Which place is cheaper, Charleston or Ponce?
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 Ponce or Charleston?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Ponce and Charleston 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: Ponce or Charleston?
Ponce
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
Charleston
Charleston is a beautiful, southern city and seaport town in South Carolina. It has a wonderful, historic downtown area that the city government works hard to maintain. Located on a peninsula that is created by two rivers, the city is a stunning setting with much character. It is a popular place to visit for its culture, architecture and cuisine. In recent years Charleston has gained popularity and it continues to grow as both a regional and international travel destination. With its rising popularity comes increasing costs. Travel costs continue to go up as restaurants and hotels raise their prices, particularly during the peak travel season and holiday periods.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United States of America.
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Ponce Prices
Puerto Rico PricesCharleston Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPonce $230Charleston $212
The average daily cost (per person) in Ponce is $230, while the average daily cost in Charleston is $212. 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 Ponce and Charleston in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPonce $151Charleston $90
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPonce $302Charleston $180
Compare Hotels in Ponce and Charleston
Looking for a hotel in Ponce or Charleston? 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: Charleston Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ponce $10Charleston $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
- San Juan Departure Share Transfer: $27
- Isabela / Hatillo to Aguadilla Airport(BQN) - DepartureTransfer: $44
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- San Juan PR Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Transfer: $46
- Private Transfers from SJU Airport to Isla Verde, Condado or San Juan área : $60
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
- Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87
- Rio Grande hotel to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $109
- Vega Baja to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $170
- Transfer SJU Airport to Humacao and Nagüabo. Vice Versa One Way Trip: $185
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Charleston
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Charleston:
- From Boone Hall Plantation Entry with Transfers: $71
- One Way Airport Transfer Service: $80
- Private Transfer from Charleston City to Charleston Cruise Port: $125
- Private Transfer from Charleston Port to Charleston Airport (CHS): $134
- Private Transfer from Charleston Airport (CHS) to Charleston Port: $134
- Charleston city to Charleston Airport (CHS) - Departure Private Transfer: $134
- Isle of Palms/Sullivans to Charleston AirportCHS Private Transfer: $147
- Folly Beach to Charleston Airport (CHS) - Departure Private Transfer: $147
- Kiawah/Seabrook Islands to Charleston Airport (CHS) – Departure Private Transfer: $208
- Charleston Airport (CHS) to Charleston city - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $268
- Charleston Airport (CHS) to Folly Beach - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $294
- Charleston AirportCHS to Isle of Palms/Sullivans Private Transfer: $294
Is it cheaper to fly into Ponce or Charleston?
Prices for flights to both Charleston and Ponce 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 dayPonce $61Charleston $100
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.
- Latin Night with Dinner and Local Music with Transportation: $59
- Puerto Rico Art and Wine Dinner with One Way Transportation: $89
- Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
- Private Half-Day Island Authentic Food Tour : $130
Typical Food Prices in Charleston
Some typical examples of dining costs in Charleston are as follows:
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Lunch in downtown Charleston for two$21
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Breakfast$26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Charleston
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Charleston.
- Charleston Sunset Blues & BBQ Dinner Cruise: $72
- Hands-on Cooking Class in Charleston: $89
- Tastes Through Time - Charleston's Best Food Tour!: $96
- Charleston Harbor Luxury Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $100
- Tastes Through Time - Charleston's Best Food Tour: $109
- Charleston Brunch Food Tour: Biscuits, Shrimps, Grits and More: $110
- Charleston French Quarter or Brunch Food Tour with 7+ Tastings: $110
- Downtown Charleston Food Tour: $110
- Charleston's Savor the Flavors of Upper King Street Walking Food Tour: $111
- Savor the Flavors Upper King Street Food Tour: $111
- Small Group Food Tour – Savor the Flavors: $111
- Luxury Harbor Dinner Cruise: $111
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ponce $56Charleston $22
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
- Private Sunset Walking Tour in San Juan: $25
- Guided Walking Tour in Ponce: $30
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- La Perla Cultural Tour: $35
- Prive Tours in Puerto Rico: $40
- Las Tinajas Waterfall: Guided Short Hike Adventure from Fajardo: $55
- Walking Guided Tour of History and Myths of Old San Juan : $60
- 2.5-Hour Historical Walking Tour of Old San Juan: $65
- Half-Day El Yunque Rainforest Tour from Fajardo: $65
- Half-Day Small-Group River Experience in El Yunque with Local : $68
- El Yunque Rainforest, Waterslides & Beach Tour from San Juan: $75
- Party Bus Experience in San Juan, Puerto Rico: $79
Typical Entertainment Prices in Charleston
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Charleston are as follows:
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Patriots Point (for 2)$60
Tours and Activities in Charleston
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Charleston are as follows:
- Charleston Self-Guided Ghost Tour in 12 Languages: $5.00
- Charleston's Haunted Ghost Tour - Solo Smart Phone Guided Tour: $6.75
- Charleston Historic Downtown Exploration Game and Tour: $7.16
- Charleston Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $7.78
- Charleston Self Guided Audio Experience: $9.00
- Self-Guided "The French Quarter Charleston" Solo Walking Tour: $9.75
- Charleston Self Guided Walking Tour: $9.75
- Window into American History: A Self-guided Charleston Audio Tour: $9.99
- Charleston Self Guided Ghost Tour in 12 Languages: $10
- Charleston Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $13
- 300 Years of War and Peacetime in A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- South Carolina Audio Tour: Charleston Audio Tour Adventure: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPonce $16Charleston $36
Sample the Local Flavors in Ponce
Also in Ponce, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Artisan Puertorrican Winery and Distillery Tour: $50
Sample the Local Flavors in Charleston
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Charleston:
- Charleston Bar Hunt: Charleston Chase Bar Crawl: $13
- Striped Pig Distillery Tour and Tasting: $22
- Charleston’s Spirits & Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
- Spirits & Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl: $29
- Charleston Women and Wine Tour: $34
- Women and Wine Tour: $34
- Charleston Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
- Bay Street Bastards Pub Crawl: $35
- Haunted Pub Crawl for the Broken-Hearted: $35
- Bay Street Bastards Pub Crawl Shared Tour in Charleston : $35
- Haunted Pub Crawl for the Broken-Hearted: $35
- Speakeasy Sagas Prohibition Pub Crawl: $35
When comparing the travel costs between Ponce and Charleston, we can see that Ponce 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 Ponce is in Caribbean Islands and Charleston is in North 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 Ponce Expensive? and Is Charleston Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ponce or Charleston?
