Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Dublin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDublin $154San Juan $192
The average daily cost (per person) in Dublin is $154, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $192. 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
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDublin $73San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDublin $146San 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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dublin $21San Juan $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dublin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Dublin:
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Rental Car for a Day$16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dublin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dublin:
- One-Way Private Transfer to Killarney: $780
- One-Way Private Transfer to Galway: $673
- One-Way Private Transfer to Cork City: $640
- Shannon: Private Airport Arrival Transfer to Dublin: $619
- One-Way Private Transfer to Shannon Airport: $619
- One-Way Private Transfer to Limerick: $587
- Dublin Airport:, Executive/chauffeur transfer to Belfast: $565
- Private transfer service from Dublin to Galway: $499
- Private transfer service from Dublin to Belfast: $431
- Dublin Glasnevin National Cemetery Audio Tour with Transfers: $341
- Dublin Zoo Skip-the-line Tickets and Private Transfers: $307
- Collon House & Garden To Dublin Airport Or City Private Chauffeur Transfer : $298
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Carabali Rain Forest Round Trip Private Taxi Transfer: $210
- Old Walking Tour with Shopping and Hotel Transfer: $70
- Oneway Transfer San Juan to Ceiba: Ferry, Vieques/Culebra Airport: $80
- Oneway Transfer- San Juan(SJU, hotel, airbnb, port) to Río Grande: $68
- Private Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to San Juan Airport: $22
- Private Transfer from SJU Airport to San Juan / Rio Grande: $105
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 11Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $103
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 14Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $124
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, 16Pax Mercedes Van, Select Zone: $130
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Ford Premium SUV, Select Zone: $87
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Lexus Luxury Sedan, Select Zone: $81
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Mercedes ECO Van, Select Zone: $87
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
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Food Meals for one dayDublin $53San Juan $36
Typical Food Prices in Dublin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Dublin:
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Lunch Lynam's Pub$4.23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dublin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Dublin.
- Discover the Flavors of Dublin on a Guided Street Food Tour: $30
- Dublin 3-Course Dinner and Live Shows at The Irish House Party: $31
- No Diet Club - Best Food Tour in Dublin !: $59
- Dublin Irish Night Show, Dance and Traditional 3-Course Dinner: $60
- NO DIET CLUB - Best Food Tour in Dublin !: $62
- Grand Canal Cruise with Dinner: $72
- Delicious Walking Food Tour: $81
- Delicious Dublin Food Tour: $82
- Dublin Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $87
- Howth Coastal Craft Beer and Seafood Tour: $96
- Bread, Beer & Bia: Irish Cooking Class & Dinner in Dublin: $99
- Irish Craic & Cuisine: Cooking Class & Dinner in Central Dublin: $106
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:
- Old San Juan Sunset Food Tour with Drinks: $156
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walk and Food Tour: $159
- City Lights Sky High Dinner Experience: $165
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dublin $27San 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:
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Wild Wicklow Tour$28
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Guinness Brewery for Two$29
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St Pauls Cathedral$4.82
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Dublin Writer's Museum$6.75
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) Cliffs of Moher and Castle Tour from Dublin: $141
- 1-Hour Cocktail Masterclass Experience in Dublin: $49
- 2 Hours Senior’s Historical Private Walking Tour of Dublin : $193
- 2-Day Southern Ireland Tour from Dublin:Including Blarney and Cliffs of Moher: $217
- 2-Day Wild Atlantic Way Tour From Dublin: $217
- 2-Hour Historical Walking Tour from Dublin : $21
- 3-Hour Drinks on Foot Dublin Walking Guided Tour: $30
- 4-Day Grand Atlantic Rail Tour from Dublin: $1,181
- 5-Day Tour of West Ireland: Blarney Stone & Cliffs of Moher: $1,461
- 6-Day Tour of Southern Ireland from Dublin: $946
- A Guided Walking Tour of Trinity College Campus: $17
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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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.
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Historic Buildings: $5.99
- Discover Old In-App Audio Tour of History: $11
- Self-Guided Tour with Audio Guide: $14
- Group Transportation in airport, cruise ships, hotels, bnb's in San Juan, PR: $20
- Old Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $25
- Old San Juan Walking Tour with a Certified Guide: $30
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- History, Legends, & Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $30
- Old San Juan Walking Tour: $39
- Old San Juan City Walking Tour: $39
- Legacy Tour at Casa BarcadÍ in Puerto Rico: $45
- Ron del Barrilito Skip-the-Line Heritage Tour Ticket: $46
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDublin $18San 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:
- Authentic Brewery Tour: $11
- Generation Pub Crawl: $15
- Dublin Epic Pub Crawl: Experience Dublin's pubs and nightlife: $15
- "Dublin Delight Pub Expedition" Pub Crawl: $16
- The Dublin Liberties Distillery: Tour with Whiskey Tasting: $18
- The Dublin Liberties Distillery - Guided Tour and Whiskey Tasting: $19
- Teeling Whiskey Distillery Tour & Tasting: $22
- Exclusive Brewery Tour and Tasting at Kildare Brewing Co, Sallins: $22
- Skip the Line: Teeling Whiskey Distillery Tour and Tasting in Dublin Ticket: $22
- The Black Experience Pub Tour: $22
- City Pub Crawl Experience: $24
- Pearse Lyons Whiskey Distillery Experience: $24
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Pinones Pub crawl in Puerto Rico: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dublin and San Juan, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is Dublin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dublin is in Europe 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 Dublin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dublin 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 Dublin.
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.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyDublin 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.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberDublin 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.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryDublin 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.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilDublin 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) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.