Which place is cheaper, San Carlos de Bariloche or Granada?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Granada or San Carlos de Bariloche?
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 San Carlos de Bariloche. 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 San Carlos de Bariloche?
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.
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 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Argentina.
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Granada Prices
Nicaragua PricesSan Carlos de Bariloche Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGranada $50San Carlos de Bariloche $86
The average daily cost (per person) in Granada is $50, 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 Granada and San Carlos de Bariloche in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGranada $17San Carlos de Bariloche $70
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGranada $34San Carlos de Bariloche $140
Compare Hotels in Granada and San Carlos de Bariloche
Looking for a hotel in Granada 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.
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 San Carlos de Bariloche Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Granada $8.54San Carlos de Bariloche $2.77
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:
- From San Jorge: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
- Leon: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
- San Juan del Sur: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
- From One way shared transfer to Rivas: $39
- From One way shared transfer to Leon: $39
- One-Way Private Transfer From/To Airport or Hotels in Granada: $40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Carlos de Bariloche
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Carlos de Bariloche:
- Bariloche: BRC Airport to City Centre|Hotel Private Transfer: $14
- Bariloche: 1-Way or Round-Trip BRC Airport Transfer: $19
- Airport transfer - downtown hotel car up to 3 people: $23
- Bariloche Airport Arrival Shuttle Transfer: $25
- Shared Transfer Airport Bariloche Downtown : $25
- Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Bariloche Airport: $29
- Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Tambo Viejo: $39
- Private Transfer from Downtown Bariloche to the Airport: $43
- Bariloche Airport Round Trip Shuttle Transfer: $44
- Private Transfer Bariloche Center Cerro Catedral or vice versa: $48
- Private Transfer from Playa Bonita to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $50
- Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Lago Moreno: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Granada or San Carlos de Bariloche?
Prices for flights to both San Carlos de Bariloche 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
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Food Meals for one dayGranada $24San Carlos de Bariloche $6.11
Typical Food Prices in Granada
Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:
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Pizza$2.28
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Granada $10San Carlos de Bariloche $33
Typical Entertainment Prices in Granada
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Granada are as follows:
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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 San Carlos de Bariloche
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:
- Circuito Chico Sightseeing Tour with Local Guide: $25
- Bariloche: Cerro Catedral Tour: $36
- Bariloche: Circuito Chico, iconic postcards of Bariloche in a single tour: $36
- Bariloche: German Immigration and History Walking Tour: $41
- German Footprint & Nazi presence - Walking Tour in Bariloche: $41
- Indigenous People of Patagonia History Tour: $41
- Bariloche: Cerro Catedral guided tour: $43
- Bariloche Chocolate Tour: Patagonian Flavors on Foot: $52
- Small Circuit Tour: Mt Campanario and Llao Llao Peninsula: $55
- Cerro Lopez Zipline Adventure from Bariloche: $56
- Pablo Bernasconi's Art Gallery Guided Tour: $60
- Canopy Half-Day Tour in Bariloche: $60
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGranada $7.48San Carlos de Bariloche $8.76
Typical Alcohol Prices in Granada
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Granada:
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Tequila$1.36
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 Granada and San Carlos de Bariloche, we can see that San Carlos de Bariloche 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 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 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 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 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 San Carlos de Bariloche Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Granada or San Carlos de Bariloche?
San Carlos de Bariloche has a larger population, and is about 7% larger than the population of Granada. When comparing the sizes of Granada 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.
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.