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

Should you visit Dublin or San Juan?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Dublin or San Juan, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Dublin or San Juan?

Dublin

Dublin is the vibrant and fun capital city of Ireland and home to over a third of the country's population. There are almost 2 million people in the metropolitan area. It's also the most common entry point into the country for visitors. Once you arrive, its a good idea to head over to the main tourist office in St. Andrew's Church off Grafton Street. They can give you maps and information to make sure your trip is efficient and fun. Many people enjoy seeing what remains of the Georgian architecture throughout the city. Much of the city is also modernist in style with many blocks made up of offices.

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 Walking Tours in Ireland, and The Best Luxury Tours to Ireland.


Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Dublin?

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 Dublin is $210, 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 Dublin and San Juan in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Dublin $80
    San Juan $124
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Dublin $160
    San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Dublin and San Juan

Looking for a hotel in Dublin 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 Dublin


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: Dublin Hotel Prices and San Juan Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Dublin $23
    San Juan $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dublin

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Dublin:


  • Rental Car for a Day
    $18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dublin

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dublin:

  • One-Way Private Transfer to Killarney: $852
  • One-Way Private Transfer to Cork City: $699
  • One-Way Private Transfer to Shannon Airport: $676
  • One-Way Private Transfer to Limerick: $640
  • Dublin Airport:, Executive/chauffeur transfer to Belfast: $606
  • Dublin Glasnevin National Cemetery Audio Tour with Transfers: $372
  • Jameson and Guinness Private Tour with Transfers: $340
  • Dublin Zoo: Skip-the-Line Tickets with Private Transfers: $335
  • Private Max 5 Luxury Electric Limousine Transfer, Dublin City to Dublin Airport: $252
  • Dublin Airport & City Transfers : $240
  • Dublin Airport Or Dublin City To Tankardstown House Private Chauffeur Transfer: $230
  • Dublin Airport: Private 1-Way Minivan Transfer to Dublin: $228

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan

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

  • Airport Transfer to Cruise Ships, Hotels, Airbnb in San Juan: $76
  • Arrival Private Transfer SJU Airport to Old San Juan by Sedan: $120
  • Carabali Rain Forest Round Trip Private Taxi Transfer: $200
  • Departure Transfer from Old San Juan to to SJU Airport by Car: $86
  • Double ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $289
  • Premium Transfer in Airport, Hotel, Airbnb, Cruise: $25
  • Private Airport Transfers to Ceiba Ferry Terminal and Airport: $155
  • Private Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to San Juan Airport: $22
  • Private Transfer Puerto Rico:To or From Airports, Hotels &Cruises: $33
  • Private Transfer from SJU Airport to Cruise Port Roundtrip Servic: $109
  • Private Transfer from SJU Airport to San Juan / Rio Grande: $115
  • Private Transfer from or to San Juan and Ceiba Ferry: $93

Is it cheaper to fly into Dublin or San Juan?

Prices for flights to both San Juan and Dublin 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
    Dublin $100
    San Juan $62
Typical Food Prices in Dublin

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Dublin:


  • Lunch Lynam's Pub
    $4.63

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dublin

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

  • Street Food Tour with Local Guide: $32
  • Food on Foot: Dublin Street Food Tour with Local Guide: $33
  • Dublin Irish House Party Live Show, Dinner Option Available: $36
  • Belvedere Irish Night Show, Dance and Traditional 3-Course Dinner: $59
  • Dublin Holiday Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $70
  • Grand Canal Cruise with Dinner: $82
  • Irish Dinner & Dance Show at Johnnie Fox’s: $88
  • Ultimate Dublin Food Tour: $93
  • Delicious Walking Food Tour: $94
  • Delicious Dublin Food Tour: $96
  • Skip the Line: Irish Night Show Including 4-Course Dinner Ticket: $102
  • Howth Coastal Craft Beer and Seafood Tour: $116

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.
    Dublin $29
    San Juan $49
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dublin

Here are a few typical costs in Dublin for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Wild Wicklow Tour
    $31
  • Guinness Brewery for Two
    $32
  • St Pauls Cathedral
    $5.28
  • Dublin Writer's Museum
    $7.39

Tours and Activities in Dublin

Here are a few actual costs in Dublin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • A Self Guided Walking Tour of Dublin's Docklands: $12
  • (Small Group) Shore Tour from Dublin:Dublin Highlights and Glendalough Day Trip: $131
  • (Spanish) Cliffs of Moher and Galway tour from Dublin: $90
  • 1-Hour Cocktail Masterclass Experience in Dublin: $57
  • 2 Hour Walking Tour of Dublin's City Centre: $23
  • 2-Hour Historical Walking Tour from Dublin : $23
  • 5*Premium Small Group Tours. Dublin Jameson & Guinness Storehouse: $194
  • 5-Day Tour of West Ireland: Blarney Stone & Cliffs of Moher: $1,688
  • 6-Day Tour of Southern Ireland from Dublin: $1,033
  • 90 Minute Dublin Walking tour and Sightseeing tips: $22
  • A Tour from Dublin to Cork: $1,586
  • A Unique and Fun 1 Hour city tour of Dublin: $42

