Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Banos?
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 Banos or San Juan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Banos and San Juan. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Banos or San Juan?
Banos
Banos (de Agua Santa) is a small city in the Andean highlands of Ecuador under volcano Tungurahua. Its name, which is Spanish for "Baths (of sacred water)," comes from the famous hydrothermal springs in the area. It's equally popular with foreigners as with Ecuadorians, and is known as the adventure capital of Ecuador. The streets are lined with hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, and tour agencies. Although it is very touristy, lots of people love it, more for the activities and surroundings than for the city itself. It is an important hub for outdoor sports and jungle tours.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Ecuador.
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Banos Prices
Ecuador PricesSan Juan Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBanos $57San Juan $218
The average daily cost (per person) in Banos is $57, 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 Banos and San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBanos $16San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBanos $32San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Banos and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Banos 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: Banos Hotel Prices and San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Banos $10San Juan $14
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 Banos or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan and Banos 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 dayBanos $26San Juan $62
Typical Food Prices in Banos
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Banos:
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Dinner$13
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Ice cream$1.50
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Coffee$2.50
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.Banos $19San Juan $49
Typical Entertainment Prices in Banos
Here are a few typical costs in Banos for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Two Rented Bikes for the Day$10
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Cost to see Waterfall$2.00
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Day at the Spa$45
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2 Bike Rentals (1 Day)$10
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Entrance to Waterfall$2.00
Tours and Activities in Banos
Here are a few actual costs in Banos for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Adventure and Fun River Rafting in Baños Ecuador: $35
- 1 day jungle tour: $35
- 2 Days All Inclusive Napo Amazon Tour from Baños de Agua Santa: $296
- 2 Hours Small-Group Horseback Riding Experience in Banos: $30
- 3 Hours Small-Group Horseback Riding Experience in Baños: $40
- 5-Hour Small-Group Horseback Riding Experience in Baños: $62
- Adventure Circuit 4 activities in 1. All within an impressive cascade: $25
- Amazon Tour in Ecuador: Puyo Day Trip from Baños: $85
- Animalpark | Theme Park | Tours | naturally fun: $45
- Baths Nature and Adventure 2 Days.: $190
- Bike tour of the highest volcano in Ecuador: Chimborazo: $95
- Canopy Ziplining in Puntzan Adventure Park: $26
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBanos $9.74San Juan $12
Typical Alcohol Prices in Banos
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Banos from other travelers:
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Beer$4.00
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 Banos and San Juan, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is Banos much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Banos is in South America 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 Banos would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Banos 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 Banos.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Banos Expensive? and Is San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Banos or San Juan?
San Juan has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Banos. When comparing the sizes of Banos 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.