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

Should you visit Granada or Valdivia?

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 Valdivia. 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 Valdivia?

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.

Valdivia

Valdivia is a vibrant university city situated in southern Chile. It sits at the meeting point of three rivers in the aptly named Region de Los Rios (The Rivers Region) and is approximately 200 kilometers from both Temuco and Puerto Montt. Due to a large student population, Valdivia boasts a youthful and energetic vibe that is visible in its many bars, cafes and restaurants. The city is also known for having one of Chile's best craft beer cultures, which had its early beginnings when German settlers arrived in the 1840s. The rivers, nearby Pacific coastline and wetlands offer plenty for lovers of the outdoors, too.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best 10-Day Tours in Chile, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile.

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

Which is Bigger, Granada or Valdivia?

Valdivia has a larger population, and is about 49% larger than the population of Granada. When comparing the sizes of Granada and Valdivia, 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 Valdivia?

Valdivia 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 Valdivia in the Summer?

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

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

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Valdivia. In the summer, Granada often gets less sunshine than Valdiviain January. Granada gets 175 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Valdivia receives 296 hours of full sun.

Granada receives a lot of rain in the summer. Granada usually gets more rain in July than Valdiviain January. Granada gets 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain, while Valdivia receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Granada or Valdivia in the Autumn?

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

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

Granada usually receives more sunshine than Valdivia during autumn. Granada gets 195 hours of sunny skies, while Valdivia receives 132 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Valdivia. It's quite rainy in Granada. In October, Granada usually receives more rain than Valdiviain April. Granada gets 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain, while Valdivia receives 133 mm (5.2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Granada or Valdivia in the Winter?

Both Valdivia 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.

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

It's quite sunny in Granada. In the winter, Granada often gets more sunshine than Valdiviain July. Granada gets 244 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Valdivia receives 66 hours of full sun.

Valdivia gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Granada usually gets less rain in January than Valdiviain July. Granada gets 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Valdivia receives 312 mm (12.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Granada or Valdivia in the Spring?

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

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

In Granada, it's very sunny this time of the year. Granada usually receives more sunshine than Valdivia during spring. Granada gets 242 hours of sunny skies, while Valdivia receives 198 hours of full sun in the spring.

Valdivia receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, Granada usually receives less rain than Valdiviain October. Granada gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Valdivia receives 109 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Valdivia and Granada