Which place is cheaper, Yellowstone National Park 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 Yellowstone National Park?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit San Juan or Yellowstone National Park? 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 Yellowstone National Park?
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.
Yellowstone National Park
The world's first national park, Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872. The area is famous for its many geysers, hot springs, and thermal areas. It also has a wide diversity of wildlife and stunning beauty, making it one of the most impressive places you can visit in the United States. The national park takes up an area of about 3,472 square miles and is mostly located within the state of Wyoming. It also touches the states of Idaho and Montana.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, and The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America.
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San Juan Prices
Puerto Rico PricesYellowstone National Park Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Juan $218Yellowstone National Park $181
The average daily cost (per person) in San Juan is $218, while the average daily cost in Yellowstone National Park is $181. 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 Yellowstone National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Juan $124Yellowstone National Park $74
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Juan $248Yellowstone National Park $148
Compare Hotels in San Juan and Yellowstone National Park
Looking for a hotel in San Juan or Yellowstone National Park? 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 Yellowstone National Park Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Juan $14Yellowstone National Park $37
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
Is it cheaper to fly into San Juan or Yellowstone National Park?
Prices for flights to both Yellowstone National Park 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 $62Yellowstone National Park $80
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Juan $49Yellowstone National Park $34
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
Tours and Activities in Yellowstone National Park
Here are a few actual costs in Yellowstone National Park for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 6-Mile Geyser Hiking Tour in Yellowstone with Lunch: $182
- E-Bike Tours in Yellowstone National Park: $250
- Early Morning Guided Kayak Tour: $125
- Full-Day Guided Yellowstone Day Tour: $299
- Grand Teton and Yellowstone Self-Guided Driving Tours Bundle: $35
- Lake Yellowstone Half Day Kayak Tours Past Geothermal Features : $120
- Lamar Valley Safari Hiking Tour with Lunch: $182
- Salt Lake City: Yellowstone 4-day Tour with Airport Pickup: $918
- Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour in Yellowstone National Park: $20
- Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour in Yellowstone and Grand Teton: $33
- Small-Group Sunset Kayaking Tour on Lake Yellowstone : $125
- Ultimate Audio Tours: Yellowstone, Glacier, Grand Teton & Banff: $36
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Juan $12Yellowstone National Park $19
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Juan and Yellowstone National Park, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is Yellowstone National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Juan is in Caribbean Islands and Yellowstone National Park 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 Yellowstone National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Yellowstone National Park 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 Yellowstone National Park.
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 Yellowstone National Park Expensive?.
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.