A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Leon vs. Cajamarca for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Leon or Cajamarca?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Leon and Cajamarca can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Leon or Cajamarca?

Leon

Leon is one of the oldest city's in Nicaragua and you can see hints of its colonial past in the architecture around town. Tourism is not a major part of the economy in Leon, but the city is gaining popularity with budget travelers and backpackers and more recently tour groups are including Leon in their itinerary.

With a population of just over 200,000, Leon is the second largest city in Nicaragua, after Managua. During the university season the population grows dramatically as there is a heavy presence of students in Leon. It is a popular university town, and this young population gives the city plenty of energy and entertainment.

Cajamarca

Located in the northern highlands of Peru, Cajamarca is a town of about 100,000 people. The city's mild weather and fertile soil is ideal for agriculture, which is a major industry in the area. The city is also well known for its cheeses and dairy products. Cajamarca is the site of the Battle of Cajamarca which led to the execution of the Inca emperor Atahualpa and the end of the infamous Inca empire. Today, the area is appealing to visitors in part because of its lovely churches, nice hot springs, and interesting Inca Baths.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Cajamarca or Leon?

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 Leon is $68, while the average daily cost in Cajamarca is $95. 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 Leon and Cajamarca in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Leon $16
    Cajamarca $26
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Leon $32
    Cajamarca $52
Compare Hotels in Leon and Cajamarca

Looking for a hotel in Leon or Cajamarca? 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 Leon


Hotels in Cajamarca


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Leon $1.50
    Cajamarca $18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Leon

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Leon:

  • From Granada: One way shared transfer to San Jorge: $39
  • San Juan del Sur: One way shared transfer to Leon: $57
  • From San Jorge: One way shared transfer to Leon: $57
  • One way shared transfer to San Juan del Sur: $57

Is it cheaper to fly into Leon or Cajamarca?

Prices for flights to both Cajamarca and Leon 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
    Leon $21
    Cajamarca $52

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Leon

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Leon.

  • Tlakualli Food Tour: $25
  • Cooking Workshop in Nicaragua: $25
  • Nicaraguan Food Cooking Workshop & Market Tour: $40
  • Cooking Class Private Tour: $55
  • Nicaraguan Cooking Class with a Local Family at Leon City: $60
  • Leon City: Cooking Class: $60

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Leon $5.80
    Cajamarca $28

Tours and Activities in Leon

Here are a few actual costs in Leon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Leon city: Walking tour by our landmarks.: $15
  • Leon Colonial City Tour: $39
  • Colonial City Tour: $39
  • Leon City Walking Private Tour : $48
  • Half Day Tour of Cerro Negro's Volcano Boarding: $49
  • Volcano Board Adventure on Cerro Negro: $65
  • Hike El Hoyo Volcano "Private Tour" : $67
  • La Camellada Tour, Hiking and Swimming: $70
  • Volcano Boarding Private Tour : $84
  • Volcano Sandboarding Private Experience in Leon: $89
  • Momotombo Volcano Tour with Local Guide: $90
  • Kayak Private tour at Juan Venado Island: $92

Tours and Activities in Cajamarca

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

  • Tour to the Pre Inca Otuzco Necropolis, Botanical Garden and Hacienda: $28
  • From Porcón Farm and Huambocancha Workshops Tour: $28
  • Namora Valley Tour + Guitar Workshop & San Nicolas Lagoon: $28
  • La Colpa, Llacanora & Baños del Inca Tour: $34
  • Tour to Hacienda La Colpa and Baños del Inca: $35
  • Pocon and Otuzco farm tour: $39
  • Tour of the Cajamarca Valley - San Nicolas Lagoon: $40
  • Cajamarca in its Splendor: San Nicolas Lagoon Tour: $40
  • Cajamarca Valley Tour – San Nicolas Lagoon: $40
  • || Tour of the Cajamarca Valley - San Nicolás lagoon ||: $45
  • From City Tour Cajamarca: $47
  • Guided tour of the city + pick-up: $48

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Leon $3.52
    Cajamarca $17


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Leon and Cajamarca, we can see that Cajamarca is more expensive. And not only is Leon much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Leon is in Central America and Cajamarca is in South 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 Leon would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Leon 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 Cajamarca would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cajamarca than you might in Leon.

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


Which is Bigger, Leon or Cajamarca?

Leon has a larger population, and is about 7% larger than the population of Cajamarca. When comparing the sizes of Leon and Cajamarca, 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.