Which place is cheaper, Granada or San Cristobal de Las Casas?
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 San Cristobal de Las Casas or Granada?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit San Cristobal de Las Casas or Granada? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: San Cristobal de Las Casas or Granada?
San Cristobal de Las Casas
Far away from the luxuries of Cancun and Cabo, Mexico's San Cristobal de las Casas is a stunning colonial city located in the southern state of Chiapas. Due to its strategic location, the town is commonly used as a transfer point for travelers looking to cross the border between Guatemala and Mexico. San Cristobal also has an immensely strong appeal among budget-minded travelers as it's one of Mexico's most affordable cities.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, and The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua.
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San Cristobal de Las Casas Prices
Mexico PricesGranada Prices
Nicaragua Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Cristobal de Las Casas $107Granada $50
The average daily cost (per person) in San Cristobal de Las Casas is $107, while the average daily cost in Granada is $50. 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 San Cristobal de Las Casas and Granada in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Cristobal de Las Casas $42Granada $17
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Cristobal de Las Casas $84Granada $34
Compare Hotels in San Cristobal de Las Casas and Granada
Looking for a hotel in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Granada? 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: San Cristobal de Las Casas Hotel Prices and Granada Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Cristobal de Las Casas $29Granada $8.54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Cristobal de Las Casas
Also for San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer Hotel in San Cristobal de las Casas to TGZ Airport: $53
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
Is it cheaper to fly into San Cristobal de Las Casas or Granada?
Prices for flights to both Granada and San Cristobal de Las Casas 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 daySan Cristobal de Las Casas $37Granada $24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Cristobal de Las Casas
For San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- City Tour with Dinner Pizza and Wine: $71
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.San Cristobal de Las Casas $13Granada $10
Tours and Activities in San Cristobal de Las Casas
For San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Rancho Nuevo Caves and Arcotete Ecotourism Center: $23
- Tour of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan: $28
- Tour to San Juan Chamula & Zinacantan Indian communities: $35
- Adventure through the Grottos del Arcotete, and Rancho Nuevo: $39
- Tour Sumidero Canyon and Magic Town of Chiapa de Corzo: $42
- Adventure to the Sumidero Canyon Viewpoints and Chiapa de Corzo: $42
- Maya Cultural Tour From San Cristobal: Chamula, Zinacantan: $45
- Private Tour in San Cristobal de las Casas: $48
- Montebello Lakes and Chiflon Waterfalls Tour: $48
- Tour to the Viewpoints, Sumidero Canyon and Chiapa de Corzo: $50
- Tour to the Chiflón Waterfalls and Montebello Lagoons: $50
- Sink Canyon and Chiapa de Corzo Tour : $50
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Cristobal de Las Casas $27Granada $7.48
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Cristobal de Las Casas and Granada, we can see that San Cristobal de Las Casas is more expensive. And not only is Granada much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Cristobal de Las Casas is in North America and Granada is in Central 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 Granada would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Granada 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 Cristobal de Las Casas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Cristobal de Las Casas than you might in Granada.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Cristobal de Las Casas Expensive? and Is Granada Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Cristobal de Las Casas or Granada?
San Cristobal de Las Casas has a larger population, and is about 44% larger than the population of Granada. When comparing the sizes of San Cristobal de Las Casas and Granada, 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.