A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Buzios vs. Salta for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Buzios or Salta?

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

Should I visit Buzios or Salta? 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: Buzios or Salta?

Buzios

Initially a fishing village, Armação dos Buzios is a small beach resort town about three hours from Rio de Janeiro by bus. Buzios is a common weekend getaway destination for Cariocas. With 23 beaches, visitors from all over come to swim, snorkel, surf and enjoy sun and sand.

Salta

Located in the heart of the famous Northwest region of Argentina, at 1200m of elevation and at the foot of the Cerro San Bernardo, Salta is the largest city of the region and perhaps the most beautiful colonial city of Argentina. Founded in 1582 by the Spanish, Salta was an important stop for merchants who followed the usual trade road through Bolivia and Peru. Argentines call this city nestled in the foothills of the Andes and surrounded by mountains, of just over half a million inhabitants, Salta La Linda (Salta the Beautiful) and it's easy to see why. Young and traditional at the same time, Salta and its renowned museums, plaza side cafes and live musica folklorica of its bustling penas, is a sophisticated and lively city day and night.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Brazil, The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best Photography Tours in Argentina, and The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Salta or Buzios?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Buzios is $77, while the average daily cost in Salta is $9.62. 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 Buzios and Salta in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Buzios $37
    Salta $3.47
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Buzios $74
    Salta $6.94
Compare Hotels in Buzios and Salta

Looking for a hotel in Buzios or Salta? 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 Buzios


Hotels in Salta


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: Salta Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Buzios $19
    Salta $4.00

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Buzios

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

  • Tour in Buzios City Tour, Lunch and Transfer: $60
  • Private transfer from Buzios to the GIG Airport : $186
  • Private transfer Minivan from GIG Rio Galeao airport up to 6 pax to Buzios: $110
  • Private transfer Buzios in Rio to the SDU Airport : $186
  • Private Transfer from GIG Airport to City Buzios in Rio : $170
  • Private Transfer from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro: $91
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Port to Santos Dumont Airport (SDU): $32
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Port to Cabo Frio Airport (CFB): $47
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Port to Cabo Frio Airport (CFB): $42
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Santos Dumont (SDU): $28
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Rio de Janeiro hotels: $28
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Cabo Frio hotels: $40

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Salta

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Salta are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $0.01

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salta

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

  • Train to the Clouds Experience with Transfers from Salta Hotels: $265
  • Yungas : full day with gauchos - transfer inc. from Salta: $240
  • 3-Day:Cafayate, Cachi, Salinas Grandes Including Transfer In/Out : $217
  • From Salinas and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $99
  • From Cafayate and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $88
  • Salta Airport One-Way or Round-Trip Transfers: $20
  • Round Trip Shared Transfer Salta Airport/Downtown Hotel: $13
  • One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $5.50

Is it cheaper to fly into Buzios or Salta?

Prices for flights to both Salta and Buzios 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
    Buzios $24
    Salta $3.27

Typical Food Prices in Salta

For Salta, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Emplanadas
    $0.01
  • Ice Cream
    $0.01
  • Lunch
    $0.67
  • Coffee
    $0.14

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Buzios $27
    Salta $3.40

Tours and Activities in Buzios

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

  • Buzios Trolley City Tour: $29
  • 3-hour Small Group Buzios Peninsula Open Air Trolley Tour: $33
  • 7 Beaches In Búzios With Photos On A Private Tour!: $34
  • Búzios Full day: Boat and Trolley Tour with Lunch from Arraial do Cabo: $128
  • Búzios Full day: Boat and Trolley Tour with Lunch from Búzios: $99
  • Búzios Full day: Boat and Trolley Tour with Lunch from Cabo Frio: $116
  • Boat Tour in Arraial do Cabo: $23
  • Boat Tour in Arraial do Cabo Panoramic City Tour in Cabo Frio: $96
  • Boat Tour in Arraial do Cabo from Buzios with Lunch: $60
  • Buggy Ride in Buzios by Buziana Tour: $16
  • Buggy Tour in Arraial do Cabo by Arraial Viagens: $31
  • Cabo Frio Full-Day Tour From Buzios with Lunch: $68

Typical Entertainment Prices in Salta

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Salta's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Gondola Ride
    $0.02
  • Pool
    $0.06
  • Wine and Cheese night
    $4.15

Tours and Activities in Salta

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

  • From City Tour and San Lorenzo on a half-day tour: $18
  • Full-Day Tour to Salinas Grandes and Purmamarca From Salta: $41
  • 2-Day Tour to Cachi and Los Cardones National Park: $57
  • Best of Guided City Tour: $27
  • Bungee Jumping Adrenaline Experience on Cabra Corral Dam: $107
  • Cachi Full Day Tour from Salta: $58
  • Cafayate, Vineyards and Calchaquies Valleys Tour from Salta: $57
  • Exclusive day-long private tour of Cafayate vineyards: $274
  • From Cachi and Los Cardones National Park Tour: $34
  • From City Tour of the city on a half-day ride: $18
  • From Full-Day Scenic Tour to Cachi: $33
  • From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate, Land of Wines: $34

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Buzios $17
    Salta $1.37

Typical Alcohol Prices in Salta

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Salta are as follows:


  • Beer
    $0.01
  • Alcohol
    $0.35

Sample the Local Flavors in Salta

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Salta:

  • From Cafayate Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $30
  • Full-day Cafayate, Lerma Valley, and Wine Tasting from Salta: $30
  • From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate with Wine Tasting: $33
  • Half Day Wine Tasting in Salta: $121
  • Full-Day Private Calchaquí Valley & Cafayate Wine Tour from Salta: $200


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

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


Which is Bigger, Buzios or Salta?

Salta has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Buzios. When comparing the sizes of Buzios and Salta, 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.