The promotional booking industry loves to throw around phrases like “save up to 70%” and “thousands in savings.” But what do the actual numbers look like when you sit down and compare?

Let’s run the real math.

The Comparison Framework

To make a fair comparison, we need to hold everything constant. Same resort, same room type, same dates, same number of travelers. Here’s what that looks like for a typical 5-night all-inclusive stay for two adults at a quality resort in Mexico’s Riviera Maya: