A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Acapulco de Juarez vs. Tilcara for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Acapulco de Juarez or Tilcara?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Acapulco de Juarez or Tilcara? 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 Tilcara?

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.

Tilcara

Tilcara signifies shooting star in Quechua. At 2465m of altitude, the little town of Tilcara is one of the most animated place of the area of the quebrada de humahuaca. Many South American backpackers and tourists from all around the world come to visit Tilcara and its pucara, the forteresse built by the Incas at the top of the hill, providing a stunning walk around the town. Tilcara hosts many festivals for different occasions such as the celebration of the Pachamama in August, the semana santa (Holy Week) in April, and the Enero Tilcareno, held in January as its name indicates, which is probably the busiest month of the year for the little town. If you enjoy concerts, parades and folklorique parties then definitely try to visit Tilcara during a festival month and avoid them if you prefer a calm and more relaxed holiday. There are many available activities around Tilcara including horseback riding, VTT, and you could also even try a ride in a caravan pulled by llamas.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Argentina, and The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Tilcara or Acapulco de Juarez?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Acapulco de Juarez is $81, while the average daily cost in Tilcara is $8.25. 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 Tilcara in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Acapulco de Juarez $39
    Tilcara $3.25
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Acapulco de Juarez $78
    Tilcara $6.50
Compare Hotels in Acapulco de Juarez and Tilcara

Looking for a hotel in Acapulco de Juarez or Tilcara? 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.

Hotels in Acapulco de Juarez


Hotels in Tilcara


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 Tilcara Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Acapulco de Juarez $16
    Tilcara $2.19

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Acapulco de Juarez

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Acapulco de Juarez:

  • Private Airport Transfer &on 2nd Day 4Hr TourAll AttractionsCombo: $90
  • Private Best Round Trip Airport - Hotel - Airport Transfer : $70
  • Private - One Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $66
  • Airport Transfer in Suburban: $65
  • Roundtrip Transfer Private Vehicle Acapulco Airport (ACA) - Bahia de Acapulco: $49
  • Transfer in private minivan from Bahía de Acapulco -Acapulco Airport (ACA): $32
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Bahía de Acapulco - Acapulco Airport (ACA): $24
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Acapulco Airport (ACA) -Bahía de Acapulco: $24
  • Acapulco hotels to Acapulco Airport (ACA) – Departure Private Transfer : $20
  • Acapulco Airport Transfer: $10
  • Shared transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA) - Acapulco: $6.00

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tilcara

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Tilcara:


  • Taxi Ride
    $0.01

Is it cheaper to fly into Acapulco de Juarez or Tilcara?

Prices for flights to both Tilcara 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Acapulco de Juarez $29
    Tilcara $3.41

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.

  • High Divers DeLuxe Three Course Dinner +Three Drinks plus SUNSET: $49
  • Cliff Divers Exhibition 2 Drinks + Tacos al Pastor Dinner & Beer: $55
  • Cliff Diver De Luxe 3 Course Dinner at "La Quebrada" in Acapulco: $56
  • Cliff Divers Show With Dinner At Acapulco: $72
  • Wrestling-Lucha Libre Experience Tacos Beer Dinner Only SUNDAY: $84
  • Off the Beaten Path Mexican Cooking Class Lagoon Boatride &Lunch: $89
  • Hands ON - Mex Cooking Class Experience - City Market & Lunch : $90
  • Hands On Mexican Cooking Class with Food Tasting & Market Visit: $100
  • Mexican Fiesta Show & Dinner: $115
  • Bella Vista PRIVATE Al Fresco 3 Course Dinner Cliff Diver3Drinks: $191
  • Super DeLuxe Bella Vista Dinner &1 Drink +2 Drinks at CliffDivers: $193
  • Divers Show and Luxury Dinner in Acapulco: $199

Typical Food Prices in Tilcara

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Tilcara:


  • Sandwich
    $0.01
  • Burger
    $0.01
  • Fruit
    $0.01
  • Sandwich
    $0.01

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tilcara

For Tilcara, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Northern Argentine cooking experience: $70

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Acapulco de Juarez $18
    Tilcara $1.95

Tours and Activities in Acapulco de Juarez

Here are a few actual costs in Acapulco de Juarez for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 4Hrs City Tour Exclusively for Hotels, Divers, Chapel & Mural.: $44
  • 6Hr Walking Tour San Diego Fort Museum Cliff Divers Zocalo: $68
  • Small-Group or Private All Inclusive 4 Hours City Tour & Divers: $36
  • 4 Hrs Exclusive to Cruise Ship Passengers Sightseeing Experience : $62
  • 4-6Hrs Acapulco City Tour With a Fun Guide. Diver Show, Mex Lunch: $47
  • 4Hrs Small Group Half Day City Tour with Lunch at High Divers: $85
  • 4hr City Tour For Cruises or Hotels Diver Peace Chapel & Mural: $40
  • 6Hr City Tour Cruise or Hotel Turtle Nesting High Diver & Market: $51
  • 6Hr Cruise or Hotels City Tour, Divers, Baby Turtles Peace Chapel: $51
  • 6Hr Cruisers or Hotels High Diver Peace Chapel BabyTurtleRelease: $50
  • Acapulco City Tour : $35
  • Acapulco Historical Tour with Cliff Divers Show: $65

Tours and Activities in Tilcara

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tilcara.

  • 2 hours cycling tour trough the rural area: $20
  • Purmamarca Night Experience: $30
  • Serranías del Hornocal + Citytour Humahuaca: $30
  • Bike Adventure through Juella with lunch: $35
  • Half day mountain bike tour with lunch: $35
  • Private Full Day Tour to Salinas de Grandes and Barrancas: $130
  • Full-Day Tour to Laguna de los Pozuelos from Tilcara: $162

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Acapulco de Juarez $11
    Tilcara $1.07


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Acapulco de Juarez and Tilcara, we can see that Acapulco de Juarez is more expensive. And not only is Tilcara much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Acapulco de Juarez is in North America and Tilcara is in South 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 Tilcara would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tilcara 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 Tilcara.

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 Tilcara Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Acapulco de Juarez or Tilcara?

Acapulco de Juarez has a larger population, and is about 120 times larger than the population of Tilcara. When comparing the sizes of Acapulco de Juarez and Tilcara, 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.