A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Curitiba vs. Merida for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Backpackers

Should you visit Curitiba or Merida?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Curitiba and Merida 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.

Curitiba

Curitiba is a vibrant, cultural, and active city. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums. See Curitiba travel costs.

Merida

Merida is a traditional, colonial, and historical city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food. See Merida travel costs.

Curitiba and Merida: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Curitiba or Merida?

Visitors will generally find more to do in Merida than Curitiba. While Curitiba is larger than Merida, Merida has more sights, attractions, and activities for tourists. Merida is more touristy than Curitiba and is known for its vibrant plazas, long running history, and colonial architecture. It is also well known for Grand Plaza. Curitiba is famous for its performing arts, walkability, and culture.

How is Curitiba different from Merida?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Merida and Curitiba. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Curitiba or Merida?

Merida is a great city for its historical sights. Also, Curitiba is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its sights and museums.

You'll find a good number of museums and monuments packed into Merida. The city is filled with culture and traditional heritage, and there are many museums and architectural landmarks that will educate and inform visitors on the area. Gran Museo del Mundo Maya is a highlight for many visitors. It's also worth visiting Museo Casa Montejo and Museo Palacio Canton. If you want to visit ruins, then the Dzibilchaltun Mayan Ruins are about 45 minutes outside of town.

Curitiba is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. There are a variety of museums around town that include a number of history museums, a few art museums, and other cultural museums that are worth checking out.

Is the Food Better in Curitiba or Merida? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Both Curitiba and Merida offer a number of high quality restaurants to choose from.

Curitiba has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The official dish of the town is carne de onça, which first originated here and is a beef tartare that's served on flat bread. There are also many other traditional and authentic Brazilian restaurants around town, so this is a great place for a foodie to explore.

With its innovative style combined with traditional elements, Merida makes for a great culinary experience. It's a top foodie destination in the Yucatan region and visitors will enjoy the many local restaurants and diverse local dishes that are influenced by the Mayan, Spanish, and Caribbean cultures. The most well known local dish is cochinita pibil, which is marinated pork shoulder. Other popular dishes include sopa de lima (lime soup), papadzules (enchiladas with pumpkin seed sauce), and relleno negro (a local stew).

Is Curitiba or Merida Better for Nightlife?

If the nightlife is your priority, you'll find high quality options in both Curitiba and Merida.

The nightlife in Curitiba has something for everybody. Like most cities in Brazil, you'll find a great nightlife scene with plenty of bars and restaurants. Some of the best neighborhoods for nightlife are Batel, which is one of the most international parts of the city, Itupava Street, which is lined with Brazilian restaurants and bars, and São Francisco, which is popular with the student population because of its affordability.

Merida offers plenty to do in the evening. Most tourists take advantage of the nightlife scene in the city's downtown area, while locals congregate in the northern part of town. The city has bars, theaters, night clubs, and live music that keeps the energy high late into the night.

Is Curitiba or Merida Better for its Old Town?

Merida is a great city for its historic old town charm. However, Curitiba does not have a historic old town.

Merida is an extremely popular place to visit the historic old town area. Centered around the city's Grand Plaza, the old town is filled with colonial architecture and colorful buildings. The Catedral de San Ildefonso was the first cathedral built in the Americas. There are also monuments and examples of Mayan art and culture.

Curitiba does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Curitiba or Merida?

Merida is a great city for its shopping areas. Also, Curitiba is not as popular, but is still a nice city for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Merida. There are colorful markets that are filled with artisan crafts and traditional clothing. Visitors enjoy discovering the unique vendors and picking up souvenirs that are unique to the area.

Curitiba is a great destination for shopping. The city has large shopping malls and many great fashion boutiques. It's a great place to spend some time shopping.

Is Curitiba or Merida Better for Families?

Both Curitiba and Merida are nice to visit with kids.

Curitiba offers lots of family activities. The city has parks and museums that are great for kids. In particular, the botanical gardens and Bosque Alemao appeal to young visitors.

Merida is a family-friendly place to visit. The weekend is the best time to visit the city, as this is when there are the most activities. There are live performances that educate visitors on Mayan traditions. There are also historic museums, bike-friendly streets, and a vibrant central market.

Is Curitiba or Merida Better for Couples?

Both Curitiba and Merida are nice destinations for a couple's getaway.

Curitiba is a good city for couples to visit. The city has some great parks and restaurants that make it a pleasant place to explore with your significant other.

Merida is a nice destination for couples. If you're interested in Mayan culture and history, then this is a wonderful destination. There are also romantic hotels, excellent restaurants, and plenty of fascinating activities that couples will enjoy.

Is Curitiba or Merida Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Merida is a great city for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Curitiba is not as popular, but is still a nice city for backpackers.

Plenty of budget travelers and backpackers visit Merida. It's a relatively large city with a number of hostels and budget hotels, so backpackers will have no problem finding a place to stay.

Plenty of backpackers visit Curitiba. The nightlife and music scene, combined with a great public transit system, make this a good, but often overlooked destination for backpackers in Brazil.

Is Curitiba or Merida Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Curitiba is an excellent place to visit for times when you don't have a car. Also, Merida is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its public transit.

Curitiba offers a very effecient public transportation network. There's a great public transit system here that includes a metro system, trolleybuses, and buses.

You'll find some public transit in Merida, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. While there are local bus routes, they can be a bit challenging to figure out when you first arrive.

Is Curitiba or Merida a more walkable city?

Curitiba and Merida are high quality when it comes to walkability.

Curitiba is a very walkable destination. It is a walkable city that is fun to explore on foot, but as always, take precautions in certain areas, particularly at night.

Merida is very walkable. It's a very walkable city and most visitors don't have a car.

For even more information, also check out Is Curitiba Worth Visiting? and Is Merida Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Merida or Curitiba?

How long in Curitiba or Merida?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Curitiba or Merida to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Curitiba than Merida because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for Curitiba, and 1-2 days is enough time in Merida.

Families should spend more time in Merida than Curitiba. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Merida, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Merida than Curitiba. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Merida that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Merida than Curitiba if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Merida.

One day in Curitiba or Merida?

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Curitiba. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

The city of Merida offers food and shopping. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Curitiba or Merida?

Curitiba is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Merida is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this city makes for a great vacation. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Merida, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Curitiba or Merida?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Curitiba. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Merida is a popular choice for travelers. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Curitiba or Merida?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the cultural destination of Curitiba. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Merida is a great place to explore. Visiting the old town is also a must. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Brazil, The Best Tours for Seniors to Brazil, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico.

When comparing the travel costs between Curitiba and Merida, we can see that Merida is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Curitiba is in South America and Merida is in North America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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

Which is Bigger, Curitiba or Merida?

Curitiba has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Merida. When comparing the sizes of Curitiba and Merida, 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.