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

Should you visit Granada or Pereira?

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 Pereira. 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 Pereira?

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.

Pereira

Situated in a small valley in the western Andes, Pereira is the capital city of Risaralda, Colombia. The city is surrounded by coffee producing agriculture and sits in the middle of a triangle of cities including Bogota, Medillin and Cali, each of which is about a three to five hour drive away.

The city itself is very much student oriented, as there are many universities around town and at least one quarter of the population is made up of students. There is also a very European vibe to the city and you will find the area beautiful with many parks and museums.

Pereira's economy is based on government, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, trade, commerce, and tourism. Agricultural products include sugarcane, cacao, rubber, cereals, coffee, and livestock. Apparel is the main manufacturing product, along with aluminium goods, motorcycles and telecommunications technology.

Pereira is found in a warm moorland area with an average temperature of around 72 degrees. The temperatures remain relatively consistent throughout the year with highs in the high 70s Fahrenheit to low 80s Fahrenheit. Low temperatures are usually in the low 60s Fahrenheit. Rain is heaviest during the months of April and May as well as October and November.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia.


Which place is cheaper, Pereira or Granada?

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 Granada is $50, while the average daily cost in Pereira is $81. 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 Granada and Pereira in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Granada $17
    Pereira $26
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Granada $34
    Pereira $52
Compare Hotels in Granada and Pereira

Looking for a hotel in Granada or Pereira? 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 Granada


Hotels in Pereira


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: Granada Hotel Prices and Pereira Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Granada $8.54
    Pereira $20

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:

  • From One way shared transfer to Leon: $39
  • From One way shared transfer to Rivas: $39
  • From San Jorge: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
  • Leon: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
  • One-Way Private Transfer From/To Airport or Hotels in Granada: $40
  • San Juan del Sur: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pereira

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Pereira are as follows:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $1.18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pereira

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pereira:

  • Arrival or Departure Transfer Matecaña International Airport: $11
  • Manizales Arrival or Departure Transfer La Nubia Airport: $20
  • Manizales Arrival or Departure Transfer: Matecaña Intl Airport: $41
  • Arrival or Departure Transfer El Éden International Airport: $42
  • One way transfer Pereira to Santa Rosa Hot Springs: $88
  • PEREIRA/ARMENIA: FULLDAY TRANSFER SALENTO+ FILANDIA + COCORA VALLEY: $144

Is it cheaper to fly into Granada or Pereira?

Prices for flights to both Pereira and Granada 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
    Granada $24
    Pereira $40
Typical Food Prices in Granada

Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:


  • Pizza
    $2.28

Typical Food Prices in Pereira

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


  • Hamburger
    $1.66

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Granada $10
    Pereira $18
Typical Entertainment Prices in Granada

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Granada are as follows:


  • Lago de Nicaragua Boat Tour
    $8.14

Tours and Activities in Granada

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Granada are as follows:

  • Isletas Boat Tour: $32
  • Paddle Boarding and Meditation Wellness Experience in Las Isletas: $33
  • Colonial Granada Horse Carriage & Walking Tour: $35
  • Granada Colonial Granada Horse Carriage and Walking Tour: $35
  • Las Isletas: Kayak Tour: $39
  • City Tour Granada, Nicaragua.: $40
  • Las Isletas: Boat Tour: $45
  • Mountain Biking Tour with Snacks and Drinks: $45
  • Lake Nicaragua Kayak Tour: $45
  • Las Isletas Boat Tour: $45
  • Masaya Volcano Tour Minimum 2 People from Granada: $45
  • Las Isletas 2-Hour Kayak Adventure in Granada with Pickup: $48

Tours and Activities in Pereira

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

  • PRIVATE TOUR OF MAIN SQUARES, HISTORICAL SITES + LOOKOUT POINT: $56
  • Tour to hot springs of Santa Rosa from Pereira, Armenia or Salento: $84
  • Eco-Park Recinto del Pensamiento Tour: $84
  • Manizales City Tour with Cable Car and Chipre Viewpoint : $87
  • Coffee Farm and Salento Walking Tour: $89
  • Private Tour to the Coffee Park from Pereira or Armenia: $115
  • Tour Santa Rosa hot springs from Pereira, Armenia or Salento: $116
  • Private Tour to Salento and Cocora Valley from Pereira or Armenia: $131
  • Tour to San Vicente hot springs from Pereira, Armenia or Salento: $132
  • Coffee Farm and Santa Rosa Hot Springs Tour from Pereira or Armenia: $149
  • Salento and Cócora Tour plus Coffee Farm from Pereira or Armenia: $158
  • Salento, Cocora and Filandia Tour from Pereira or Armenia: $160

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Granada $7.48
    Pereira $14
Typical Alcohol Prices in Granada

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Granada:


  • Tequila
    $1.36


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Granada and Pereira, we can see that Pereira 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 Pereira 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 Pereira would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pereira 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 Pereira Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Granada or Pereira?

Pereira has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Granada. When comparing the sizes of Granada and Pereira, 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.