Which place is cheaper, Mendoza or Leon?
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 Leon or Mendoza?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Leon and Mendoza can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Leon or Mendoza?
Leon
Leon is one of the oldest city's in Nicaragua and you can see hints of its colonial past in the architecture around town. Tourism is not a major part of the economy in Leon, but the city is gaining popularity with budget travelers and backpackers and more recently tour groups are including Leon in their itinerary.
With a population of just over 200,000, Leon is the second largest city in Nicaragua, after Managua. During the university season the population grows dramatically as there is a heavy presence of students in Leon. It is a popular university town, and this young population gives the city plenty of energy and entertainment.
Mendoza
Mendoza is a city in western Argentina and more precisely in the desertic Cuyo region. Mendoza is the center of the Argentinian wine industry and is famed around the world for its vineyards and wine production. Spread across the valley of the Rio Mendoza and in the foothills of the Andean mountain range, Mendoza is also near the Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside of the Himalayas. The bustling and scenic city of wide, leafy avenues, atmospheric plazas and cosmopolitan cafes spoils visitors with unique natural attractions and historical landmarks. If you can, visit Mendoza during the harvest festival at the end of February. There are many events and festivals in Mendoza and they are usually free. Each has a different theme, and they usually have a stage with singing and dancing and booths that sell food around a plaza. Seventy percent of Argentina's wines are produced here, and Mendoza is especially known for its world-famous malbecs.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina.
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Leon Prices
Nicaragua PricesMendoza Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLeon $68Mendoza $56
The average daily cost (per person) in Leon is $68, while the average daily cost in Mendoza is $56. 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 Leon and Mendoza in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLeon $16Mendoza $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLeon $32Mendoza $86
Compare Hotels in Leon and Mendoza
Looking for a hotel in Leon or Mendoza? 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: Mendoza Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Leon $1.50Mendoza $4.18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Leon
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Leon:
- San Juan del Sur: One way shared transfer to Leon: $57
- One way shared transfer to San Juan del Sur: $57
- From San Jorge: One way shared transfer to Leon: $57
- From Granada: One way shared transfer to San Jorge: $39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mendoza
Also for Mendoza, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 6-Seats Private Transfer in Mendoza with Personal Driver: $21
- Argentine BBQ Experience and Winery Visits.Transfer included: $195
- Catena Zapata and El Enemigo Wine Tasting with Private Transfer: $290
- Classic Wine Tour with Winery Roast. Private Transfer.: $220
- Departure Private Transfer Valle de Uco to Mendoza Airport MDZ : $103
- Distillery Gin + Lunch in Winery with Private Transfer.: $160
- Essential Wine and Lunch. Private Transfer: $100
- Luján de Cuyo/ Maipú Wineries. Full Day. Transfer.: $115
- MDZ Airport Private Transfer to Mendoza City Center: $22
- Mendoza Airport (MDZ) to Mendoza - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $67
- Mendoza Airport Departure Transfer: $34
- Mendoza Airport Shuttle Transfer: $22
Is it cheaper to fly into Leon or Mendoza?
Prices for flights to both Mendoza and Leon 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 dayLeon $21Mendoza $5.85
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Leon
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Leon.
- Tlakualli Food Tour: $25
- Cooking Workshop in Nicaragua: $25
- Nicaraguan Food Cooking Workshop & Market Tour: $40
- Cooking Class Private Tour: $55
- Nicaraguan Cooking Class with a Local Family at Leon City: $60
- Leon City: Cooking Class: $60
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mendoza
For Mendoza, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Argentine BBQ on Terrace with Views. Dinner, Sunset.: $80
- Mendoza Cooking Experience with Unlimited Wine & Cocktails: $95
- Argentine Hands-On Cooking & Wine Experience in Mendoza: $95
- Bar Safari 4 Best Mendoza’s Bars in 1 Night with Full Dinner: $167
- Bar Safari: 4 Best Mendoza’s Bars in 1 night. + Full Dinner: $180
- Horseback Riding at Sunset and Dinner in Mendoza: $185
- Tango Show with Dinner at Hualta Winery Hotel: $190
- Full-Day Small-Group Mendoza Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $199
- City Tour with Dinner at a Local Restaurant: $200
- Winery Los Toneles + Dinner in Saffron Restó. Private transportation: $250
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Leon $5.80Mendoza $23
Tours and Activities in Leon
Here are a few actual costs in Leon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 6 Hours Sunset Private Guided Tour of Telica Volcano in León: $448
- 6 Hours Sunset Private Guided Tour of Telica Volcano in León: $227
- A Stroll Through León’s Enchanting Streets: Romantic Walking Tour: $246
- Half Day Tour of Cerro Negro's Volcano Boarding: $49
- Half-Day Leon City Tour: $135
- Hike El Hoyo Volcano "Private Tour" : $67
- Horseback Riding Private Tour : $120
- Kayak Private tour at Juan Venado Island: $92
- Leon City Walking Private Tour : $48
- Leon Colonial City Tour: $39
- Leon Nicaragua City Tour: $122
- Leon city: Walking tour by our landmarks.: $15
Tours and Activities in Mendoza
For Mendoza, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self-guided bike tour of Maipu (Mendoza): $15
- Malbec Experience in Bodega Tierras Altas: $22
- Tour autoguiado en bicicleta por Luján de Cuyo (Mendoza): $23
- City tour with visit to General San Martin Park: $24
- Renacer Winery Experience: $25
- City Tour: $25
- City Tour of Mendoza: $25
- City Tour: $25
- Half-Day Sightseeing Tour: $34
- Wine and Olive Oil Tasting Half-Day Tour: $34
- Half-Day Sightseeing City Tour: $35
- City Tour Mendoza Completo con Chocolatería y Cerro de la Gloria: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLeon $3.52Mendoza $5.94
Sample the Local Flavors in Mendoza
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mendoza:
- Classic Wine Tasting: $44
- Premium Wine Tasting: $66
- Half-Day Wine Tour with Tastings: $80
- Make an Argentine Asado BBQ w/ Local Host & Wine Tasting: $89
- El Enemigo and Casa Vigil Wine Tour: $93
- In Mendoza Wine Tours, Empanadas, and Olive Oil: $99
- Mendoza Private Wine Tour Paired Lunch and Olive Oil Tasting: $115
- Classic Wine Tour on a Budget. Lunch. Private Driver: $120
- Wine Tour with Lunch and Transport in Mendoza: $130
- Full Day Wine Tour with 3 Course Lunch: $164
- Wine tasting region Uco Valley in Mendoza: $180
- Bike Tour at Zuccardi: Olive Oil, Wine Tasting & Lunch: $182
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Leon and Mendoza, we can see that Leon is more expensive. And not only is Mendoza much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Leon is in Central America and Mendoza 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 Mendoza would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mendoza 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 Leon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Leon than you might in Mendoza.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Leon Expensive? and Is Mendoza Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Leon or Mendoza?
Mendoza has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Leon. When comparing the sizes of Leon and Mendoza, 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.
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.