Which place is cheaper, Ensenada or Granada?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Granada or Ensenada?
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 Ensenada. 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 Ensenada?
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.
Ensenada
Ensenada is on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, south of Tijuana. It's the only deep water port in the state of Baja California and as such, it is an important commerical fishing port as well as a cruise ship destination. The city has a population of almost 500,000 and is located just 78 miles south of San Diego. The city sits between the ocean and a small mountain range. The surrounding area is known for its wine production, which produces some of the best wine in Mexico.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Mexico, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico.
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Granada Prices
Nicaragua PricesEnsenada Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGranada $50Ensenada $115
The average daily cost (per person) in Granada is $50, while the average daily cost in Ensenada is $115. 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 Ensenada in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGranada $17Ensenada $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGranada $34Ensenada $84
Compare Hotels in Granada and Ensenada
Looking for a hotel in Granada or Ensenada? 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.
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 Ensenada Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Granada $8.54Ensenada $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:
- From One way shared transfer to Leon: $39
- From One way shared transfer to Rivas: $39
- From San Jorge: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
- Leon: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
- One-Way Private Transfer From/To Airport or Hotels in Granada: $40
- San Juan del Sur: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ensenada
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ensenada:
- Border and Tijuana Airport Transfers to Ensenada or Valle de Guadalupe: $125
Is it cheaper to fly into Granada or Ensenada?
Prices for flights to both Ensenada 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
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Food Meals for one dayGranada $24Ensenada $61
Typical Food Prices in Granada
Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:
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Pizza$2.28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ensenada
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ensenada.
- Mexican Cooking Class at Hacienda Eco-Domes | Valle de Guadalupe: $84
- Tacos and Margaritas Food Tour in Ensenada Mexico: $85
- Cooking Class and Margarita Madness at Valle de Guadalupe : $89
- Surprises, Delights and Joys Ensenada Wine, Mezcal, and Food Tour: $100
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Granada $10Ensenada $9.79
Typical Entertainment Prices in Granada
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Granada are as follows:
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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:
- Isletas Boat Tour: $32
- Paddle Boarding and Meditation Wellness Experience in Las Isletas: $33
- Colonial Granada Horse Carriage & Walking Tour: $35
- Granada Colonial Granada Horse Carriage and Walking Tour: $35
- Las Isletas: Kayak Tour: $39
- City Tour Granada, Nicaragua.: $40
- Las Isletas: Boat Tour: $45
- Mountain Biking Tour with Snacks and Drinks: $45
- Lake Nicaragua Kayak Tour: $45
- Las Isletas Boat Tour: $45
- Masaya Volcano Tour Minimum 2 People from Granada: $45
- Las Isletas 2-Hour Kayak Adventure in Granada with Pickup: $48
Tours and Activities in Ensenada
Here are a few actual costs in Ensenada for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- La Bufadora Punta Banda Tour: $38
- La Bufadora Tour in Baja California: $42
- Las Cañadas Campamento Horseback Riding Experience: $44
- The Bufadora private Tour: $49
- Tacos, Brews and Views Tour : $50
- Full Day Private Tour or Guadalupe Valley Weekend: $52
- Tacos, Tequila, Cerveza - A Private Tour of Ensenada: $53
- Las Cañadas Canopy Tour in Ensenada: $53
- Valle de Guadalupe Adults Only Tour: $56
- Explore Ensenada with Private Car and Walking Tour: $65
- Private Massage Experience in Ensenada: $65
- Las Canadas Ecopark and Bufadora private tour : $70
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGranada $7.48Ensenada $9.98
Typical Alcohol Prices in Granada
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Granada:
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Tequila$1.36
Sample the Local Flavors in Ensenada
Also in Ensenada, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Private Wine Tasting Experience in Maglén: $27
- Tractor Pull Around Vineyards and Wine Tasting Tour: $56
- Private Ensenada Tacos and Wine Tour : $109
- Valle de Guadalupe Wine Experience: Wine Tastings Included: $112
- Valle de Guadalupe COUPLES wine tasting for 2: $135
- wine tours and driver service through valle de guadalupe, Ensenada B.C. Mexico: $145
- Pvt Wine Tastings + Cheese Store + Massage Shore Excursion: $149
- Wine Tasting Tour ONLY for Cruise Ship Visitors. ALL INCLUSIVE!: $221
- Private and custom group Wine tour Valle de Guadalupe : $238
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Granada and Ensenada, we can see that Ensenada is more expensive. And not only is Granada much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Granada is in Central America and Ensenada is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Granada would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Granada and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Ensenada would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ensenada than you might in Granada.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Granada Expensive? and Is Ensenada Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Granada or Ensenada?
Ensenada has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Granada. When comparing the sizes of Granada and Ensenada, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.