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

Should you visit Cochabamba 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 Cochabamba and Ponce can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Cochabamba or Ponce?

Cochabamba

With a population of about 630,000, Cochabamba is the fourth largest city in Bolivia. It's located about 240 kilometers from the capital city of La Paz and is surrounded by mountains, but sits within a valley.

The city is known for its gardens and has many sights to offer the visitor. Cochabamba offers a calming retreat that is a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of many South American cities. It's a great location to learn Spanish and there are plenty of activities and cultural events that you can enjoy in and around town.

Cochabamba's climate is semi-arid. There is an extended dry season between May and October and the wet season is from November to March. The days are warm and the nights are cool.

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 10-Day Tours in Bolivia, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Bolivia.


Which place is cheaper, Ponce or Cochabamba?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Cochabamba is $63, 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 Cochabamba and Ponce in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cochabamba $25
    Ponce $151
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cochabamba $50
    Ponce $302
Compare Hotels in Cochabamba and Ponce

Looking for a hotel in Cochabamba 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 Cochabamba


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: Cochabamba Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cochabamba $16
    Ponce $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cochabamba

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cochabamba:

  • MiniVan or Bus Transfer from Cochabamba Airport CBB to Cochabamba: $28
  • Airport - Hotels transfer Service 24/7: $28

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:

  • San Juan Departure Share Transfer: $27
  • Isabela / Hatillo to Aguadilla Airport(BQN) - DepartureTransfer: $44
  • San Juan PR Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Transfer: $46
  • San Juan hotels to San Juan PR Cruise Port - Departure Transfer: $46
  • San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
  • San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
  • Private Transfers from SJU Airport to Isla Verde, Condado or San Juan área : $60
  • San juan Puerto Rico PrivateTransfers Airport,Hotels,Cruise Ports: $60
  • Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
  • Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
  • Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87
  • San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92

Is it cheaper to fly into Cochabamba or Ponce?

Prices for flights to both Ponce and Cochabamba 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
    Cochabamba $22
    Ponce $35

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 Food Tour : $130
  • Private San Juan Cooking Class with a Local Expert: $146

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cochabamba $25
    Ponce $56

Tours and Activities in Cochabamba

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

  • Tour to Valle Alto (Tarata): $38
  • Tigre & Delta River Cruise - half day tour from Buenos Aires: $72
  • Parque Nacional Torotoro Tour 2 Días y 1 Noche : $228

Tours and Activities in Ponce

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

  • Talking Buildings of Old San Juan: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
  • Footsteps in San Juan Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $17
  • Private Sunset Walking Tour in San Juan: $25
  • Old San Juan Tour (1 Hour) by DUHO: $25
  • Salsa Tours PR Sunset Salsa Beach Class in San Juan, Puerto Rico : $29
  • Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
  • Guided Walking Tour in Ponce: $30
  • Guided City Walking Tour: $32
  • La Perla Cultural Tour: $35
  • Historic Old San Juan Sunset Walking Tour: $39
  • Bio Bay Boat Tour with Swimming from La Parguera, Puerto Rico: $50
  • Turtle spotting snorkeling adventure- no Jets : $50

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cochabamba $15
    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 Cochabamba and Ponce, we can see that Ponce is more expensive. And not only is Cochabamba much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cochabamba is in South 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 Cochabamba would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cochabamba 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 Cochabamba.

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


Which is Bigger, Cochabamba or Ponce?

Cochabamba has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Ponce. When comparing the sizes of Cochabamba 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.