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

Should you visit Jakarta or San Juan?

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 Jakarta and San Juan. 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: Jakarta or San Juan?

Jakarta

As Indonesia's capital and largest city, Jakarta rests on the northwest coast of the island of Java. It is the country's economic, cultural, and political center with plenty of opportunities for sightseeing, nightlife, shopping, and entertainment.

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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Indonesia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Indonesia.


Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Jakarta?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Jakarta is $65, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $192. 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 Jakarta and San Juan in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Jakarta $33
    San Juan $124
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Jakarta $66
    San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Jakarta and San Juan

Looking for a hotel in Jakarta 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 Jakarta


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: Jakarta Hotel Prices and San Juan Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Jakarta $21
    San Juan $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Jakarta

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Jakarta are as follows:


  • Taxi to Station
    $1.10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jakarta

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

  • Private Transfer from Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP) to Ujung Genteng Sukabumi: $211
  • Private Transfer from Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP) to Sukaresmi Pandeglang Regenc: $169
  • Private Transfer from Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP) to Sukaresmi Garut Regency: $169
  • Private Transfer from Sukaresmi Pandeglang Regency to Jakarta Airport (CGK): $169
  • Private Transfer from Jakarta Airport (CGK) to Sukaresmi Pandeglang Regency: $168
  • Private Transfer from Jakarta Airport (CGK) to Sukaresmi Garut Regency: $168
  • Private Airport Transfer Jakarta VIP Luxury Van: $141
  • Jakarta Airport CGK to Bandung or Lembang Round Trip Transfer: $127
  • Private Transfer between Jakarta and Bandung: $120
  • Private Transfer from Jakarta Halim Airport (HLP) to Sukatani Purwakarta Regency: $110
  • Private Transfer from Jakarta Airport (CGK) to Sukaresmi Cianjur Regency: $110
  • Private Transfer from Jakarta Airport (CGK) to Benda Sukamulya: $110

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan

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

  • San Juan Airport (SJU): Private Transfer to San Juan Port: $272
  • San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port: Transfer to San Juan hotel: $272
  • Carabali Rain Forest Round Trip Private Taxi Transfer: $210
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, 16Pax Mercedes Van, Select Zone: $130
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 14Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $124
  • Private Transfer from SJU Airport to San Juan / Rio Grande: $105
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 11Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $103
  • Old San Juan Sunset Cruise with Drinks & Transfer: $99
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Mercedes ECO Van, Select Zone: $87
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Ford Premium SUV, Select Zone: $87
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Lexus Luxury Sedan, Select Zone: $81
  • Oneway Transfer San Juan to Ceiba: Ferry, Vieques/Culebra Airport: $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Jakarta or San Juan?

Prices for flights to both San Juan and Jakarta 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
    Jakarta $17
    San Juan $36
Typical Food Prices in Jakarta

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Jakarta:


  • Dinner
    $2.76
  • Dinner
    $0.75

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jakarta

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

  • Fun Food Tour Jakarta: $30
  • Mangga Besar Food Tour: $49
  • Cikini Heritage Food Tour: $49
  • Jakarta Night Life Tour with highlight and food tour: $55
  • Jakarta Night Tour: Guided Sightseeing & Street food tour: $57
  • Kota Tua Food Tour: $64
  • Melawai Night Street Food Tour: $67
  • Private Jakarta Guided City Tour with Batavia Café and Dinner: $80
  • 10-Tasting Private Food Tour with a Local Host: $98

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:

  • Old San Juan Sunset Food Tour with Drinks: $156
  • Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walk and Food Tour: $159
  • City Lights Sky High Dinner Experience: $165
  • Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Jakarta $13
    San Juan $49

Tours and Activities in Jakarta

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

  • 3 Hours Jakarta City Tour (Jakarta's Iconic Places): $45
  • 4 Hours Jakarta Private City Tour - (Most Tourist Attractions): $55
  • 5 Hours Jakarta Private City Tour - (Most Highlights): $65
  • 6 Hours Jakarta Private City Tour - (Must Visit Places): $75
  • 8 Hours Jakarta Private City Tour - (All Tourist Attractions): $109
  • Afternoon Guided Chinatown Tour in Jakarta : $53
  • Baduy Tribal Tracker and Village in Private Tour Full Day & Lunch: $130
  • Bandung City Tour Mountain Volcano and Hotspring ( Start From Jakarta): $154
  • Bandung Private Tour Mountain Volcano and Hotspring ( Overland ): $175
  • Bandung Tour : Volcano, Coffee Fields, Hot Springs Water: $121
  • Batik Course & City Tour Jakarta: $60
  • Best Jakarta Private Tour: $66

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.

  • Full-Day Tour: El Yunque, Luquillo Beach, Bio Bay Night Kayaking: $155
  • Rum Craft Cocktail Tour in San Juan: $65
  • 1 or 2 Hour Puerto Rico Horseback Ride Experience!: $210
  • Arenales Caves, Waterfall & River Swimming Adventure: $140
  • Arte Boriken-Urban Art & Beach Sip & Paint Tour: $145
  • Bioluminescent Bay Kayak Adventure from San Juan: $110
  • Black Sand Beach- See The Southeast of Puerto Rico Private Tour: $150
  • Carolina: ATV Adventure at Campo Rico Ranch with Guide: $136
  • Craft Beer Private Tour in San Juan: $168
  • Cruise Ship Travelers: Hike to a Hidden Puerto Rican Waterfall: $85
  • Culebra Beach Day Tour with Snorkeling from San Juan by Ferry: $200
  • Culebra Snorkeling Tour by Catamaran from Fajardo: $175

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Jakarta $4.27
    San Juan $12

Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:

  • Pinones Pub crawl in Puerto Rico: $50


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Jakarta and San Juan, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is Jakarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Jakarta is in Asia 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 Jakarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jakarta 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 Jakarta.

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


Which is Bigger, Jakarta or San Juan?

Jakarta has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of Jakarta 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.

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