Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Addis Ababa?
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 Addis Ababa or San Juan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Addis Ababa or San Juan, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Addis Ababa or San Juan?
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia and also the nation's largest when ranked by its population of over three million. There are also more than 120 international missions and embassies in Addis Ababa, making the city a hub for international diplomacy concerning Africa. Other draws include its thriving marketplaces, spicy food, and rich coffee.
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.
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Addis Ababa Prices
Ethiopia PricesSan Juan Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAddis Ababa $36San Juan $218
The average daily cost (per person) in Addis Ababa is $36, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $218. 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 Addis Ababa and San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAddis Ababa $20San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAddis Ababa $40San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Addis Ababa and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Addis Ababa or San Juan? 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: Addis Ababa Hotel Prices and San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Addis Ababa $3.53San Juan $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Addis Ababa
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Addis Ababa are as follows:
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Short Taxi Ride$0.24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Addis Ababa
Also for Addis Ababa, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Bole Airport Addis Ababa (ADD) to Addis Ababa: $139
- Lalibela Full Day Tour with Guide and Transfer: $130
- Addis Ababa Airport in/out transfer: $49
- City and Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa: $26
- Bole Airport Transfer: $25
- Transfer Services Addis Abeba Airport : $23
- City/Airport Transfer in Addis Ababa - Shuttles: $21
- Addis Ababa Airport Transfer and pickup: $19
- Addis Shuttles: On-Time & Reliable, Airport Transfers: $19
- Addis Ababa Airport transfer and shuttle service(privet): $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Puerto Rico: Airport Transfer to/from SJU Airport: $390
- HandyCap Transfer Airport to Dorado, Rio Grande or Luquillo: $270
- San Juan Airport (SJU): Private Transfer to San Juan Port: $267
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port: Transfer to San Juan hotel: $267
- Transfer from San Juan to South coast- Ponce or Guanica: $250
- Private Transfer from San Juan Airport (SJU) to Ponce Cruise Port: $232
- Carabali Rain Forest Round Trip Private Taxi Transfer: $210
- Transfer from/to San Juan and Aguadilla or Rincón: $168
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Arrival Private Transfer: $158
- Transfer from San Juan to Río Grande, Loíza or Luquillo: $135
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, 16Pax Mercedes Van, Select Zone: $130
- Arrival Private Transfer SJU Airport to Old San Juan by SUV: $125
Is it cheaper to fly into Addis Ababa or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan and Addis Ababa 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 dayAddis Ababa $14San Juan $62
Typical Food Prices in Addis Ababa
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Addis Ababa:
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Slice of Cake$0.06
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Addis Ababa
For Addis Ababa, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Food tour in Addis Ababa with airport pick-up.: $56
- Ethiopia Half-Day Market Tour Food Tour & Coffee Ceremony Tours: $60
- Mom's cooking class: $60
- Local Ethiopian Food Tour Addis Ababa: $62
- City Tour, Food Tour, Shopping Mercato Market : $72
- Ethiopian Cultural Dinner in Addis Ababa with LIVE Traditional Dance Show: $77
- Culinary Class and Food Tour in Addis Ababa : $82
- Yod Abyssinia Cultural Night: Dinner, Music, and Dance: $83
- Addis abeba Full Cooking class.: $90
- Cooking class in Addis Ababa: $95
- Ethiopian cooking class: $95
- Local Ethiopian Food Tour: $100
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:
- From Pinones Beach & Bar Hopping Food Tour: $56
- Puerto Rican food tasting and beginner cooking Tour: $99
- FlyDining: Sunset Dinner with Stunning Ocean Views (4 Courses): $165
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Addis Ababa $3.64San Juan $49
Tours and Activities in Addis Ababa
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Addis Ababa.
- Fullday VIP Tour to The Unity Park, Friendship Park, Entoto park: $95
- "Awash National Park Safari Experience": $280
- 2 Day Lalibela Tours: $300
- 2 Days Awash National Park Safari Tours: $295
- 2 Days guided Tour in Addis Abeba: $68
- 2-Day Sof Omar Cave and Sheik Hussein Shrine Tour: $450
- 3 Days Meskel Festival Package-Addis Ababa City Tour/Debre Libanos Monastery: $256
- 3 Days Visiting Harar and Dire Dawa Tours: $480
- 4 Hour Addis Cuisine Tasting Tour: $85
- 4 Hours Addis Ababa highlights city tour from Bole airport: $75
- 5 Days Visiting Tigray Churches Tours: $1,200
- 9 Days Omo Valley and Danakil Danakil Depression tour: $3,805
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.
- Culebra Swim with Turtles Adventure and Flamenco Beach by Ferry: $130
- • PR Rentals San Juan Bay: Day Cruise II | Drink & Snacks •: $949
- • PR Rentals San Juan Bay: Day Cruise | Drink & Snacks •: $939
- • PR Rentals San Juan Sunset Cruise II | Drink & Snack •: $949
- •PR Rentals Fishing Experience | Charter 4-HR | Fishing Trip: $1,600
- (Private) El Yunque Half-Day Tour with Transport / 7AM or 12PM: $125
- (Small Group) El Yunque HalfDay Tour with Transport / 7AM or 12PM: $95
- 6-Hour Tour Exploring the North Side of San Juan, Puerto Rico: $175
- ATV Ride Experience! : $270
- ATV Single Rider Adventure at Hacienda Campo Rico: $136
- Adventure to a Hidden Waterfall, Private Tour: $185
- Along The Shore Private Helicopter Tour San Juan Puerto Rico: $295
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAddis Ababa $3.01San Juan $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Addis Ababa
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Addis Ababa:
- Pub-crawl Tour ( locally crafted beer and wine tasting ): $58
- Night Tour Addis Ababa beer and wine tasting: $65
- Pub crawl Addis Ababa: $69
- Locally crafted beer and wine tasting and nightlife in Addis tour: $85
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- The Pinones Pub crawl Bar crawl : $70
- Puerto Rico: Ocean Lab Brewery and Tobaco Farm Tour: $139
- Puerto Rico Tobacco Farm and Local Brewery Tour: $149
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Addis Ababa and San Juan, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is Addis Ababa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Addis Ababa is in Africa and San Juan 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 Addis Ababa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Addis Ababa 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 Addis Ababa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Addis Ababa Expensive? and Is San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Addis Ababa or San Juan?
Addis Ababa has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of Addis Ababa and San Juan, 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.