Is There Uber in Cabo? Yes > Here’s How to Use It
There is Uber in Cabo San Lucas, but you cannot take it from the airport and certain popular tourist spots and hotels due to the Mexican Taxi Mafia. I lived in Mexico for almost a year and during that time I came face-to-face with the Mexican Taxi Mafia while trying to take Uber in Tulum, Cancun, and pretty much any popular tourist destination in the country.
✔️ Uber in Cabo: Essential Info
✈️ Where is it Available? You can use Uber all over the center of Cabo, except when departing from the airport and some select popular tourist sites.
🚕 Is Uber Legal in Cabo? Uber is not technically legal in Cabo, as it doesn’t comply with taxi regulations.
📲 Is it Safe? Using Uber in Mexico is safer than taking traditional taxis off the street because Uber has GPS tracking.
💸 Is it Cheap? Using Uber, or its Mexican counterpart DiDi, is usually much cheaper than traditional taxi services.
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Katie’s Tips ✶
🚨 Note! Ubers cannot pick you up from the airport in Cabo, and tourists are constantly getting scammed by the taxi drivers there – I recommend always booking a private shuttle service from the airport to your hotel ▶︎ Book Yours Now!
💸 On a budget? Save money by booking a shared shuttle ▶︎ Here
Is There Uber in Cabo?
There’s been a big push and pull between Uber drivers and Taxi drivers trying to drive them out in Cabo San Lucas in recent years, there is still Uber in Cabo San Lucas.
There is a lot of misinformation online about Uber in popular tourist destinations in Mexico. The reason for this is even though ride-sharing apps are very popular in Mexico, the Mexican Taxi Mafia has succeeded in pushing them out of popular tourist destinations like Tulum and Cancun.
Taxi Mafias are composed of taxi drivers who want to overcharge tourists. Ride-sharing apps charge everyone the same, so the taxi drivers work together like a “mafia’ to force Uber drivers out of town so they can keep charging higher rates.
Are Ubers Easy to Get in Cabo?
Ubers are readily available in Cabo city center. If you’re going somewhere more remote, consider taking a guided tour or Renting a Car to drive yourself.
My Top Tips for Taking Uber in Cabo San Lucas
✅ Cell reception is a little spotty in Cabo.
✅ Uber CANNOT pick you up at the airport, but it CAN drop you off there.
✅ Uber won’t pick you up from some resorts in Cabo, and you need to call a car from the street instead of directly from in front of the hotel.
✅ Uber in Cabo accepts credit cards.
✅ Don’t depend on Uber if you’re leaving the city center, there will be no cars available.
✅ Uber is technically illegal in Cabo, but everyone still uses it.
Is Uber Legal in Cabo?
Uber is not technically legal in Cabo San Lucas. Uber drivers do not comply with taxi licensing rules, which makes them technically illegal. The fact that Uber drivers don’t comply with licensing as traditional taxi drivers have to is another sore subject that feeds tensions between the two groups.
Lots of people still use Uber in Mexico, but since they’re technically illegal you won’t be able to use Uber to get picked up from the airport in Mexico. Uber is technically “illegal” in different places all over Latin America, but people still use it.
The biggest inconvenience I’ve faced as a traveler who uses Uber internationally is sometimes your Uber driver might request you sit in the front seat instead of the back, so you look like their friend rather than their customer.
How to Get to Your Hotel from the Los Cabos Airport
Getting from the airport to your hotel or Airbnb in Cabo is the first step on your trip to Los Cabos, it’s also the most stressful place to arrange transportation in Cabo.
► I highly recommend arranging an airport pickup service before you arrive, so you can get transported directly from the terminal because Uber does not work at Los Cabos airport. Taxi drivers are also at their most aggressive at the airport, and it’s overall just unpleasant and stressful to deal with after a long flight.
👉 Click here to book a round-trip private transfer service directly from Los Cabos airport to your hotel.
Getting around Cabo by Taking Tours
If you arrange a guided tour it includes transportation in your overall activity fee, so it’s just an easier, and usually cheaper, way to see Cabo. Taking guided tours in Cabo is an easy way to see all that the city has to offer. I’m linking some of the top Cabo tours I recommend below.
Taxis in Cabo
There are tons of taxis in Cabo in the city center and outside popular tourist destinations, as well as at the airport. I don’t recommend taking traditional taxis in Mexico if you’re a foreigner because they have a reputation for ripping off and scamming tourists. Instead, I recommend arranging private transportation from the airport, taking Uber within Cabo city center, and either renting a car or taking tours for day trips for activities in Cabo.
What You Need to Know to Take Taxis in Cabo
Traditional taxis in Cabo do not use meters, so you need to negotiate the cost of your trip before you get in the car, and they only accept cash. The difference in price between traditional taxis and Ubers in Cabo is shocking. A taxi driver might tell you a ride is $20-30, and it will be only $2-3 on the Uber app.
