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

Should you visit Granada or Pucon?

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 Pucon. 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 Pucon?

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.

Pucon

A popular hub for adventure tourism, Pucon is a town in the Lake District of the South American nation of Chile. Located on Lake Villarirca with the snowcapped Villarrica volcano looming above and plenty of forested valleys below, the town has become a home base year-round for a full range of outdoor activities.

Check out our ultimate guide to Traveling in Patagonia.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Pucon or Granada?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Granada is $40, while the average daily cost in Pucon is $100. 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 Pucon in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Granada $17
    Pucon $43
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Granada $34
    Pucon $86
Compare Hotels in Granada and Pucon

Looking for a hotel in Granada or Pucon? 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 Pucon


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.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Granada $8.57
    Pucon $19

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:

  • One-Way Private Transfer From/To Airport or Hotels in Granada: $80

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pucon

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pucon:

  • Private Transfer Pucon Thermal Resorts to Temuco Airport: $49
  • Pucon to Puerto Montt El Tepual Airport (PMC) -Departure Transfer: $114
  • Pucon Temuco Airport Private Transfer: $130

Is it cheaper to fly into Granada or Pucon?

Prices for flights to both Pucon 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 $14
    Pucon $38
Typical Food Prices in Granada

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


  • Pizza
    $2.29

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Granada $10
    Pucon $37
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
    $8.17

Tours and Activities in Granada

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

  • Granada Kayak Tour: $30
  • Colonial Granada Horse Carriage & Walking Tour: $35
  • Paddle Boarding and Meditation Wellness Experience in Las Isletas: $39
  • Las Isletas: Kayak Tour: $39
  • Granada City Tour: $40
  • Granada's City Tour: $40
  • Las Isletas: Boat Tour: $45
  • Masaya Night Tour Minimum 2 People from Granada: $45
  • Las Isletas 2-Hour Kayak Adventure in Granada with Pickup: $48
  • City Walking Tour and Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride: $50
  • Full-Day Tour: Masaya Volcano, Art Market and White Villages: $60
  • Experience Granadas Best Sights Carriage ride + Local Guide: $65

Tours and Activities in Pucon

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

  • 3-Hour Rafting Experience in Pucon: $60
  • Private 3-Hour Canyoning Experience on the Correntoso River: $68
  • Sightseeing Tour in Pucon and Villarica: $93
  • Half Day Tour to The Eyes Of Caburgua from Pucon: $93
  • Private Half Day Andean Lakes Experience with pickup: $110
  • Full Day Private Tour Ascending Sollipulli Volcano: $140
  • Local Chile-Bavarian Culinary Pretzel Baking Experience n Sausage: $149
  • Full Day Excursion Tour to Quetrupillán Volcano: $177

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Granada $7.50
    Pucon $27
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 Pucon, we can see that Pucon 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 Pucon 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 Pucon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pucon 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 Pucon Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Granada or Pucon?

Granada has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Pucon. When comparing the sizes of Granada and Pucon, 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 Granada or Pucon?

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

Should I visit Granada or Pucon in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Granada and Pucon. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Granada year-round.

In the summer, Granada is much warmer than Pucon. Typically, the summer temperatures in Granada in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Pucon averages at about 16°C (61°F)in January.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Pucon this time of the year. Granada usually receives less sunshine than Pucon during summer. Granada gets 175 hours of sunny skies, while Pucon receives 296 hours of full sun in the summer.

Granada gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Granada usually receives more rain than Puconin January. Granada gets 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain, while Pucon receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain each month for the summer.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July and January
    Granada 27°C (81°F) 
    Pucon 16°C (61°F)

Should I visit Granada or Pucon in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Granada as well as Pucon. Granada attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In October, Granada is generally much warmer than Puconin April. Daily temperatures in Granada average around 27°C (81°F), and Pucon fluctuates around 11°C (52°F).

In the autumn, Granada often gets more sunshine than Puconin April. Granada gets 195 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Pucon receives 132 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Pucon. Granada receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Granada usually gets more rain in October than Puconin April. Granada gets 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain, while Pucon receives 133 mm (5.2 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October and April
    Granada 27°C (81°F) 
    Pucon 11°C (52°F)

Should I visit Granada or Pucon in the Winter?

Both Pucon and Granada are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Granada throughout the year.

Granada is much warmer than Pucon in the winter. The daily temperature in Granada averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Pucon fluctuates around 7°C (45°F)in July.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Granada. Granada usually receives more sunshine than Pucon during winter. Granada gets 244 hours of sunny skies, while Pucon receives 66 hours of full sun in the winter.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Pucon. In January, Granada usually receives less rain than Puconin July. Granada gets 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Pucon receives 312 mm (12.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January and July
    Granada 26°C (79°F) 
    Pucon 7°C (45°F)

Should I visit Granada or Pucon in the Spring?

Both Pucon and Granada during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Granada because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In the spring, Granada is much warmer than Pucon. Typically, the spring temperatures in Granada in April average around 29°C (84°F), and Pucon averages at about 11°C (52°F)in October.

It's quite sunny in Granada. In the spring, Granada often gets more sunshine than Puconin October. Granada gets 242 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Pucon receives 198 hours of full sun.

Pucon gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Granada usually gets less rain in April than Puconin October. Granada gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Pucon receives 109 mm (4.3 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April and October
    Granada 29°C (84°F) 
    Pucon 11°C (52°F)

Typical Weather for Pucon and Granada

Granada Pucon
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 26°C (79°F) 4 mm (0.2 in) 16°C (61°F) 54 mm (2.1 in)
Feb 27°C (80°F) 2 mm (0.1 in) 17°C (62°F) 55 mm (2.2 in)
Mar 28°C (82°F) 3 mm (0.1 in) 14°C (57°F) 71 mm (2.8 in)
Apr 29°C (84°F) 6 mm (0.2 in) 11°C (52°F) 133 mm (5.2 in)
May 29°C (84°F) 131 mm (5.2 in) 9°C (48°F) 295 mm (11.6 in)
Jun 28°C (82°F) 196 mm (7.7 in) 8°C (46°F) 297 mm (11.7 in)
Jul 27°C (81°F) 144 mm (5.7 in) 7°C (45°F) 312 mm (12.3 in)
Aug 27°C (81°F) 151 mm (5.9 in) 8°C (46°F) 247 mm (9.7 in)
Sep 27°C (81°F) 210 mm (8.3 in) 9°C (48°F) 162 mm (6.4 in)
Oct 27°C (81°F) 197 mm (7.8 in) 11°C (52°F) 109 mm (4.3 in)
Nov 31°C (88°F) 54 mm (2.1 in) 13°C (55°F) 73 mm (2.9 in)
Dec 26°C (79°F) 11 mm (0.4 in) 16°C (60°F) 63 mm (2.5 in)