A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Arusha vs. Ponce for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Arusha or Ponce?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Arusha and Ponce can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Arusha or Ponce?

Arusha

Arusha is a city in East Africa's Tanzania, located at the base of volcanic Mt. Meru. It’s a gateway to safari destinations and to Africa’s highest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro, lying some 100 kilometers northeast. To the west lies Serengeti National Park, home to wildlife including lions, rhinoceros, giraffes and leopards. Annual migrations feature huge herds of wildebeests crossing its plains. Arusha is Tanzania’s gateway to the northern circuit of stellar national parks and the starting point of many a memorable safari. It’s also a large, sprawling city which offers a nice break from the rigors of life on the African road – it has excellent places to stay and eat and, for the most part, it’s lush and green and enjoys a temperate climate throughout the year. Arusha is a great destination, and you're sure to enjoy your time here, no matter what your interests are.

Ponce

Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Tanzania, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Tanzania.


Which place is cheaper, Ponce or Arusha?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Arusha is $201, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $230. 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 Arusha and Ponce in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Arusha $134
    Ponce $151
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Arusha $268
    Ponce $302
Compare Hotels in Arusha and Ponce

Looking for a hotel in Arusha or Ponce? 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 Arusha


Hotels in Ponce


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: Arusha Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Arusha $14
    Ponce $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arusha

Also for Arusha, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Arusha Airport & Hotel Transfers: $40
  • Kilimanjaro Airport and Arusha Private Transfer: $59
  • Kilimanjaro International Airport to Arusha City Center Transfer: $60
  • Kilimanjaro Airport Transfer to Moshi: $65
  • Kilimanjaro Airport Pick Up & Drop Off | Private Transfer Service: $77
  • Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha City Private Transfer: $120
  • Private Transfer from Arusha to Kilimanjaro Airport (KIA): $161

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:

  • Vega Baja to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $170
  • Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
  • Transfer SJU Airport to Humacao and Nagüabo. Vice Versa One Way Trip: $185
  • San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
  • San Juan PR Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Transfer: $46
  • San Juan Departure Share Transfer: $27
  • Rio Grande hotel to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $109
  • Private Transfers from SJU Airport to Isla Verde, Condado or San Juan área : $60
  • Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
  • Isabela / Hatillo to Aguadilla Airport(BQN) - DepartureTransfer: $44
  • Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87

Is it cheaper to fly into Arusha or Ponce?

Prices for flights to both Ponce and Arusha 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
    Arusha $43
    Ponce $61
Typical Food Prices in Arusha

For Arusha, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • A Quick Lunch (for 2)
    $2.23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arusha

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

  • Traditional Tanzania Cooking Class & Food Market Tour: $43
  • NGO Lifted Strong - Traditional Tanzanian Cooking Class: $50

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.

  • Latin Night with Dinner and Local Music with Transportation: $59
  • Puerto Rico Art and Wine Dinner with One Way Transportation: $89
  • Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
  • Private Half-Day Island Authentic Food Tour : $130

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Arusha $47
    Ponce $56

Tours and Activities in Arusha

For Arusha, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Arusha Guided Walking City Tour: Culture, History & Local Markets: $20
  • Discover Arusha's Soul: A Guided Walking City Tour. Learn & Live.: $25
  • Street Food and Community Walking Tour: $30
  • Arusha Waterfalls,Coffee farm Tour & Swing(all inclusive): $30
  • Microfinance family farm tour - all proceeds to charity: $35
  • Hidden Arusha Village, Waterfall & Coffee Tour (All-Inclusive): $40
  • Mountain Bike Tour of the Foothills of Mount Meru: $40
  • Lake Duluti Luxury Canoe Tour: $50
  • Private Walking Tour with Giraffes: $55
  • Arusha city tour and Pickup: $55
  • Coffee tour and Buffet Lunch with Kingstone Asilia (Arusha): $55
  • Materuni Waterfall, Chemka Hot Spring and Traditional Coffee Tour: $60

Tours and Activities in Ponce

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:

  • Half-Day El Yunque Rainforest Tour from Fajardo: $65
  • Scuba Boat Diving Experience in Gilligan's Island at Copamarina: $160
  • 2.5-Hour Historical Walking Tour of Old San Juan: $65
  • 5 hours Tour in La Parguera Private Boat Charter: $200
  • 7 Hours River Tour with Beach and Learn to Make Piña Colada : $195
  • 8 Hours Private Tours in Puerto Rico: $150
  • Adventure in Cave and the Guayaney Spring: $99
  • Afro-Boriken-Loiza: Food, Cave & Art Tour: $140
  • Aguadilla 6 Hour Local Tour: $150
  • Camuy Caves Experience Tour with transportation: $130
  • Cave Hopping Tour: $198
  • Caves Coastlines and Beach; Cueva del Indio, Arecibo Adventure : $125

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Arusha $11
    Ponce $16

Sample the Local Flavors in Ponce

Also in Ponce, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Artisan Puertorrican Winery and Distillery Tour: $50


When comparing the travel costs between Arusha and Ponce, we can see that Ponce is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Arusha is in Africa and Ponce is in Caribbean Islands, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Arusha Expensive? and Is Ponce Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Arusha or Ponce?

Arusha has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Ponce. When comparing the sizes of Arusha and Ponce, 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.