A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Granada vs. Montanita for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Granada or Montanita?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Granada and Montanita. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Granada or Montanita?

Granada

Granada is Nicaragua's oldest colonial city, and arguably, the most beautiful city in the country. It sits on the northern edge of Lake Nicaragua (Lago Cocibolca) and has many beautifully colored buildings and nice churches. The city's beauty and colonial architecture, along with its relative safety and accessibility, make it one of Nicaragua's top tourist destinations. The city has long been a center for commerce, but today its economy depends heavily on tourism. The city is the sixth largest in Nicaragua and a real estate boom in the early 2000's brought a large number of expats to the town.

Montanita

Montanita is a small village located on Manglaralto parish along the southern coast of Ecuador. The Pacific Coast of Ecuador is lined with beach towns, either small villages with local fisherman or larger towns more set up for foreign travellers like Montanita. With one of the best beaches in Ecuador, one of the best surf breaks in the region, and a great laid-back atmosphere Montanita is a great little getaway, especially for the hippies of the world. It has also become a popular weekend destination for English teachers and Spanish students coming from Guayaquil and Quito. The beachfront village of Montanita has a laid-back atmosphere and steady stream of cosmopolitan backpackers, with as many South Americans as gringos.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best G Adventures Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ecuador.

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

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

When is the best time to visit Granada or Montanita?

Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.

Should I visit Granada or Montanita in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Granada as well as Montanita. Granada attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Montanita throughout the year.

Granada receives a lot of rain in the summer. Granada usually gets more rain in July than Montanita. Granada gets 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain, while Montanita receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

In the summer, Granada often gets more sunshine than Montanita. Granada gets 175 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montanita receives 107 hours of full sun.

Granada is around the same temperature as Montanita in the summer. The daily temperature in Granada averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and Montanita fluctuates around 25°C (78°F).

Should I visit Granada or Montanita in the Autumn?

Both Montanita and Granada are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Granada throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Montanita because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

It's quite rainy in Granada. In October, Granada usually receives more rain than Montanita. Granada gets 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain, while Montanita receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Granada usually receives more sunshine than Montanita during autumn. Granada gets 195 hours of sunny skies, while Montanita receives 117 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In the autumn, Granada is around the same temperature as Montanita. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Granada in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Montanita averages at about 26°C (78°F).

Should I visit Granada or Montanita in the Winter?

Both Montanita and Granada during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Granada because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Montanita year-round.

Granada usually gets less rain in January than Montanita. Granada gets 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Montanita receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

It's quite sunny in Granada. In the winter, Granada often gets more sunshine than Montanita. Granada gets 244 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montanita receives 88 hours of full sun.

In January, Granada is generally around the same temperature as Montanita. Daily temperatures in Granada average around 26°C (79°F), and Montanita fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).

Should I visit Granada or Montanita in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Granada and Montanita. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Granada year-round. Montanita attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In April, Granada usually receives less rain than Montanita. Granada gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Montanita receives 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

In Granada, it's very sunny this time of the year. Granada usually receives more sunshine than Montanita during spring. Granada gets 242 hours of sunny skies, while Montanita receives 133 hours of full sun in the spring.

Granada is around the same temperature as Montanita in the spring. The daily temperature in Granada averages around 29°C (84°F) in April, and Montanita fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

Typical Weather for Montanita and Granada