Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Ilha Grande?
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 Ilha Grande or San Juan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ilha Grande 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: Ilha Grande or San Juan?
Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande is a large, beautiful, island located off the southeast coast of Brazil. The island has few inhabitants, resulting in mostly unadulterated beaches and landscapes. There are over a dozen trails and beaches to explore, some of which have been called the best beaches in Brazil. Due to the limited number of inhabitants, ATMs are sparse on the island, so be sure to have cash with you before getting there.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Day Tours from Manaus, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Brazil.
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Ilha Grande Prices
Brazil PricesSan Juan Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIlha Grande $85San Juan $218
The average daily cost (per person) in Ilha Grande is $85, 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 Ilha Grande and San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIlha Grande $37San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIlha Grande $74San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Ilha Grande and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Ilha Grande 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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ilha Grande $18San Juan $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ilha Grande
Also for Ilha Grande, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Departure private transfer from Costa do Sol to Rio GIG Airport: $160
- Rio to Araçatiba Round-Trip Transfer with Flexboat: $131
- Regular Transfer Angra dos Reis x Rio de Janeiro and Airports: $51
- From Angra dos Reis: Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $46
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from San Juan, Rio Grande, Loiza, Luquillo or return: $80
- Transfer from San Juan to Dorado or Dorado to San Juan: $80
- Transfer from San Juan to Aguadilla or Aguadilla to San Juan: $200
- 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
- San juan Puerto Rico PrivateTransfers Airport,Hotels,Cruise Ports: $67
- San Juan hotels to San Juan PR Cruise Port - Departure Transfer: $30
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $119
- San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU)- Departure Transfer: $30
- San Juan Luxury Private Round-Trip Transfer: SJU Airport - Cruise Pier - Hotel: $80
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Port Arrival Private Transfer: $59
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Arrival Private Transfer: $30
Is it cheaper to fly into Ilha Grande or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan and Ilha Grande 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 dayIlha Grande $37San Juan $62
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:
- FlyDining: 4 Course Sunset & City Light Dinner Over Old San Juan: $159
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $165
- FlyDining: 4 Courses Dinner with City Lights & Ocean Breeze: $165
- Morning Old San Juan Food Tour: $169
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walking Food Tour: $179
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ilha Grande $6.72San Juan $49
Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande
For Ilha Grande, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Angra Dos Reis Daily Tour To Paradise. Boat Trip Lunch And Fruits Included: $85
- Angra Islands Speedboat Tour from Paraty: $65
- Angra Paradise Islands Speedboat Tour: $91
- Angra Super Blue Lagoon Speedboat Tour: $80
- Angra dos Reis Island Hopping Speedboat Tour from Ilha Grande: $76
- Angra dos Reis Lagoons Shared Speedboat Tour: $89
- Angra dos Reis Speedboat Shared Tour: $101
- Boat Adventure in the Paradise Islands of Angra dos Reis: $112
- Boat Adventure through the Super Blue Lagoon in Angra dos Reis: $112
- Boat Tour To The Beaches Of Angra Dos Reis: $20
- Discover Angra Dos Reis Shared Walking Tour: $208
- Diving Adventures in Angra dos Reis: $244
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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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
- Arecibo Indian Cave Coastal Adventure: $65
- 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
- Canopy Rush 5-Ziplines Adventure with Transportation Included: $159
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIlha Grande $11San 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
- Bacardi Rum Distillery and Old San Juan Tour: $99
- Puerto Rico Tobacco Farm and Local Brewery Tour: $109
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ilha Grande and San Juan, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is Ilha Grande much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ilha Grande is in South America and San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Ilha Grande would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ilha Grande 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 Ilha Grande.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ilha Grande Expensive? and Is San Juan Expensive?.
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.