Which place is cheaper, Calgary or San Juan?
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 Juan or Calgary?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit San Juan or Calgary? 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 Juan or Calgary?
San Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
Calgary
Calgary is the largest city in Alberta and, located at the edge of the prairie and foothills, it is a gateway to the Rocky Mountains. If you're headed to Banff or Jasper, this is likely to be your first stop. It's also Canada's fourth largest city and worth a few days visit. Calgary's economy is diverse, but includes energy, financial services, film and television, transportation, technology, manufacturing, and much more.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Canada.
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San Juan Prices
Puerto Rico PricesCalgary Prices
Canada Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Juan $218Calgary $177
The average daily cost (per person) in San Juan is $218, while the average daily cost in Calgary is $177. 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 Juan and Calgary in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Juan $124Calgary $73
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Juan $248Calgary $146
Compare Hotels in San Juan and Calgary
Looking for a hotel in San Juan or Calgary? 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 Juan Hotel Prices and Calgary Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Juan $14Calgary $12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer to Cruise Ships, Hotels, Airbnb in San Juan: $76
- Arrival Private Transfer SJU Airport to Old San Juan by Sedan: $120
- Carabali Rain Forest Round Trip Private Taxi Transfer: $200
- Departure Transfer from Old San Juan to to SJU Airport by Car: $86
- Double ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $289
- Premium Transfer in Airport, Hotel, Airbnb, Cruise: $25
- Private Airport Transfers to Ceiba Ferry Terminal and Airport: $155
- Private Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to San Juan Airport: $22
- Private Transfer Puerto Rico:To or From Airports, Hotels &Cruises: $33
- Private Transfer from SJU Airport to Cruise Port Roundtrip Servic: $109
- Private Transfer from SJU Airport to San Juan / Rio Grande: $115
- Private Transfer from or to San Juan and Ceiba Ferry: $93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Calgary
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Calgary:
- Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Vancouver: $2,153
- Banff, Lake Louise, or Jasper Shuttle Transfer: $1,256
- Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Jasper: $861
- Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Fernie, BC: $517
- Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Edmonton: $502
- Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Golden BC: $502
- Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Lake Louis: $359
- Black Car Airport Transfers in Bow Valley: $295
- Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Red Deer: $251
- Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Kananaskis: $222
- Calgary Airport: Private Transfer to Drumheller: $215
- Calgary YYC Airport to Banff Canmore Private Transfer: $215
Is it cheaper to fly into San Juan or Calgary?
Prices for flights to both Calgary and San Juan 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 Juan $62Calgary $54
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $165
- FlyDining: Sunset & City Lights Dinner Over Old San Juan: $165
- Morning Old San Juan Food Tour: $169
- Cooking and Connecting with a Local in Puerto Rico: $173
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walking Food Tour: $179
Typical Food Prices in Calgary
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Calgary:
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Bread, Chips, Cheese$8.10
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Calgary
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Calgary.
- Sushi Cooking Class at a Local Distillery in Calgary: $63
- Pasta Cooking Class at a Local Distillery in Calgary: $63
- Light Brunch & Food Tour at Calgary Farmers' Market WEST: $80
- Iconic Eats of Calgary Food Tour: $127
- Iconic Eats of Calgary Food Tour: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Juan $49Calgary $15
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- Transportation in San Juan, Isla verde, Condado, Hotels, Cruises & Airbnb's SJU: $14
- San Juan Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $17
- Eco Friendly Farming Tour to Explore Dorado's Most Beautiful Farm: $20
- Discover Superb Self-Guided Audio Tour: $20
- Group Transportation in airport, cruise ships, hotels, bnb's in San Juan, PR: $23
- Old San Juan Walking Tour with a Local Certified Guide: $25
- San Juan Ghost Tour: Shrieks in the Sugarcane: $32
- Old San Juan Walking Tour: $39
- Old San Juan City Walking Tour: $39
- Historic Old San Juan Sunset Walking Tour: $39
- Top Rated El Yunque Rainforest & Waterslide – VIP SmallGroup Tour: $45
- Ron del Barrilito Heritage Skip-the-Line Tour: $46
Typical Entertainment Prices in Calgary
Here are a few typical costs in Calgary for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Stampede Admission (for 2)$22
Tours and Activities in Calgary
Here are a few actual costs in Calgary for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day of Drumheller Dinosaurs and Badlands Guided Group Tour : $132
- 1 Day of Drumheller Dinosaurs and Badlands in Private Custom Tour: $88
- 2-Day Lake Louise, Moraine Lake & Columbia Icefield Rockies Tour: $80
- 3 Day Banff Moraine Lake Louise Johnston Columbia Icefield Tour : $241
- 6-Hour Private City Tour Drive to Calgary Tower: $682
- Airport Pickup & Private Tour from Calgary to The Rockies!: $257
- Badlands Tour: Drumheller with Museum, Hoodoos & Coal Mine: $121
- Banff Explorer™ Private Tour with Moraine Lake & Lake Louise: $537
- Banff Gondola Hot Springs Bow Falls and Three Lakes tour: $73
- Banff Gondola Upper Hot Springs & Top 3 Lakes Tour from Calgary: $88
- Banff Johnston Canyon and Banff Gondola 1 Day Tour from Calgary: $118
- Banff Lake Louise Moraine & Emerald Lake Tour: $77
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Juan $12Calgary $11
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- The Pinones Pub crawl Bar crawl : $70
- Local Puerto Rican Rum Distillery Tour - Ron Pepon: $90
- Puerto Rico's First and Only Craft Beer Brewery Tour! : $99
Sample the Local Flavors in Calgary
Also in Calgary, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Brewery Tours at Award Winning Venues: $82
- Calgary Brewery Tour: $88
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Juan and Calgary, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is Calgary much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Juan is in Caribbean Islands and Calgary is in North 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 Calgary would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Calgary 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 Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan than you might in Calgary.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Juan Expensive? and Is Calgary Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Juan or Calgary?
Calgary has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of San Juan and Calgary, 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.