Should you visit Belize City or Granada?
Should I visit Belize City or Granada? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Belize City
Belize City is the largest city in Belize. It was once the capital of the country, but due to massive hurricane damage in 1961, the country decided to relocate it capital. With a population of 57,000 people, Belize City is located right at the mouth of the Haulover Creek.
This gorgeous tropical city experiences a monsoon climate – meaning there are warm and humid conditions throughout the course of the year. There is a wet season from May to January, so plan for a little bit of rain in that time.
Granada
Granada is Nicaragua's oldest colonial city, and arguably, the most beautiful city in the country. It sits on the northern edge of Lake Nicaragua (Lago Cocibolca) and has many beautifully colored buildings and nice churches. The city's beauty and colonial architecture, along with its relative safety and accessibility, make it one of Nicaragua's top tourist destinations. The city has long been a center for commerce, but today its economy depends heavily on tourism. The city is the sixth largest in Nicaragua and a real estate boom in the early 2000's brought a large number of expats to the town.
Which city is cheaper, Granada or Belize City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Belize City is $70, while the average daily cost in Granada is $33. 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 Belize City and Granada in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $78 in Belize City For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $28 for a double occupancy room in Granada.
Food
While meal prices in Belize City can vary, the average travelers spends about $22 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Belize City should cost around $8.80 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Belize City is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
Granada food costs typically run travelers around $12 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Belize City $22
Granada $12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Belize City
For Belize City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Private Mayan Cooking and Tasting Experience in Cayo:
$70
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See and Taste Belize Cave Tubing and Food Tour:
$77
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Belize Cultural Food Tour Altun Ha Ruin Included:
$95
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Mestizo Food Tour (Rum & Ruin Included):
$125
Typical Food prices in Granada
Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Granada
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Granada.
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Middle Eastern 6-course dinner in Granada with a professional chef:
$49
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Albaicín & Sacromonte Guided Walking Tour with Flamenco & Tapas Dinner:
$81
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Small Group Food Tour in Granada:
$88
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Spanish Tapas Cooking Class in Granada:
$116
Local Transportation
Belize City'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 $4.64 per person, per day on transportation in Belize City.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $7.11 per day to get around in Granada.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Belize City
Also for Belize City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Belize Travelcation Airport Shuttle & Transfers:
$28
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Belize: Belize City to/from Placencia/Hopkins Transfer:
$45
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Private Transfer: Belize Airports or Water Taxi Terminal to Hotel in San Ignacio:
$96
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Tours&airport transfer:
$128
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Private Arrival Transfer: Belize International Airport to San Ignacio Hotels:
$160
-
Helicopter Transfer to Grand Caribe Heliport, Ambergris Caye:
$1,493
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:
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Transfer from/to Managua Airport (MGA) to Granada City:
$49
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Transfer from Granada to Nerja:
$62
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Seville Private Transfer from Granada with sightseeing in Antequera and Cordoba:
$634
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Private Transfer: Granada to Federico García Lorca Granada Airport (GRX):
$622
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Private Transfer: Granada City or Sierra Nevada to Airport GRX by Business Van:
$57
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Private Transfer: Granada City or Sierra Nevada to Airport GRX by Business Car:
$38
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Private Transfer from Granada to Malaga (AGP) Airport:
$276
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Private Transfer Granada Airport to Granada City or Sierra Nevada by BusinessVan:
$57
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Private Transfer Granada Airport to Granada City or Sierra Nevada by BusinessCar:
$38
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Private Transfer From/To Granada Airport:
$53
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Private IN/OUT transfer from/to Granada city from/to Granada airport:
$56
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Private Departure Transfer from Granada City Center to Granada Airport (GRX):
$26
Is it cheaper to fly into Belize City or Granada?
Prices for flights to both Granada and Belize City 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
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Belize City can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $23 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $8.63 per person, per day in Granada. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Belize City
For Belize City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Historical Tour:
$27
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Belize City and Rum Factory Tour:
$33
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Downtown Belize City Tour (Rum Factory included):
$37
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Belize City Tour:
$43
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Kukumba Beach and Belize City Tour:
$49
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Cave Kayaking v.i.v.Tour:
$60
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Zipline Adventures from Belize City:
$62
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Belize Party Bus Ultimate Evening Experience Fridays Only:
$64
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Cave Kayaking for Cruise Ship Passengers:
$65
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Saint Herman's Cave Hiking and Blue Hole Tour from Belize City:
$68
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Private Snuba Experience in Rendezvous Cay:
$70
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Altun Ha Mayan Site tour from Belize City:
$70
Typical Entertainment prices in Granada
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Granada are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Granada
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Granada are as follows:
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2-Day Seville Tour from Granada with Royal Alcazar Palace, Seville Cathedral and Flamenco Show:
$271
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3-Hour Walking Tour of Granada:
$55
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3-day Andalucia Tour: Codoba & Seville from Granada:
$917
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4WD Sierra Nevada Safari PRIVATE TOUR:
$118
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A day in the life of Granada - Private tour with a local:
$249
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Albaicin and Sacromonte Guided Tour:
$19
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Albaicin and Sacromonte Walking Tour:
$12
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Albaicin quarter - night private tour:
$115
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Albayzin and Sacromonte Electric Bike Tour in Granada:
$76
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Albayzin and Sacromonte Guided Walking Tour in Granada:
$19
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Albayzin and Sacromonte private tour at sunset with tapas:
$169
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Alhambra & Generalife Guided Premium Tour (Small Groups with Direct Entry):
$98
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Belize City spend on average $9.58 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about $6.23 on alcoholic beverages in Granada per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Granada
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Granada:
Sample the Local Flavors in Granada
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Granada:
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Wine Tasting in Granada:
$57
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Granada Tapas and wine tour!:
$67
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Granada Traditional Tapas and Wine Tour - by Oh My Good Guide!:
$81
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Small-Group Granada Tapas Bar Crawl Evening Tasting Experience:
$83
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BEST OF Flamenco, Tapas and Wine Tour - by OhMyGoodGuide!:
$106
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Belize City and Granada, we can see that Belize City is more expensive. And not only is Granada much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Granada would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Granada 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 Belize City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Belize City than you might in Granada.
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