Which place is cheaper, Bonaire or San Diego?
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 Diego or Bonaire?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for San Diego and Bonaire. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: San Diego or Bonaire?
San Diego
For many visitors and locals alike, San Diego is a paradise. Located in southern California, not far from Los Angeles, it has the perfect climate, wonderful beaches, and a culturally rich environment. It's surrounded by beautiful landscape and has a strong focus on wildlife conservation and eco-friendly living. Home to about 1.3 million residents, it is California's second largest city. It also has many universities, a large tech industry, and a thriving economy. Despite its size, many people perceive San Diego as a slower, more relaxed city with a pleasant vibe away from the chaos of a large city.
Bonaire
An island municipality of the Netherlands, Bonaire resides in the Caribbean, east of Central America and north of Venezuela. It is a part of the ABC Islands together with Aruba and Curaçao, and is best known as a tropical vacation destination with many great dive spots, beaches, lagoons, and wildlife.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to United States of America, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas.
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San Diego Prices
USA PricesBonaire Prices
Caribbean Netherlands Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Diego $233Bonaire $299
The average daily cost (per person) in San Diego is $233, while the average daily cost in Bonaire is $299. 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 Diego and Bonaire in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Diego $115Bonaire $155
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Diego $230Bonaire $310
Compare Hotels in San Diego and Bonaire
Looking for a hotel in San Diego or Bonaire? 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 Diego Hotel Prices and Bonaire Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Diego $23Bonaire $65
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Diego
Also for San Diego, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer to Tijuana Airport (TIJ): $39
- Private Transfer from Tijuana Airport (TIJ): $39
- San Diego Airport (SAN) to Carlsbad, CA - Arrival Private Transfer: $66
- San Diego Airport (SAN) to San Marcos, CA - Arrival Private Transfer: $66
- San Marcos, CA to San Diego Airport (SAN) - Departure Private Transfer: $66
- San Diego Airport (SAN) to Hot Springs/Ocotillo, CA - Arrival Private Transfer: $66
- One Way Airport Hotel Shuttle Transfer: $68
- Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) to Tijuana hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $70
- Tijuana to Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) – Departure Private Transfer: $70
- Private Transfer from San Diego City Hotels to San Diego Port : $71
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Tijuana Airport (TIJ): $77
- Private Transfer from San Diego (SAN) Airport to San Diego City: $88
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bonaire
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bonaire:
- Airport Transfer Return Included: $80
- Private Transfer from Kralendijk Port to Bonaire Airport (BON): $59
- Private Transfer from Kralendijk Cruise Port to Kralendijk city : $59
- Private Transfers between Bonaire airport and any local address : $40
Is it cheaper to fly into San Diego or Bonaire?
Prices for flights to both Bonaire and San Diego 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 Diego $77Bonaire $101
Typical Food Prices in San Diego
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to San Diego:
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Mexican Lunch for Two$27
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Breakfast at Starbucks$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Diego
For San Diego, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 2-Hour Ravioli Cooking Class With Local Chef: $75
- 2 Hour Ravioli Cooking Class With Local Chef in San Diego : $75
- 2-Hour Pasta Cooking Class at a Local Brewery: $75
- Pizza and Ice Cream Walking Tour: $80
- Old Town Tequila and Tacos Walking Food Tour: $84
- San Diego Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour with Tastings: $85
- North Park San Diego Walking Food Tour: $85
- Vegan Food Tour: $89
- Gaslamp Quarter Food Tour: $89
- Little Italy Food and Drink Walking Tour: Pizza, Pasta & Piazzas: $90
- Christmas Day Buffet Brunch or Dinner Cruise: $95
- Christmas Eve Buffet Brunch or Dinner Cruise: $95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bonaire
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bonaire.
- Dinner at Sea: $95
- Discover the Flavors of Bonaire with the Bonaire Snack Food Tour: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Diego $48Bonaire $40
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Diego
For San Diego, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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San Diego Zoo$15
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Sea World Parking$12
Tours and Activities in San Diego
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Diego.
- Self-guided Bike Tour App - Audio + Written: $5.00
- Self-Guided San Diego Walking or Bicycle Tour App: $5.00
- Pies & Pickaxes: A Historic Walking Tour of Julian, CA: $7.99
- Tijuana Downtown Self Guided Walking Tour: $9.75
- A Seaside Stroll: La Jolla's Hidden Treasures Self-Guided Tour: $9.99
- Discover San Diego’s Little Italy on a Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
- Sights of San Diego Harbor: a Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $11
- San Diego Natural History Museum Ticket: $12
- Whaley House Museum Self-Guided Tour: $14
- Scavenger Hunt Adventure in San Diego by Zombie Scavengers: $20
- Private Walking Tour and Gaslamp Adventure in San Diego: $20
- Ultimate La Jolla Self-Guided Driving & Walking Audio Tour Bundle: $21
Tours and Activities in Bonaire
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bonaire are as follows:
- 2 Hours Private Kitesurfing Adventure: $265
- 4 Hours Open Air Party Bus Tour with Beach Stop in Caribbean: $39
- 4 hour Individual Island Tour for 1 to 12 persons: $180
- Aquaspace Sunset Sail and Snorkel Tour on Bonaire with Diner: $130
- Bonaire Cave Tour: Walk, Climb & Swim: $75
- Bonaire CaveTour Climb, Snorkel & Explore the Hidden Gems : $83
- Bonaire Essentials Island Tour: $49
- Bonaire Landsailing Adventures: $79
- Bonaire Shore Excursion: The Bonaire Highlights Tour: $83
- Bonaire island adventure: $110
- Discover Scuba Diving Experience: $164
- North & South Highlights Guided Group Tour: $100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Diego $21Bonaire $33
Sample the Local Flavors in San Diego
Also in San Diego, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt: Slammin' San Diego Bar Crawl: $13
- Downtown Bar Crawl Party Pass: $25
- History Tour Pub Crawl of Famous Gaslamp Quarter: $30
- Hillcrest: LGBTQ+ Pub Crawl with Local Drag Queen: $35
- Hillcrest Drag Queen 5 Bar Crawl with Shots: $45
- Brewery Tour with Tastings and Food Pairings: $85
- $99 Valle de Guadalupe Wine Tours - DayTrip to baja from San Diego: $123
- Little Italy Wine Tasting Walking Tour: $125
- Cruise & Booze Brewery tours : $149
- Baja Tour Guide wine tour: $169
- Valle de Guadalupe Wine Tour: $249
- Luxury Private Wine Tasting Tour to Guadalupe Valley from San Diego: $269
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Diego and Bonaire, we can see that Bonaire is more expensive. And not only is San Diego much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Diego is in North America and Bonaire 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 San Diego would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Diego 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 Bonaire would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bonaire than you might in San Diego.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Diego Expensive? and Is Bonaire Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Diego or Bonaire?
San Diego has a larger population, and is about 90 times larger than the population of Bonaire. When comparing the sizes of San Diego and Bonaire, 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.