A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Hamilton vs. San Juan for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Hamilton or San Juan?

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

Should I visit Hamilton or San Juan? 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: Hamilton or San Juan?

San Juan

If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.

As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.

As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.

Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Hamilton?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Hamilton is $0.00, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $218. 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 Hamilton and San Juan in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Hamilton -
    San Juan $124
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Hamilton $0.00
    San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Hamilton and San Juan

Looking for a hotel in Hamilton or San Juan? 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 Hamilton


Hotels in San Juan


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: San Juan Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Hamilton -
    San Juan $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan

Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer from San Juan to Rincon or Rincon to San Juan: $167
  • Transfer from San Juan to Ponce or Ponce to San Juan: $150
  • Transfer from San Juan to Humacao or Humacao to San Juan: $80
  • Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
  • Transfer SJU Airport to Dorado. Hotels and Airbnb. Vice Versa One Way Trip.: $140
  • Transfer SJU Airport to Cruise Port / Vice Versa in Old S.J ONLY: $65
  • Transfer Ceiba Port Vieques and Culebra to San Juan Area or San Juan to Ceiba Po: $125
  • San Juan hotels to San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $58
  • San Juan hotels to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $29
  • San Juan Puerto Rico Private Luxury Transfers: $105
  • San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $58
  • San Juan PR Transfer in Luxury SUV (Airports,Ports,Hotel,Airbnb): $103

Is it cheaper to fly into Hamilton or San Juan?

Prices for flights to both San Juan and Hamilton 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
    Hamilton -
    San Juan $62

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hamilton

For Hamilton, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Bermuda: Flavour & Flair Food Tour: $134
  • Bermuda: Sites and Bites Food Tour: $134

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan

For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Private Puerto Rican Cooking Class in San Juan for Groups: $146
  • FlyDining: 4 Course Sunset & City Light Dinner Over Old San Juan: $159
  • FlyDining: 4 Courses Dinner with City Lights & Ocean Breeze: $165
  • Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
  • Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walking Food Tour: $179

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Hamilton -
    San Juan $49

Tours and Activities in Hamilton

For Hamilton, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Bermuda: After Hours Tasting Experience: $169
  • Bermuda: Culture & Cuisine Tour: $134
  • Bermuda: Hamilton Rising Son Catamaran Adventure: $113
  • Private Van Sightseeing Tour Bermuda Cruise Shore Guide: $580

Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan

For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Horseback Riding Tour
    $40
  • Full Day Snorkeling Trip
    $100
  • 1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson
    $75

Tours and Activities in San Juan

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.

  • 1 Hour Bull Maze Adventure at Toroverde Urban Park San Juan: $45
  • 1 Hour Historical UTV Tour in San Juan: $200
  • 1)El Yunque Rainforest and Famous Luquillo Beach Experience: $96
  • 2 Tours in 1 Day: Rainforest Waterslides & Beach Tour w/Transport: $60
  • 3 Tours in 1 Day: Old San Juan, Rainforest, Beach with Transport: $65
  • ATV Double Rider Adventure Near San Juan - Hacienda Campo Rico: $221
  • ATV Single Rider Adventure Near San Juan - Hacienda Campo Rico: $149
  • Adventure Water Bike in Condado Lagoon, San Juan: $60
  • Bio Bay Magic and Rum Tasting Tour from San Juan: $250
  • Bio Bay Night Kayak Tour with Transport from San Juan: $125
  • BioBay Kayak Tour with San Juan Roundtrip Transportation: $179
  • Bioluminescent Bay Kayak Adventure from San Juan: $110

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Hamilton -
    San Juan $12

Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:

  • Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
  • Puerto Rico Tobacco Farm and Local Brewery Tour: $109
  • Puerto Rico's First and Only Craft Beer Brewery Tour!: $150


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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hamilton Expensive? and Is San Juan Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Hamilton or San Juan?

San Juan has a larger population, and is about 460 times larger than the population of Hamilton. When comparing the sizes of Hamilton and San Juan, 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.

Related Articles for Hamilton
Related Articles for San Juan