Which place is cheaper, Santa Cruz de la Sierra or Granada?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Granada or Santa Cruz de la Sierra?
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 Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 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 Santa Cruz de la Sierra?
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.
Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, or simply Santa Cruz, is a larger city in the middle of Bolivia. It is also one of the most wealthy cities in the country. The city is also one of the fastest growing in the world. It is famous for its nightlife and it makes an excellent base for exploring many of the tourist attractions in the nearby areas.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best Tours Under $1000 in Bolivia, and The Best Luxury Tours to Bolivia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGranada $40Santa Cruz de la Sierra $54
The average daily cost (per person) in Granada is $40, while the average daily cost in Santa Cruz de la Sierra is $54. 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 Santa Cruz de la Sierra in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGranada $17Santa Cruz de la Sierra $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGranada $34Santa Cruz de la Sierra $44
Compare Hotels in Granada and Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Looking for a hotel in Granada or Santa Cruz de la Sierra? 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 Santa Cruz de la Sierra Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Granada $8.57Santa Cruz de la Sierra $9.90
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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santa Cruz de la Sierra:
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Taxi Ride$4.34
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Mini Bus$0.58
Is it cheaper to fly into Granada or Santa Cruz de la Sierra?
Prices for flights to both Santa Cruz de la Sierra 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 $14Santa Cruz de la Sierra $20
Typical Food Prices in Granada
Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:
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Pizza$2.29
Typical Food Prices in Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Santa Cruz de la Sierra:
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Snacks$3.18
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Chips$0.29
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Banana$0.14
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Cookies$1.30
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Granada $10Santa Cruz de la Sierra $19
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$8.17
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGranada $7.50Santa Cruz de la Sierra $14
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
Typical Alcohol Prices in Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Santa Cruz de la Sierra from other travelers:
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Beer$1.59
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Granada and Santa Cruz de la Sierra, we can see that Santa Cruz de la Sierra 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 Santa Cruz de la Sierra 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 Santa Cruz de la Sierra would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Cruz de la Sierra 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 Santa Cruz de la Sierra Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Granada or Santa Cruz de la Sierra?
Santa Cruz de la Sierra has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Granada. When comparing the sizes of Granada and Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 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.