Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Guadalajara?
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 Guadalajara or San Juan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Guadalajara or San Juan, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Guadalajara or San Juan?
Guadalajara
Guadalajara is the capital of the state of Jalisco in western Mexico, as well as one of the country's largest cities. It is best known for tequila and mariachi music, which both originate in Jalisco, as well as a thriving historic center with colonial architecture and landmarks.
San Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico.
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Guadalajara Prices
Mexico PricesSan Juan Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGuadalajara $138San Juan $218
The average daily cost (per person) in Guadalajara is $138, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $218. 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 Guadalajara and San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGuadalajara $38San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGuadalajara $76San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Guadalajara and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Guadalajara or San Juan? 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: Guadalajara Hotel Prices and San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Guadalajara $35San Juan $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guadalajara
Also for Guadalajara, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Guadalajara Airport Private Transfer to Ajijic & Chapala: $289
- Guadalajara Airport(GDL) to Tequila - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $202
- Guadalajara to Tequila - Private Transfer with English-speaking driver: $179
- Tequila to Guadalajara - Private Transfer with English-speaking driver: $179
- Private Airport Transfer to Guadalajara Hotels Safe & Stress-Free: $159
- Guadalajara Airport (GDL) to Guadalajara hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $107
- Tequila to Guadalajara Airport (GDL) - Departure Private Transfer: $101
- Transfer from International Airport to Tequila Jalisco: $89
- Transfer by car to or from Guadalajara Airport: $35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Double ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $289
- Transfer in Puerto Rico with Minivan from Airport: $280
- Transfer SJU Airport to Ponce and Juana Diaz. Hotels and Airbnb Vice Versa 1 Way: $260
- Carabali Rain Forest Round Trip Private Taxi Transfer: $200
- Single ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $195
- Private Airport Transfers to Ceiba Ferry Terminal and Airport: $155
- Transfer SJU Airport to Dorado. Hotels and Airbnb. Vice Versa One Way Trip.: $140
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, 16Pax Mercedes Van, Select Zone: $130
- Transfer from San Juan to Ponce or Ponce to San Juan: $125
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 14Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $124
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $120
- Arrival Private Transfer SJU Airport to Old San Juan by Sedan: $120
Is it cheaper to fly into Guadalajara or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan and Guadalajara 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 dayGuadalajara $75San Juan $62
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guadalajara
For Guadalajara, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Street Food Tour and City Tour Guadalajara - Best Rated : $44
- Guadalajara Private Food Tour: $70
- Authentic Mexican Cooking & Tequila tasting experience-Casa Humo: $108
- Mexican Cooking Classes and Market Visit in Guadalajara: $195
- VIP Tequila Night Tour with Dinner and Tasting: $199
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $165
- FlyDining: Sunset & City Lights Dinner Over Old San Juan: $165
- Morning Old San Juan Food Tour: $169
- Cooking and Connecting with a Local in Puerto Rico: $173
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walking Food Tour: $179
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Guadalajara $25San Juan $49
Tours and Activities in Guadalajara
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Guadalajara.
- Walking Tour Experience in Ajijic Mexico: $50
- 3 Hours Private Tour Guide in Guadalajara, you choose!: $36
- A unique tour! Visiting Hacienda Casa herradura From Guadalajara: $120
- Architecture of Luis Barragan Walking Tour with Street Food: $70
- Bar Tour of the Coolest Quarter of Guadalajara: $17
- Cantaritos and Tequila Factory Tour: $89
- Chapala Ajijic Area Tour from Guadalajara: $40
- Chapala Lake & Ajijic Tour with "Tres Potrillos Ranch": $65
- Chapala and Ajijic Private Full-Day Tour: $128
- Charreria heritage tour be a charro for a day: $50
- City Tour Downtown Guadalajara Historical and Cultural Walking Tour: $79
- City tour in Guadalajara and Tlaquepaque: $90
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- Culebra Swim with Turtles Adventure and Flamenco Beach by Ferry: $130
- El Yunque Rainforest Tour Half Day Earlybird/ Small Groups: $85
- Full-Day Tour: El Yunque, Luquillo Beach, Bio Bay Night Kayaking: $155
- Puerto Rican Food Experience: $99
- "Exclusive Tour": VIP Rum Tasting at San Juan Artisan Distillers: $150
- "Yo Soy de PfknR" Bad Bunny Party Bus Experience: $145
- 1 Hour Historical UTV Tour in San Juan: $200
- 2 Tours in 1 Day: Rainforest Waterslides & Beach Tour w/Transport: $60
- 3 Tours in 1 Day: Old San Juan, Rainforest, Beach with Transport: $75
- 30-Minute Freestyle Jet Ski Adventure in the Bay: $100
- ATV Double Rider Adventure Near San Juan - Hacienda Campo Rico: $221
- ATV Single Rider Adventure Near San Juan - Hacienda Campo Rico: $149
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGuadalajara $16San Juan $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Guadalajara
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Guadalajara:
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Guadalajara Mexico: $25
- Tequila distillery experience, Jose Cuervo & Tequila Magic Town: $65
- full day Tequila tour visiting artisanal distillery and downtown.: $95
- Guided Tour of Guachimontones and Tequila Distillery: $105
- Full-Day Tour to La Fortaleza Distillery and Cantaritos: $155
- Private Adventure Day Tour to Tequila and Cazcanes Distillery: $156
- Private Adventure to El Tequileño Distillery and visit to Tequila: $161
- Private One Day Adventure Tour in Tequila and La Fortaleza Distillery: $167
- Private Tour Cascahuin Distillery and visit to Tequila: $190
- Private Tour to El Tequileño Distillery and visit to Tequila: $190
- Private Tour one day in Guachimontones and La Fortaleza Distillery: $211
- Guachimontones and Tequila Distillery in One Day: $264
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- The Pinones Pub crawl Bar crawl : $70
- Local Puerto Rican Rum Distillery Tour - Ron Pepon: $90
- Puerto Rico's First and Only Craft Beer Brewery Tour! : $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Guadalajara and San Juan, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is Guadalajara much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Guadalajara is in North America and San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Guadalajara would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guadalajara 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan than you might in Guadalajara.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Guadalajara Expensive? and Is San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Guadalajara or San Juan?
Guadalajara has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of Guadalajara and San Juan, 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.