A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Flores vs. San Carlos de Bariloche for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Flores or San Carlos de Bariloche?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Flores and San Carlos de Bariloche 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.

Where Should I go: Flores or San Carlos de Bariloche?

Flores

The town of Flores is located in Peten, Guatemala. The main hub is located on an island on Lago Peten Itza, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. On the other side of the causeway are the towns of Santa Elena and San Benito, however, all three are often referred to as Flores. Most people visit the area for its proximity to the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal, though the town itself is also charming with colonial buildings and historic churches lining the cobbled streets.

San Carlos de Bariloche

Set in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Argentina, San Carlos de Bariloche is the biggest city in the Lake District. Bariloche is popular for skiing and snowboarding in the winter and trekking, swimming, fishing and horseback riding in the summertime.

No matter the time of year, there is something for everyone in Bariloche. Skiing season begins from June to October while fishing season is from November to April. Summer is from December to March, but visiting during low seasons (Spring in October to December and Autumn in late-April to mid-June) also has its benefits when it comes to saving cash and avoiding crowds.

Check out our ultimate guide to Hiking in Patagonia.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Guatemala, The Best 3-Day Tours in Guatemala, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, San Carlos de Bariloche or Flores?

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 Flores is $43, while the average daily cost in San Carlos de Bariloche is $86. 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 Flores and San Carlos de Bariloche in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Flores $8.73
    San Carlos de Bariloche $70
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Flores $17
    San Carlos de Bariloche $140
Compare Hotels in Flores and San Carlos de Bariloche

Looking for a hotel in Flores or San Carlos de Bariloche? 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 Flores


Hotels in San Carlos de Bariloche


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: Flores Hotel Prices and San Carlos de Bariloche Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Flores $7.97
    San Carlos de Bariloche $2.77

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Flores

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

  • Private transfer Mundo Maya Airport to Flores Island Hotels: $10
  • Bus transfer from Flores, Guatemala to Belize City: $20
  • Tikal Transfer and Tour Guide From Flores: $90
  • Same day Round-Trip VIP Exclusive Transfer to Tikal from Flores : $133

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Carlos de Bariloche

Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Carlos de Bariloche:

  • Shared Transfer Airport Bariloche Downtown : $25
  • Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Bariloche Airport: $29
  • Private Transfer from Villa Mascardi to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $80
  • Private Transfer from Tom Wesley to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $60
  • Private Transfer from Playa Bonita to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $50
  • Private Transfer from Pampa Linda to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $200
  • Private Transfer from Lago Moreno to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $50
  • Private Transfer from Hotel Tronador to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $179
  • Private Transfer from Hotel Llao Llao to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $144
  • Private Transfer from Hotel Catedral to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $50
  • Private Transfer from El Casco Art Hotel to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $60
  • Private Transfer from Downtown Bariloche to the Airport: $43

Is it cheaper to fly into Flores or San Carlos de Bariloche?

Prices for flights to both San Carlos de Bariloche and Flores 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
    Flores $23
    San Carlos de Bariloche $6.11

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Carlos de Bariloche

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Carlos de Bariloche.

  • Bariloche: Snowmobile ride with dinner 4 steps: $537

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Flores $20
    San Carlos de Bariloche $33
Typical Entertainment Prices in Flores

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Flores's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Tikal Entrance (for 2)
    $39
  • Map of Tikal
    $3.26

Tours and Activities in Flores

For Flores, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Shared Guided Sunset Tour in Yaxhá from Flores: $25
  • From Flowers Sunset Tour in Tikal: $25
  • Basic Tour to Tikal Includes Transportation and Guide Service: $25
  • Tikal Ruins Day Tour from Flores: $31
  • Full Day Tikal Sunrise Tour from Flores and Archaeological Tour: $48
  • Tikal National Park Full-Day Guided Tour from Flores: $65
  • From Flowers Eco Tour to Blue Crater All Inclusive: $70
  • All Inclusive Tikal Tour from Flores or Mayan World Airport: $78
  • Tour to Tikal (Awesome): $85
  • Yaxha Day Tour from Flores: $100
  • All Inclusive Tikal Tour from Flores and Airport: $105
  • Full-Day Shared Tour to Tikal from Flores Peten with Lunch: $110

Tours and Activities in San Carlos de Bariloche

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:

  • 2-Day Bariloche Experience with Optional Airfare: $430
  • 4-Hour Guided Tour of the Small Circuit: $90
  • Adventure to Cerro Tronador and Black Ventisquero from Bariloche: $140
  • Bariloche Chocolate Tour: Patagonian Flavors on Foot: $52
  • Bariloche Craft Beer Sensory Experience: $285
  • Bariloche Horseback Riding & Traditional Argentine Barbecue Tour: $204
  • Bariloche San Martin de los Andes and Seven Lakes Road Tour: $135
  • Bariloche Tour Route of the 7 Lakes to San Martin de los Andes : $80
  • Bariloche: Beer Tour through 3 breweries: $240
  • Bariloche: Boat Tour to Victoria Island and Arrayanes Forest: $120
  • Bariloche: Cerro Catedral Tour: $36
  • Bariloche: Cerro Catedral guided tour: $43

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Flores $21
    San Carlos de Bariloche $8.76
Typical Alcohol Prices in Flores

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Flores are as follows:


  • Two Margaritas
    $2.61

Sample the Local Flavors in San Carlos de Bariloche

Also in San Carlos de Bariloche, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Bariloche: Patagonian Experience wine tasting: $95
  • Bariloche: Wine Tasting Winehouse Experience: $110
  • Patagonian WineHouse in Bariloche: Cheese and Wine Tasting: $125
  • Bariloche: Bar Crawl. Patagonian Bar Crawl: $160


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Flores and San Carlos de Bariloche, we can see that San Carlos de Bariloche is more expensive. And not only is Flores much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Flores is in Central America and San Carlos de Bariloche is in South America, 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 Flores would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Flores 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 Carlos de Bariloche would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Carlos de Bariloche than you might in Flores.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Flores Expensive? and Is San Carlos de Bariloche Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Flores or San Carlos de Bariloche?

San Carlos de Bariloche has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Flores. When comparing the sizes of Flores and San Carlos de Bariloche, 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.