Which place is cheaper, Salta 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 Salta?
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 Salta. 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 Salta?
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.
Salta
Located in the heart of the famous Northwest region of Argentina, at 1200m of elevation and at the foot of the Cerro San Bernardo, Salta is the largest city of the region and perhaps the most beautiful colonial city of Argentina. Founded in 1582 by the Spanish, Salta was an important stop for merchants who followed the usual trade road through Bolivia and Peru. Argentines call this city nestled in the foothills of the Andes and surrounded by mountains, of just over half a million inhabitants, Salta La Linda (Salta the Beautiful) and it's easy to see why. Young and traditional at the same time, Salta and its renowned museums, plaza side cafes and live musica folklorica of its bustling penas, is a sophisticated and lively city day and night.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, and The Best Eco Tours in Argentina.
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Granada Prices
Nicaragua PricesSalta Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGranada $50Salta $45
The average daily cost (per person) in Granada is $50, while the average daily cost in Salta is $45. 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 Salta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGranada $17Salta $31
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGranada $34Salta $62
Compare Hotels in Granada and Salta
Looking for a hotel in Granada or Salta? 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 Salta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Granada $8.54Salta $3.13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:
- San Juan del Sur: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
- One-Way Private Transfer From/To Airport or Hotels in Granada: $40
- Leon: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
- From San Jorge: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
- From One way shared transfer to Rivas: $39
- From One way shared transfer to Leon: $39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salta
Also for Salta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $5.50
- Transfer from Salta Airport: $7.19
- Shared 1-Way or Round Trip SLA Airport Transfer: $8.00
- Shared Transfer from Downtown Hotels in Salta to Airport: $12
- Salta Airport Shuttle Transfer: $15
- Salta Airport One-Way or Round-Trip Transfers: $45
- Private 1-Way or Round Trip SLA Airport Transfer: $56
- From Cafayate and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $88
- From Salinas and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $99
- Salta City Tour & Round Trip Transfers airport - hotel: $109
- Combo: Cafayate Tour + Cachi + Transfers + Free Walking Tour: $117
- Cafayate Wine Tour with Tastings and Transfers: $150
Is it cheaper to fly into Granada or Salta?
Prices for flights to both Salta 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 $24Salta $5.41
Typical Food Prices in Granada
Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:
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Pizza$2.28
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Granada $10Salta $27
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:
- 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 Salta
For Salta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 4-Hour Guided Highlights City Tour: $16
- Salta Private Tour with a Photojournalist : $18
- Salta City Half Day Tour: $20
- From City Tour of the city on a half-day ride: $20
- Guided City Tour: $26
- From Full-Day Scenic Tour to Cachi: $30
- From Cachi and Los Cardones National Park Tour: $30
- From Full-day tour to Cachi and Los Cardones National Park: $31
- From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate, Land of Wines: $31
- Tour to Cafayate from Salta : $31
- Half-Day City Tour: Salta and San Lorenzo: $32
- Full-Day Tour Cafayate Calchaqui Valleys with Wine: $32
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGranada $7.48Salta $5.50
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 Salta
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Salta:
- Cafayate: Full-day tour of wineries and wine tasting: $29
- Full-day Cafayate, Lerma Valley, and Wine Tasting from Salta: $30
- From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate with Wine Tasting: $30
- From Cafayate Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $40
- Half Day Wine Tasting in Salta: $147
When comparing the travel costs between Granada and Salta, we can see that Granada 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 Salta 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 Salta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Granada or Salta?
Salta has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Granada. When comparing the sizes of Granada and Salta, 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.