A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Granada vs. Cafayate for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Granada or Cafayate?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Granada and Cafayate. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Granada or Cafayate?

Granada

Granada is Nicaragua's oldest colonial city, and arguably, the most beautiful city in the country. It sits on the northern edge of Lake Nicaragua (Lago Cocibolca) and has many beautifully colored buildings and nice churches. The city's beauty and colonial architecture, along with its relative safety and accessibility, make it one of Nicaragua's top tourist destinations. The city has long been a center for commerce, but today its economy depends heavily on tourism. The city is the sixth largest in Nicaragua and a real estate boom in the early 2000's brought a large number of expats to the town.

Cafayate

Cafayate is located in the province of Salta, in the central zone of the Valles Calchaquies. The small town has about 12,000 residents and is 1,329 kilometers from Buenos Aires.

People head to the small town of Cafayate to explore its vineyards and unique rock formations. It has become an important tourist destination in the area and there is a large golf course under construction just outside of town.

Cafayate is an important wine production center. The wines in the area thrive from the low humidity mild weather of the valleys. The town receives less than 250 millimeters of precipitation a year.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Cafayate or Granada?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Granada is $50, while the average daily cost in Cafayate is $53. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Granada and Cafayate in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Granada $17
    Cafayate $34
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Granada $34
    Cafayate $68
Compare Hotels in Granada and Cafayate

Looking for a hotel in Granada or Cafayate? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Granada


Hotels in Cafayate


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Granada Hotel Prices and Cafayate Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Granada $8.54
    Cafayate $5.07

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:

  • One-Way Private Transfer From/To Airport or Hotels in Granada: $40
  • From San Jorge: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
  • Leon: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
  • San Juan del Sur: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
  • From One way shared transfer to Rivas: $39
  • From One way shared transfer to Leon: $39

Is it cheaper to fly into Granada or Cafayate?

Prices for flights to both Cafayate and Granada change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Granada $24
    Cafayate $6.46
Typical Food Prices in Granada

Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:


  • Pizza
    $2.28

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Granada $10
    Cafayate $40
Typical Entertainment Prices in Granada

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Granada are as follows:


  • Lago de Nicaragua Boat Tour
    $8.14

Tours and Activities in Granada

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Granada are as follows:

  • Volcano Mombacho Adventure in the Cloud Forest & Apoyo Lake : $115
  • 3 Volcanoes Full Day Tour! Unique experience!: $145
  • Bird Watching Tour: $90
  • Boat Tour and Granada City Tour: $130
  • Canopy & Crater on Mombacho Volcano & Islets Sunset Boat Tour: $144
  • Charming Granada Outdoor "Private Tour" : $92
  • City Tour Granada, Nicaragua.: $40
  • Experience Granadas Best Sights Carriage ride + Local Guide: $65
  • From Full-Day Tour to 6 Attractions with Lunch incl: $125
  • Full Day Tour Isletas + Pueblos Blancos + Laguna from Granada: $120
  • Full Day Tour Masaya Volcano, Art Market and White Villages: $60
  • Full-Day Tour: Masaya Volcano, Art Market and White Villages: $60

Tours and Activities in Cafayate

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cafayate.

  • From Salta: Full-Day Wine and Valley Tour to Cafayate: $45
  • Foz do Iguaçu: Day Tour of the Argentina and Brazil Sides: $96
  • From Salta: Cafayate, Humahuaca & Salinas Grandes 3-Day Tour: $106
  • Unveiling Premium Wine Road Adventure: $127
  • From Salta: Cafayate, Salinas Grandes, & Hornocal Tour: $128
  • From Salta: Local Landscape, Winery, and Culture Tour: $130
  • From Salta: Cafayate, Cachi, & Hornocal 3-Day Tour: $136

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Granada $7.48
    Cafayate $19
Typical Alcohol Prices in Granada

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Granada:


  • Tequila
    $1.36


When comparing the travel costs between Granada and Cafayate, we can see that Cafayate is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Granada is in Central America and Cafayate is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Granada Expensive? and Is Cafayate Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Granada or Cafayate?

Granada has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Cafayate. When comparing the sizes of Granada and Cafayate, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.