A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Belize City vs. San Carlos de Bariloche for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Belize City or San Carlos de Bariloche?

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

Should I visit Belize City or San Carlos de Bariloche? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Belize City or San Carlos de Bariloche?

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.

San Carlos de Bariloche

Set in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Argentina, San Carlos de Bariloche is the biggest city in the Lake District. Bariloche is popular for skiing and snowboarding in the winter and trekking, swimming, fishing and horseback riding in the summertime.

No matter the time of year, there is something for everyone in Bariloche. Skiing season begins from June to October while fishing season is from November to April. Summer is from December to March, but visiting during low seasons (Spring in October to December and Autumn in late-April to mid-June) also has its benefits when it comes to saving cash and avoiding crowds.

Check out our ultimate guide to Hiking in Patagonia.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Belize, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, San Carlos de Bariloche or Belize City?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Belize City is $88, while the average daily cost in San Carlos de Bariloche is $7.40. 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 Belize City and San Carlos de Bariloche in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Belize City $49
    San Carlos de Bariloche $2.68
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Belize City $98
    San Carlos de Bariloche $5.36
Compare Hotels in Belize City and San Carlos de Bariloche

Looking for a hotel in Belize City or San Carlos de Bariloche? 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 Belize City


Hotels in San Carlos de Bariloche


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: Belize City Hotel Prices and San Carlos de Bariloche Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Belize City $5.82
    San Carlos de Bariloche $2.28

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Belize City

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

  • Belize city water taxi terminal to Airport transfer: $30
  • We do transfers from airport to any where in Belize.: $49
  • Transfer Belize city to bacalar: $50
  • Private Transfer from Belize City Port to Belize Airport (BZE): $60
  • Belize: Belize City to/from San Ignacio Shuttle Transfer: $68
  • Belize City to/from Placencia/Hopkins Shuttle Transfer: $113
  • Private Transfer from Belize City and Airport to Placencia: $150

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Carlos de Bariloche

Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Carlos de Bariloche:

  • Visit to Piedras Blancas Bariloche with transfers: $85
  • Transfers to and from Villa La Angostura: $134
  • Transfers to and from San Martín de los Andes: $295
  • Transfers to and from El Bolsón: $196
  • Transfers in Bariloche: $22
  • Transfer from the Airport to Bariloche: $26
  • Shared Transfer One Way - Bariloche Airport to Hotel or v.v.: $26
  • Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Bariloche Airport: $26
  • Private transfer Bariloche Airpot- Hotels: $13
  • Private Transfer from Tom Wesley to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $55
  • Private Transfer from Pampa Linda to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $182
  • Private Transfer from Lago Moreno to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $46

Is it cheaper to fly into Belize City or San Carlos de Bariloche?

Prices for flights to both San Carlos de Bariloche 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Belize City $27
    San Carlos de Bariloche $2.78

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:

  • Altun Ha Mayan Site & Food Tour: $80

Typical Food Prices in San Carlos de Bariloche

Some typical examples of dining costs in San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:


  • Pastries
    $0.01
  • Empanadas
    $0.03

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Belize City $29
    San Carlos de Bariloche $3.05

Tours and Activities in Belize City

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

  • Belize City Tour: $40
  • Belizean Bits & Bites Food Tastings and City Tour in Belize: $50
  • Hassle free Cave Tubing Adventure from Belize City with Lunch: $55
  • Charlie's Cave Tubing Tour for cruisers (lunch included): $65
  • Second largest Barrier Reef Adventure Snorkeling: $70
  • Guided Cave Kayaking Tour with Pickup: $77
  • Altun Ha Mayan Ruins and River Wallace and Manatee Watch Tour: $85
  • Cave Tubing Experience from Belize City: $85
  • Altun Ha Mayan Site tour from Belize City: $85
  • Half-Day Altun Ha Temple & Belize City Tour: $86
  • Turtle Garden Snorkeling Tour and Island Break : $90
  • Howler Monkey Sanctuary Tour from Belize City: $90

Tours and Activities in San Carlos de Bariloche

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:

  • 4-Hour Guided Tour of the Small Circuit: $60
  • Bariloche Horseback Riding & Traditional Argentine Barbecue Tour: $110
  • Bariloche San Martin de los Andes and Seven Lakes Road Tour: $130
  • Bariloche: 4-Hour Cerro Catedral Base Tour: $15
  • Bariloche: Blest Port and Cantaros Waterfall Tour : $170
  • Bariloche: Full-Day El Bolsón and Puelo Lake Tour: $42
  • Bariloche: Half Day Small Circuit Tour - Mt Campanario and Llao Llao Peninsula: $28
  • Bariloche: Private Enchanted Valley Tour with Lunch: $495
  • Classic Bariloche: Half-Day Sightseeing Excursion: $26
  • From Bariloche: Half-Day Circuito Chico Sightseeing Tour: $38
  • From Bariloche: Victoria Island & the Arrayanes Forest Tour: $128
  • From Rio Manso Rafting Tour: $220

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Belize City $12
    San Carlos de Bariloche $1.83

Sample the Local Flavors in Belize City

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Belize City:

  • Belize: City Highlights Tour with Rum Distillery Visit: $49

Typical Alcohol Prices in San Carlos de Bariloche

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in San Carlos de Bariloche from other travelers:


  • Beer
    $0.01


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Belize City and San Carlos de Bariloche, we can see that Belize City is more expensive. And not only is San Carlos de Bariloche much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Belize City is in Central America and San Carlos de Bariloche is in South America, 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 San Carlos de Bariloche would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Carlos de Bariloche 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 San Carlos de Bariloche.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Belize City Expensive? and Is San Carlos de Bariloche Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Belize City or San Carlos de Bariloche?

San Carlos de Bariloche has a larger population, and is about 55% larger than the population of Belize City. When comparing the sizes of Belize City and San Carlos de Bariloche, 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.