Should you visit Banos or San Miguel de Tucuman?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Banos and San Miguel de Tucuman. 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. So, let's dig into it.
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 Miguel de Tucuman
The capital of the Tucuman Province in Argentina, San Miguel de Tucuman is the largest city in the country's northwest. The city is probably most well known as the sight where the Declaration of Independence from Spain took place on July 9, 1816. The location of this event, a colonial-style house called "Casa Historica" or "Casita de Tucuman", remains an important landmark in the city.
Which city is cheaper, San Miguel de Tucuman or Banos?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Banos is $37, while the average daily cost in San Miguel de Tucuman is $79. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Banos and San Miguel de Tucuman in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $24 for a double occupancy room in Banos.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $68 in San Miguel de Tucuman For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
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Accommodation
Hotel or hostel for one person
Banos $12
San Miguel de Tucuman $34
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Accommodation
Typical double-occupancy room
Banos
$24
San Miguel de Tucuman
$68
Food
Food in Banos costs travelers about $12 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
The price of a meal in San Miguel de Tucuman can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $28 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $11 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
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
Typical Food prices in San Miguel de Tucuman
For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Miguel de Tucuman
For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Experiencia Gastronomica - Food Cooking&tasting Experience:
$31
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Banos is $8.27 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
San Miguel de Tucuman's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $22 per person, per day on transportation in San Miguel de Tucuman.
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Local Transportation
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
Banos $8.27
San Miguel de Tucuman $22
Typical Local Transportation prices in San Miguel de Tucuman
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Miguel de Tucuman:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Miguel de Tucuman
Also for San Miguel de Tucuman, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Tucuman Airport Transfer:
$17
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Tucuman Airport Transfer To Yerba Buena:
$18
Is it cheaper to fly into Banos or San Miguel de Tucuman?
Prices for flights to both San Miguel de Tucuman 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.
Entertainment
Banos's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $15 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in San Miguel de Tucuman can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $23 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
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Entertainment
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
Banos $15
San Miguel de Tucuman $23
Typical Entertainment prices in Banos
Here are a few typical costs in Banos for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Banos
Here are a few actual costs in Banos for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Adventure in Baños 3 Days 2 Nights:
$335
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Baños's Top Attractions Pass (Save 10% on tickets):
$65
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Chimborazo Volcano from Baños private day Tour:
$102
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Fishing Tour & Local Life in Baños:
$90
Tours and Activities in San Miguel de Tucuman
For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Yungas Half-Day Tour from Tucuman:
$46
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Tafi del Valle Half-Day Tour from Tucuman:
$65
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Rio Hondo Hot Springs Full Day Tour from Tucuman:
$65
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Full Day Adventure:
$67
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Tafi del Valle and Quilmes Ruins Full-Day Tour from Tucuman:
$89
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Banos may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $7.79 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typically, people visiting San Miguel de Tucuman spend on average $15 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typical Alcohol prices in Banos
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Banos from other travelers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Banos and San Miguel de Tucuman, we can see that San Miguel de Tucuman is more expensive. And not only is Banos much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Miguel de Tucuman would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Miguel de Tucuman than you might in Banos.
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