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

Should you visit Cochabamba or San Juan?

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 San Juan can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Cochabamba or San Juan?

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.

San Juan

If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.

As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.

As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.

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, San Juan or Cochabamba?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Cochabamba is $79, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $218. 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 San Juan in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cochabamba $25
    San Juan $124
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cochabamba $50
    San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Cochabamba and San Juan

Looking for a hotel in Cochabamba or San Juan? 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 San Juan


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 and San Juan Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cochabamba $16
    San Juan $14

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

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan

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

  • Private Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to San Juan Airport: $22
  • Premium Transfer in Airport, Hotel, Airbnb, Cruise: $25
  • San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan - Arrival Private Transfer: $28
  • San Juan hotels to San Juan PR Cruise Port - Departure Transfer: $30
  • San Juan One-way Transfer - Cruise, SJU, Hotels, Airbnb: $30
  • Private Transfer Puerto Rico:To or From Airports, Hotels &Cruises: $33
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, Tesla 3 Luxury Sedan.: $56
  • San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $60
  • San juan Puerto Rico PrivateTransfers Airport,Hotels,Cruise Ports: $66
  • Roundtrip-Transfer from: SJU Airport,Cruises and Hotels in Puerto Rico LuxurySUV: $70
  • Roundtrip-Transfer in Puerto Rico: From Airports, Hotels, Cruises: $71
  • Airport Transfer to Cruise Ships, Hotels, Airbnb in San Juan: $76

Is it cheaper to fly into Cochabamba or San Juan?

Prices for flights to both San Juan 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 $38
    San Juan $62

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cochabamba

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

  • Adelante Mujer Bolivian Cooking Workshops: $29

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan

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

  • Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $165
  • FlyDining: Sunset & City Lights Dinner Over Old San Juan: $165
  • Morning Old San Juan Food Tour: $169
  • Cooking and Connecting with a Local in Puerto Rico: $173
  • Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walking Food Tour: $179

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cochabamba $25
    San Juan $49

Tours and Activities in Cochabamba

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

  • City of Eternal Spring: Self-Guided Tour of Downtown Cochabamba : $5.99
  • Parque Nacional Torotoro Tour 2 Días y 1 Noche : $231
  • Tigre & Delta River Cruise - half day tour from Buenos Aires: $85
  • Tour to Valle Alto (Tarata): $39

Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan

For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Horseback Riding Tour
    $40
  • Full Day Snorkeling Trip
    $100
  • 1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson
    $75

Tours and Activities in San Juan

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

  • Transportation in San Juan, Isla verde, Condado, Hotels, Cruises & Airbnb's SJU: $14
  • San Juan Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $17
  • Eco Friendly Farming Tour to Explore Dorado's Most Beautiful Farm: $20
  • Discover Superb Self-Guided Audio Tour: $20
  • Group Transportation in airport, cruise ships, hotels, bnb's in San Juan, PR: $23
  • Old San Juan Walking Tour with a Local Certified Guide: $25
  • San Juan Ghost Tour: Shrieks in the Sugarcane: $32
  • Historic Old San Juan Sunset Walking Tour: $39
  • Old San Juan City Walking Tour: $39
  • Old San Juan Walking Tour: $39
  • Top Rated El Yunque Rainforest & Waterslide – VIP SmallGroup Tour: $45
  • Ron del Barrilito Heritage Skip-the-Line Tour: $46

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cochabamba $15
    San Juan $12

Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:

  • Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
  • The Pinones Pub crawl Bar crawl : $70
  • Local Puerto Rican Rum Distillery Tour - Ron Pepon: $90
  • Puerto Rico's First and Only Craft Beer Brewery Tour! : $99


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cochabamba and San Juan, we can see that San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 San Juan Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Cochabamba or San Juan?

Cochabamba has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of Cochabamba and San Juan, 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.