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
  • Old San Juan Walking Tour: $39
  • Old San Juan City Walking Tour: $39
  • Historic Old San Juan Sunset 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
    Dublin $20
    San Juan $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Dublin

Also in Dublin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Generation Pub Crawl: $16
  • Teeling Whiskey Distillery Tour & Tasting: $24
  • The Black Experience Pub Tour: $24
  • Pearse Lyons Whiskey Distillery Experience: $26
  • Pearse Lyons Whiskey Distillery: Trilogy Experience: $26
  • City Pub Crawl Experience: $29
  • Jameson Whiskey Distillery Tour with Tastings: $36
  • Dublin Jameson Distillery Bow St. Tour and Tasting 45 mins: $37
  • Dublin Jameson Distillery Guided tour and Tasting in French: $37
  • Pub Crawl Walking Tour Through the Heart of Irelands Capital: $38
  • Jameson Distillery Secret Whiskey Tasting Experience: $47
  • Gin Tasting Masterclass In Stillgarden Distillery: $48

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 comparing the travel costs between Dublin and San Juan, we can see that San Juan 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 Dublin is in Europe and San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Dublin Expensive? and Is San Juan Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Dublin or San Juan?

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


When is the best time to visit Dublin or San Juan?

Dublin has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Juan experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Dublin or San Juan in the Summer?

Both San Juan and Dublin during the summer are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Dublin in the summer for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Juan year-round.

In July, Dublin is generally much colder than San Juan. Daily temperatures in Dublin average around 16°C (60°F), and San Juan fluctuates around 28°C (83°F).

In San Juan, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Dublin often gets less sunshine than San Juan. Dublin gets 166 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan receives 287 hours of full sun.

Dublin usually gets less rain in July than San Juan. Dublin gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Dublin 16°C (60°F) 
    San Juan 28°C (83°F)

Should I visit Dublin or San Juan in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Dublin and San Juan. Most visitors come to Dublin for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene during these months. San Juan attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

Dublin is much colder than San Juan in the autumn. The daily temperature in Dublin averages around 11°C (52°F) in October, and San Juan fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Juan this time of the year. Dublin usually receives less sunshine than San Juan during autumn. Dublin gets 97 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan receives 235 hours of full sun in the autumn.

San Juan receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Dublin usually receives less rain than San Juan. Dublin gets 70 mm (2.7 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Dublin 11°C (52°F) 
    San Juan 28°C (82°F)

Should I visit Dublin or San Juan in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Dublin as well as San Juan. The winter months attract visitors to Dublin because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Juan throughout the year.

In the winter, Dublin is much colder than San Juan. Typically, the winter temperatures in Dublin in January average around 6°C (42°F), and San Juan averages at about 25°C (77°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Juan. In the winter, Dublin often gets less sunshine than San Juan. Dublin gets 56 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan receives 240 hours of full sun.

Dublin usually gets more rain in January than San Juan. Dublin gets 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Dublin 6°C (42°F) 
    San Juan 25°C (77°F)

Should I visit Dublin or San Juan in the Spring?

Both San Juan and Dublin are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The activities around the city are the main draw to Dublin this time of year. Plenty of visitors come to San Juan because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In April, Dublin is generally much colder than San Juan. Daily temperatures in Dublin average around 8°C (47°F), and San Juan fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).

It's quite sunny in San Juan. Dublin usually receives less sunshine than San Juan during spring. Dublin gets 157 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan receives 272 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Dublin usually receives less rain than San Juan. Dublin gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Dublin 8°C (47°F) 
    San Juan 26°C (79°F)

Typical Weather for San Juan and Dublin

Dublin San Juan
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 6°C (42°F) 69 mm (2.7 in) 25°C (77°F) 58 mm (2.3 in)
Feb 6°C (42°F) 50 mm (2 in) 25°C (77°F) 41 mm (1.6 in)
Mar 7°C (44°F) 54 mm (2.1 in) 26°C (78°F) 45 mm (1.8 in)
Apr 8°C (47°F) 51 mm (2 in) 26°C (79°F) 69 mm (2.7 in)
May 11°C (52°F) 55 mm (2.2 in) 27°C (81°F) 120 mm (4.7 in)
Jun 14°C (57°F) 56 mm (2.2 in) 28°C (82°F) 82 mm (3.2 in)
Jul 16°C (60°F) 50 mm (2 in) 28°C (83°F) 95 mm (3.7 in)
Aug 15°C (60°F) 71 mm (2.8 in) 28°C (83°F) 130 mm (5.1 in)
Sep 14°C (56°F) 67 mm (2.6 in) 28°C (83°F) 130 mm (5.1 in)
Oct 11°C (52°F) 70 mm (2.7 in) 28°C (82°F) 135 mm (5.3 in)
Nov 8°C (46°F) 65 mm (2.5 in) 27°C (80°F) 132 mm (5.2 in)
Dec 6°C (44°F) 76 mm (3 in) 26°C (78°F) 92 mm (3.6 in)