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

Should you visit Boone or Ponce?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Boone and Ponce can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Boone or Ponce?

Boone

Boone is located in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina. It is a popular destination in large part because it is the home of Appalachian State University, but even independent of the school, it is a great tourist destination. It also makes a good base for a ski vacation. The town has a population of just over 17,000 and is the county seat of Watauga County. It's named for the well known American pioneer, Daniel Boone. During the summer you can catch an outdoor drama, Horn of the West, that highlights the history of the area during the American Revolutionary War.

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 Luxury Tours to United States of America, and The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, Ponce or Boone?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Boone is $173, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $205. 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 Boone and Ponce in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Boone $91
    Ponce $151
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Boone $182
    Ponce $302
Compare Hotels in Boone and Ponce

Looking for a hotel in Boone 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 Boone


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: Boone Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Boone $33
    Ponce $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:

  • Double ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $279
  • Transfer SJU Airport to Humacao and Nagüabo. Vice Versa One Way Trip: $185
  • Single ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $179
  • Vega Baja to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $170
  • San Juan Airport (SJU) to Rio Grande hotel - Arrival Private Transfer: $109
  • Rio Grande hotel to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $109
  • San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $92
  • San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
  • San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
  • Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87
  • Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
  • Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70

Is it cheaper to fly into Boone or Ponce?

Prices for flights to both Ponce and Boone 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
    Boone $53
    Ponce $35
Typical Food Prices in Boone

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Boone:


  • Restaurant Lunch for 2
    $20

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce

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

  • Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
  • Private Half-Day Island Authentic Food Tour : $130
  • Private San Juan Cooking Class with a Local Expert: $146

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Boone $53
    Ponce $56

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
  • 1 Hour Historical UTV Tour in San Juan: $200
  • 2-Hour Private UTV Can-Am Beach Tour in San Juan, Puerto Rico: $264
  • 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
  • 90 Minute Portrait Photoshoot Experience in the Caribbean: $129
  • Adventure Trail Tour in the foothills of the National Rainforest: $110
  • Afro-Boriken-Loiza: Food, Cave & Art Tour: $140
  • All Inclusive Cordillera Cay’s Sailing Catamaran Beach & Snorkeling Tour: $150

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Boone $26
    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
  • Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
  • Local Puerto Rican Rum Distillery Tour - Ron Pepon: $90
  • Rum Distillery and Old San Juan Tour: $99


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Boone and Ponce, we can see that Ponce is more expensive. And not only is Boone much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Boone is in North America and Ponce 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 Boone would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boone 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 Ponce would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ponce than you might in Boone.

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


Which is Bigger, Boone or Ponce?

Ponce has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Boone. When comparing the sizes of Boone 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.