A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Guatemala City vs. San Miguel de Tucuman for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Guatemala City or San Miguel de Tucuman?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Guatemala City or San Miguel de Tucuman? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Guatemala City or San Miguel de Tucuman?

Guatemala City

Referred to by the locals as "Guate," Guatemala City is the largest and most modern city in Guatemala, as well as its capital. While the atmosphere of the place is big, dirty, and dangerous with city fumes and skyscrapers, it is the hub of the country. It is the place where travelers first step foot into Guatemala and, though it is a place of modern chaos, it does have some of the best galleries and museums as well as a selection of bars, cafes, and restaurants.

San Miguel de Tucuman

The capital of the Tucuman Province in Argentina, San Miguel de Tucuman is the largest city in the country's northwest. The city is probably most well known as the sight where the Declaration of Independence from Spain took place on July 9, 1816. The location of this event, a colonial-style house called "Casa Historica" or "Casita de Tucuman", remains an important landmark in the city.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala, The Best Photography Tours in Argentina, and The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, San Miguel de Tucuman or Guatemala City?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Guatemala City is $44, while the average daily cost in San Miguel de Tucuman is $11. 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 Guatemala City and San Miguel de Tucuman in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Guatemala City $24
    San Miguel de Tucuman $4.85
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Guatemala City $48
    San Miguel de Tucuman $9.70
Compare Hotels in Guatemala City and San Miguel de Tucuman

Looking for a hotel in Guatemala City or San Miguel de Tucuman? 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 Guatemala City


Hotels in San Miguel de Tucuman


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: Guatemala City Hotel Prices and San Miguel de Tucuman Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Guatemala City $6.17
    San Miguel de Tucuman $3.08

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guatemala City

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guatemala City:

  • Transfer from Guatemala City hotel to INTL Airport La Aurora: $75
  • Transfer from Airport to Antigua: $80
  • Shared Arrival Transfer: Guatemala City Airport to Hotels: $43
  • Shared Arrival Transfer: Guatemala City Airport to Antigua: $16
  • Private Transfer from La Aurora Airport to Puerto Quetzal Port: $73
  • Private Transfer from La Aurora Airport to Antigua Guatemala: $120
  • Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Panajachel or Atitlan: $254
  • Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Antigua: $74
  • Private Transfer From Airport to Hotel in Guatemala City: $30
  • Private Ground Transfer Guatemala City To Panajachel, LakeAtitlan: $150
  • Private Ground Transfer Airport - Antigua Guatemala: $23
  • Private Airport Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $45

Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Miguel de Tucuman:


  • Taxi Ride
    $0.01

Is it cheaper to fly into Guatemala City or San Miguel de Tucuman?

Prices for flights to both San Miguel de Tucuman and Guatemala City 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
    Guatemala City $15
    San Miguel de Tucuman $4.01

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guatemala City

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guatemala City.

  • Cooking class/Pepian Workshop: $35
  • Taste Antigua Guatemala Walking Food Tour : $75
  • Small-Group Cooking Class in Antigua from Guatemala City: $120
  • Antigua Market, Cooking Class and Choco Museum from Guatemala City: $178
  • Pacaya Volcano Vistas + Enjoy Pizza Cooked Under Volcanic Heat: $180

Typical Food Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman

For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Sandwich
    $0.01

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Guatemala City $1.21
    San Miguel de Tucuman $3.30

Tours and Activities in Guatemala City

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

  • 2in1 Tour: Avocado Farm + Private Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $130
  • 3-hour Bike Tour Guatemala City South: $55
  • 4-hour Bike Tour Guatemala City South Center: $65
  • Acatenango Volcano Overnight Adventure from Guatemala City : $300
  • Antigua City Tour from Guatemala City: $77
  • Antigua Guatemala , Full-Day Shared Tour from Guatemala City: $75
  • Antigua Guatemala Full Day Tour: $58
  • Antigua walking tour from Guatemala City : $90
  • Bike Tour to Antigua Villages from Guatemala City : $175
  • Chichicastenango - Panajachel collective tour: $150
  • Chichicastenango Market Tour: $116
  • City Tour - Test Fly by Escuela de Flight S.A: $158

Tours and Activities in San Miguel de Tucuman

For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Entrance ticket to Aerial Park, Zip Line and Palestra: $27
  • Yungas Half-Day Tour from Tucuman: $51
  • Rio Hondo Hot Springs Full Day Tour from Tucuman: $82
  • Discover Tafí del Valle and Quilmes Ruins in a Day Tour: $82

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Guatemala City $6.84
    San Miguel de Tucuman $2.07


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Guatemala City and San Miguel de Tucuman, we can see that Guatemala City is more expensive. And not only is San Miguel de Tucuman much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Guatemala City is in Central America and San Miguel de Tucuman 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 San Miguel de Tucuman would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Miguel de Tucuman 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 Guatemala City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Guatemala City than you might in San Miguel de Tucuman.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Guatemala City Expensive? and Is San Miguel de Tucuman Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Guatemala City or San Miguel de Tucuman?

Guatemala City has a larger population, and is about 27% larger than the population of San Miguel de Tucuman. When comparing the sizes of Guatemala City and San Miguel de Tucuman, 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.