Ponce has a larger population, and is about 58% larger than the population of Charleston. When comparing the sizes of Ponce and Charleston, 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.
When is the best time to visit Ponce or Charleston?
Charleston has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Ponce experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Ponce or Charleston in the Summer?
Both Charleston and Ponce are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Ponce throughout the year. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Charleston because of the beaches, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Ponce is around the same temperature as Charleston. Typically, the summer temperatures in Ponce in July average around 28°C (83°F), and Charleston averages at about 82°F (28°C).
It's quite sunny in Charleston. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Ponce. Ponce usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Charleston during summer. Ponce gets 287 hours of sunny skies, while Charleston receives 293 hours of full sun in the summer.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Charleston. In July, Ponce usually receives less rain than Charleston. Ponce gets 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Charleston receives 6.9 inches (176 mm) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyPonce 28°C (83°F)Charleston 82°F (28°C)
Should I visit Ponce or Charleston in the Autumn?
Both Charleston and Ponce during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Ponce because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Furthermore, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Charleston this time of year.
In October, Ponce is generally a little warmer than Charleston. Daily temperatures in Ponce average around 28°C (82°F), and Charleston fluctuates around 67°F (19°C).
It's quite sunny in Ponce. In the autumn, Ponce often gets more sunshine than Charleston. Ponce gets 235 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Charleston receives 197 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Ponce. Ponce usually gets more rain in October than Charleston. Ponce gets 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain, while Charleston receives 2.9 inches (74 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberPonce 28°C (82°F)Charleston 67°F (19°C)
Should I visit Ponce or Charleston in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Ponce and Charleston. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Ponce year-round. Furthermore, many travelers come to Charleston for the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Ponce is much warmer than Charleston in the winter. The daily temperature in Ponce averages around 25°C (77°F) in January, and Charleston fluctuates around 47°F (9°C).
In Ponce, it's very sunny this time of the year. Ponce usually receives more sunshine than Charleston during winter. Ponce gets 240 hours of sunny skies, while Charleston receives 188 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Ponce usually receives less rain than Charleston. Ponce gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Charleston receives 3.3 inches (85 mm) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryPonce 25°C (77°F)Charleston 47°F (9°C)
Should I visit Ponce or Charleston in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Ponce as well as Charleston. Ponce attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Additionally, many visitors come to Charleston in the spring for the beaches and the natural beauty.
In the spring, Ponce is a little warmer than Charleston. Typically, the spring temperatures in Ponce in April average around 26°C (79°F), and Charleston averages at about 64°F (18°C).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Charleston. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Ponce this time of the year. In the spring, Ponce often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Charleston. Ponce gets 272 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Charleston receives 275 hours of full sun.
Ponce usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Charleston. Ponce gets 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain, while Charleston receives 2.7 inches (69 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilPonce 26°C (79°F)Charleston 64°F (18°C)
Typical Weather for Charleston and Ponce
| Ponce | Charleston | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 25°C (77°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 47°F (9°C) | 3.3 inches (85 mm) |
| Feb | 25°C (77°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 50°F (10°C) | 3.3 inches (85 mm) |
| Mar | 26°C (78°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 58°F (14°C) | 4.3 inches (110 mm) |
| Apr | 26°C (79°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 64°F (18°C) | 2.7 inches (69 mm) |
| May | 27°C (81°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) | 72°F (22°C) | 4.2 inches (106 mm) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) | 78°F (26°C) | 6.4 inches (163 mm) |
| Jul | 28°C (83°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) | 82°F (28°C) | 6.9 inches (176 mm) |
| Aug | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 81°F (27°C) | 7.1 inches (181 mm) |
| Sep | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 76°F (25°C) | 4.8 inches (121 mm) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) | 67°F (19°C) | 2.9 inches (74 mm) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) | 58°F (15°C) | 2.5 inches (63 mm) |
| Dec | 26°C (78°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 51°F (10°C) | 3.1 inches (78 mm) |
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.