A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Boquete vs. Guadalajara for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Boquete or Guadalajara?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Boquete and Guadalajara can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Boquete or Guadalajara?

Boquete

Boquete is a village located in the pacific west of Panama. This town very recently became an attractive destination for tourists and expatriates. Before the early 2000's, it was a quiet town hidden away in the mountains with very little tourism. After the development of Valle Escondido, which is a largely residential area, many North Americans flocked to this town and an expat community developed. Boquete is known for it's near perfect year round temperature of about seventy degrees Fahrenheit, beautiful untouched nature, and world renowned coffee.

Guadalajara

Guadalajara is the capital of the state of Jalisco in western Mexico, as well as one of the country's largest cities. It is best known for tequila and mariachi music, which both originate in Jalisco, as well as a thriving historic center with colonial architecture and landmarks.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Panama, The Best Adventure Tours to Panama, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico.


Which place is cheaper, Guadalajara or Boquete?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Boquete Prices
    Panama Prices
    Guadalajara Prices
    Mexico Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Boquete $67
    Guadalajara $138

The average daily cost (per person) in Boquete is $67, while the average daily cost in Guadalajara is $138. 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 Boquete and Guadalajara in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Boquete $22
    Guadalajara $38
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Boquete $44
    Guadalajara $76
Compare Hotels in Boquete and Guadalajara

Looking for a hotel in Boquete or Guadalajara? 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 Boquete


Hotels in Guadalajara


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: Boquete Hotel Prices and Guadalajara Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Boquete $5.21
    Guadalajara $35

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guadalajara

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

  • Transfer by car to or from Guadalajara Airport: $35
  • Transfer from International Airport to Tequila Jalisco: $89
  • Tequila to Guadalajara Airport (GDL) - Departure Private Transfer: $101
  • Guadalajara Airport (GDL) to Guadalajara hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $107
  • Private Airport Transfer to Guadalajara Hotels Safe & Stress-Free: $159
  • Guadalajara to Tequila - Private Transfer with English-speaking driver: $179
  • Tequila to Guadalajara - Private Transfer with English-speaking driver: $179
  • Guadalajara Airport(GDL) to Tequila - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $202
  • Guadalajara Airport Private Transfer to Ajijic & Chapala: $289

Is it cheaper to fly into Boquete or Guadalajara?

Prices for flights to both Guadalajara and Boquete 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
    Boquete $32
    Guadalajara $75

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guadalajara

For Guadalajara, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Private Street Food Tour and City Tour Guadalajara - Best Rated : $44
  • Guadalajara Private Food Tour: $70
  • Authentic Mexican Cooking & Tequila tasting experience-Casa Humo: $108
  • Mexican Cooking Classes and Market Visit in Guadalajara: $195
  • VIP Tequila Night Tour with Dinner and Tasting: $199

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Boquete $17
    Guadalajara $25

Tours and Activities in Boquete

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boquete are as follows:

  • Boquete E-bike Panoramic Tour: $65
  • Ancestral Coffee Experience in Boquete: $45
  • Boquete Adventure - E-Bike Tour (2 hrs.) (2 Person Min.): $55
  • Boquete Panoramic Tour: $200
  • Boquete Rock climbing tour: $80
  • Cangilones Mini Canyons Tour: $38
  • Cloud Forest Wildlife Hike Tour: $36
  • Family Tour (Experiences in caldera): $85
  • Guided E-Bike Panoramic Tour: $75
  • Guided Hike and Coffee Farm Tour with Tasting: $99
  • Hands-On Coffee Experience with Tasting: $40
  • Coffee Tasting Experience-Los Molinos Hotel-Panama's Top Product: $25

Tours and Activities in Guadalajara

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Guadalajara.

  • Bar Tour of the Coolest Quarter of Guadalajara: $17
  • Great Experience With A Tour Guide With Spark: $21
  • Guadalajara City Center Walking Tour: $25
  • Guadalajara Tour: $27
  • 3 Hours Private Tour Guide in Guadalajara, you choose!: $36
  • Walking Tour Historic Center Guadalajara: $39
  • Lucha Libre Tour at the Arena Coliseo de Guadalajara as a local: $39
  • Chapala Ajijic Area Tour from Guadalajara: $40
  • Tequila Route Experience from Guadalajara: $40
  • Classic Tequila Tour and CANTARITOS EL GÜERO: $41
  • Guadalajara Private Walking Tour: $42
  • History and Murals: Walking Tour Guadalajara: $44

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Boquete $4.44
    Guadalajara $16

Sample the Local Flavors in Guadalajara

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

  • Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Guadalajara Mexico: $25
  • Tequila distillery experience, Jose Cuervo & Tequila Magic Town: $65
  • full day Tequila tour visiting artisanal distillery and downtown.: $95
  • Guided Tour of Guachimontones and Tequila Distillery: $105
  • Full-Day Tour to La Fortaleza Distillery and Cantaritos: $155
  • Private Adventure Day Tour to Tequila and Cazcanes Distillery: $156
  • Private Adventure to El Tequileño Distillery and visit to Tequila: $161
  • Private One Day Adventure Tour in Tequila and La Fortaleza Distillery: $167
  • Private Tour Cascahuin Distillery and visit to Tequila: $190
  • Private Tour to El Tequileño Distillery and visit to Tequila: $190
  • Private Tour one day in Guachimontones and La Fortaleza Distillery: $211
  • Guachimontones and Tequila Distillery in One Day: $264


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

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


Which is Bigger, Boquete or Guadalajara?

Guadalajara has a larger population, and is about 270 times larger than the population of Boquete. When comparing the sizes of Boquete and Guadalajara, 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.