 and 24 will have to pay an additional daily charge.
Yes definitely! Hiring a car gives you so much more freedom, and it’s one of the best ways to explore Cancun.
Some of the best things to do near Cancun include Chichen Itza, Valladolid and Playa del Carmen. Having a car means it’s easy for you to make your own excursions here!
Cancun airport car rentals can start from as little as $5 a day. It can be more expensive to hire a car from the airport, as firms like to take advantage of tourists fresh off the plane!
Do your research beforehand to see what rates you can find.
Bear in mind that if you don’t rent from the airport, you’ll incur the costs of transport into the city.
Hopefully this guide has given you a good idea of how to go about renting a vehicle in Cancun.
Like I said before, renting a car really is the best way to see Cancun and all it has to offer.
If you rent from one of these firms we’d love to hear about it!
Or if you venture to Cancun and rent from another firm, drop us a comment below and let us know your favourite Cancun rental firm.
Mexico is home to so many other amazing destinations. If you’re planning a road trip from Cancun, you might find these guides helpful:
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