A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Merida vs. Boise for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Merida or Boise?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Merida or Boise, 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.

Merida

Merida is a traditional, colonial, and historical city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums. See Merida travel costs.

Boise

Boise is a authentic, friendly, and welcoming city. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and shopping. See Boise travel costs.

Merida and Boise: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Merida or Boise?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Merida than Boise. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Merida is more touristy than Boise and is known for its vibrant plazas, long running history, and colonial architecture. It is also well known for Grand Plaza. Boise is famous for its many outdoor and recreational activities.

How is Merida different from Boise?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Boise and Merida. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Merida or Boise?

Merida is an excellent place to visit for its museums and history. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

Merida offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. The city is filled with culture and traditional heritage, and there are many museums and architectural landmarks that will educate and inform visitors on the area. Gran Museo del Mundo Maya is a highlight for many visitors. It's also worth visiting Museo Casa Montejo and Museo Palacio Canton. If you want to visit ruins, then the Dzibilchaltun Mayan Ruins are about 45 minutes outside of town.

Boise is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. As the state capital, there's a nice selection of local museums around town. Favorites include the Boise Art Museum, the Basque Museum & Cultural Center, the Idaho Black History Museum, and Discovery Center.

Is the Food Better in Merida or Boise? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Merida is an excellent place to visit for its restaurants. However, Boise is lacking in options for its restaurant scene.

Merida has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. It's a top foodie destination in the Yucatan region and visitors will enjoy the many local restaurants and diverse local dishes that are influenced by the Mayan, Spanish, and Caribbean cultures. The most well known local dish is cochinita pibil, which is marinated pork shoulder. Other popular dishes include sopa de lima (lime soup), papadzules (enchiladas with pumpkin seed sauce), and relleno negro (a local stew).

Boise offers some easy restaurants to choose from. While Idaho has long been associated with the potato, the locals usually think of "finger steaks" when describing local food. These are deep-friend beef strips that are as good as they sound.

Is Merida or Boise Better for Nightlife?

Merida is an excellent place to visit for its evening party scene. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife.

Merida has a lively atmosphere and nightlife is popular here. Most tourists take advantage of the nightlife scene in the city's downtown area, while locals congregate in the northern part of town. The city has bars, theaters, night clubs, and live music that keeps the energy high late into the night.

Boise has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. In downtown Boise you'll find a selection of bars, lounges, and breweries. There's enough around town to keep the nightlife scene interesting.

Is Merida or Boise Better for its Old Town?

Merida is an excellent place to visit for its historic old town charm. However, Boise does not have a historic old town.

Many visitors explore the old town while visiting Merida. Centered around the city's Grand Plaza, the old town is filled with colonial architecture and colorful buildings. The Catedral de San Ildefonso was the first cathedral built in the Americas. There are also monuments and examples of Mayan art and culture.

Boise does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Merida or Boise?

Merida is an excellent place to visit for its shopping areas. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Merida. There are colorful markets that are filled with artisan crafts and traditional clothing. Visitors enjoy discovering the unique vendors and picking up souvenirs that are unique to the area.

Boise is a great destination for shopping. You'll find a mix of local boutiques, independent vendors, and suburban shopping centers where you'll find anything that you might need.

Is Merida or Boise Better for Families?

Merida is a popular place for its kid-friendly activities. However, Boise is lacking in options for its family-friendly activities.

Merida is a family-friendly city. The weekend is the best time to visit the city, as this is when there are the most activities. There are live performances that educate visitors on Mayan traditions. There are also historic museums, bike-friendly streets, and a vibrant central market.

Boise doesn't usually come to mind when thinking about kid-friendly destinations. You'll find parks, playgrounds, and the Discovery Center which will help keep kids entertained.

Is Merida or Boise Better for Couples?

Merida is a popular place for couples. However, Boise is lacking in options for romance.

Merida is a good city for couples to visit. If you're interested in Mayan culture and history, then this is a wonderful destination. There are also romantic hotels, excellent restaurants, and plenty of fascinating activities that couples will enjoy.

Boise is not the best destination for a couple to visit. Date night activities include dining at a nice restaurants and seeing a show at the theater.

Is Merida or Boise Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Merida is an excellent place to visit for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Boise is lacking in options for backpackers.

Plenty of budget travelers and backpackers visit Merida. It's a relatively large city with a number of hostels and budget hotels, so backpackers will have no problem finding a place to stay.

Boise is not the best destination for backpackers and budget travelers due to its high prices. Backpackers rarely make their way to this town.

Is Merida or Boise Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Merida is a popular place for times when you don't have a car. However, Boise is lacking in options for its public transit.

Merida has some public transit options. While there are local bus routes, they can be a bit challenging to figure out when you first arrive.

Public transit is generally limited in Boise. There are infrequent buses around town, but visitors usually have a car to get around town efficiently.

Is Merida or Boise a more walkable city?

Merida is an excellent place to visit for its ease of walking around. However, Boise is lacking in options for its walkability.

Merida is a very walkable destination. It's a very walkable city and most visitors don't have a car.

Boise is generally not very walkable. There are a couple of walkable neighborhoods but, in general, the town isn't very walkable.

For even more information, also check out Is Merida Worth Visiting? and Is Boise Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Boise or Merida?

How long in Merida or Boise?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Merida or Boise to fill your time. In our opinion, Merida has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Merida than Boise. However, 1-2 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

Families should spend more time in Merida than Boise. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Merida, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Merida than Boise. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Merida that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Merida than Boise if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Merida.

One day in Merida or Boise?

In Merida, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this historical destination offers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Because of this, one day is usually enough time for a trip here.

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the destination of Boise. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

A weekend in Merida or Boise?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Merida. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Boise is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Merida or Boise?

Merida is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the destination of Merida. Visiting the old town is also a must. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Boise. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Merida or Boise?

You'll find food and shopping around the traditional destination of Merida. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the welcoming destination of Boise. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, The Best Camping Tours in United States of America, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in United States of America.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Merida or Boise?

Merida has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Boise. When comparing the sizes of Merida and Boise, 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.