Which place is cheaper, Guatemala City or Acapulco de Juarez?
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 Acapulco de Juarez or Guatemala City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Acapulco de Juarez or Guatemala City? 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: Acapulco de Juarez or Guatemala City?
Acapulco de Juarez
Located on the southwestern Pacific Coast of Mexico is the beautiful beach city of Acapulco de Juarez. Acapulco is one of the original travel and resort destinations in Mexico, and it's still considered a popular spring break destination for Americans. Known as simply "Acapulco" to many travelers, this region is a popular spot for cruise lines to stop and timeshares to grow. Thanks to those cruise lines and timeshares, tourist activities like water parks and jet skis have experienced considerable growth.
Guatemala City
Referred to by the locals as "Guate," Guatemala City is the largest and most modern city in Guatemala, as well as its capital. While the atmosphere of the place is big, dirty, and dangerous with city fumes and skyscrapers, it is the hub of the country. It is the place where travelers first step foot into Guatemala and, though it is a place of modern chaos, it does have some of the best galleries and museums as well as a selection of bars, cafes, and restaurants.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Guatemala, and The Best Adventure Tours to Guatemala.
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Acapulco de Juarez Prices
Mexico PricesGuatemala City Prices
Guatemala Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAcapulco de Juarez $97Guatemala City $56
The average daily cost (per person) in Acapulco de Juarez is $97, while the average daily cost in Guatemala City is $56. 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 Acapulco de Juarez and Guatemala City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAcapulco de Juarez $38Guatemala City $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAcapulco de Juarez $76Guatemala City $50
Compare Hotels in Acapulco de Juarez and Guatemala City
Looking for a hotel in Acapulco de Juarez or Guatemala City? 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: Acapulco de Juarez Hotel Prices and Guatemala City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Acapulco de Juarez $16Guatemala City $6.28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Acapulco de Juarez
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Acapulco de Juarez:
- Private Transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA): $13
- Private Transfer to Acapulco Airport (ACA): $13
- Shared Transfer to Acapulco Airport (ACA): $13
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA): $25
- Roundtrip Shared Transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA): $27
- Acapulco Airport (ACA) Private Transfer to Acapulco City: $43
- Acapulco Airport (ACA) to Acapulco hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $44
- Acapulco hotels to Acapulco Airport (ACA) – Departure Private Transfer: $44
- Acapulco Airport Roundtrip Transfers: $75
- Acapulco Airport (ACA) to Acapulco hotels - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $89
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guatemala City
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guatemala City:
- Airport Transfer for Large Groups – Private Bus: $195
- From Guatemala City One way shared transfer to Semuc Champey: $49
- From One way shared transfer to El Paredon: $59
- Guatemala Airport (GUA) to San Felipe de Lara - Arrival Transfer: $183
- Guatemala Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $56
- One way Shared Transfer to Antigua: $24
- One way private transfer to Antigua: $69
- One way shared transfer to Panajachel: $44
- Private Museums Tour with Transfers: $225
- La Aurora Airport (GUA): One-Way Private Transfer to Antigua: $32
- PRIVATE TRANSFER From Airport/Guate City to ANTIGUA or Vice-versa: $40
- Private Airport Transfer La Aurora airport to Guatemala: $26
Is it cheaper to fly into Acapulco de Juarez or Guatemala City?
Prices for flights to both Guatemala City and Acapulco de Juarez 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 dayAcapulco de Juarez $48Guatemala City $27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Acapulco de Juarez
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Acapulco de Juarez.
- Lucha Libre-Wrestling FiestaExper Taco Dinner Beer ONLY SUNDAYS: $82
- DeLuxe Cliff Divers Dinner + Sunset & City Tour: $86
- High Divers DeLuxe Three Course Dinner + Two Drinks plus SUNSET: $96
- Mexican Fiesta Show & Dinner: $115
- Wrestling-Lucha Libre Experience Tacos Beer Dinner Only On SUNDAY: $149
- Mexican Cooking Class & Market Tour with a Professional Chef: $161
- Bella Vista PRIVATE Al Fresco 3 Course Dinner Cliff Diver3Drinks: $216
- Off the Beaten Path Mexican Cooking Class Lagoon Boatride &Lunch: $296
- Super DeLuxe Bella Vista Dinner &1 Drink +2 Drinks at CliffDivers: $300
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guatemala City
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guatemala City.
- Cooking Experience in Guatemala from Market to Table: $23
- Guatemala: Wine and Pizza Tasting Experience: $35
- Antigua: Authentic Guatemalan Cooking Class: $80
- Small-Group Cooking Class in Antigua from Guatemala City: $120
- Food Tour Zona 4: Dinner Date Experience: $125
- Antigua Market, Cooking Class and Choco Museum from Guatemala City: $188
- Pacaya Volcano Vistas + Enjoy Pizza Surrounded by The Volcano: $195
- Pacaya Volcano Vistas + Enjoy Pizza with Great Volcano Views: $205
- Puerto Quetzal: Private Tour Pacaya Volcano 4x4 and Pizza: $550
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Acapulco de Juarez $17Guatemala City $1.23
Tours and Activities in Acapulco de Juarez
Here are a few actual costs in Acapulco de Juarez for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Kayaks Tour to El Morro Islet: $26
- Acapulco Malibu, Avenida Kids Tour: $50
- Different Faces Of Acapulco Tour: $55
- Acapulco Port Tour in 4 hours: $59
- 4hr Fun Guide Tour For Cruisers or Hotels Guests with Divers Show: $61
- 4Hrs Small Group City Tour & High Divers Cruise Terminal Pickup: $64
- Small-Group for Hotel Stays 4 Hours City Tour & Divers: $64
- 4Hr City Tour for Cruisers or Hotels Mural, Chapel & High Divers: $64
- 4Hrs City Tour Exclusively for Hotels, Divers, Chapel & Mural.: $66
- 4 Hrs Exclusive to Cruise Ship Passengers Sightseeing Experience: $67
- Coyuca Lagoon Adventure: $68
- Acapulco City Tour: $70
Tours and Activities in Guatemala City
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Guatemala City are as follows:
- Guatemala City Berlin Plaza Self Guided Walking Tour: $5.00
- Graffiti Walking Tour in 4 Grados Norte Guatemala City: $20
- Historic Center Walking Tour; Art and History: $27
- Volcano-Grown Coffee Tasting Experience: $28
- Half-Day Guatemala City Explorer Tour: $34
- Walking Tour of Guatemala City's Historical Center: $35
- Walking Tour: $35
- Guatemala city walking tour only weekends. 2 persons and up: $39
- Half Day Antigua Guatemala Tour: $40
- Private Tour in the Historic Center of Guatemala City: $45
- City walking tour Guatemala City and Relieff Map: $47
- Heart of Guatemala City Tour with Local Guide: $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAcapulco de Juarez $10Guatemala City $6.97
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Acapulco de Juarez and Guatemala City, we can see that Acapulco de Juarez is more expensive. And not only is Guatemala City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Acapulco de Juarez is in North America and Guatemala City 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 Guatemala City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guatemala City 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 Acapulco de Juarez would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Acapulco de Juarez than you might in Guatemala City.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Acapulco de Juarez Expensive? and Is Guatemala City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Acapulco de Juarez or Guatemala City?
Guatemala City has a larger population, and is about 53% larger than the population of Acapulco de Juarez. When comparing the sizes of Acapulco de Juarez and Guatemala City, 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.