Which place is cheaper, Ponce or Leon?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Leon or Ponce?
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 Ponce 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 Ponce?
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.
Ponce
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, and The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLeon $59Ponce $205
The average daily cost (per person) in Leon is $59, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $205. 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 Ponce in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLeon $16Ponce $151
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLeon $32Ponce $302
Compare Hotels in Leon and Ponce
Looking for a hotel in Leon or Ponce? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Leon $1.51Ponce $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
- Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87
- Double ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $279
- Isabela / Hatillo to Aguadilla Airport(BQN) - DepartureTransfer: $44
- Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
- Private Transfers from SJU Airport to Isla Verde, Condado or San Juan área : $60
- Rio Grande hotel to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $109
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to Rio Grande hotel - Arrival Private Transfer: $109
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
- San Juan Departure Share Transfer: $27
- San Juan PR Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Transfer: $46
- San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
Is it cheaper to fly into Leon or Ponce?
Prices for flights to both Ponce 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 $12Ponce $35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Leon
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Leon.
- Tlakualli Food Tour: $19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.
- Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
- Private Half-Day Food Tour : $130
- Private San Juan Cooking Class with a Local Expert: $146
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Leon $5.81Ponce $56
Tours and Activities in Leon
Here are a few actual costs in Leon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Half Day Private Tour of Cerro Negro's Volcano Boarding: $35
- Leon City Walking Private Tour : $48
- Rum Tour & Chorotega Museum Experience: $62
- Hike El Hoyo Volcano "Private Tour" : $67
- Old Leon and Asososca Lagoon Private Tour: $82
- Volcano Boarding Private Tour : $84
- Kayak Private tour at Juan Venado Island: $92
- Telica Sunset Tour : $93
- Horseback Riding Private Tour : $103
- Half-Day Leon City Tour: $135
- Somoto Canyon "Private Tour from Leon" : $154
- 6 Hours Sunset Private Guided Tour of Telica Volcano in León: $163
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
- Talking Buildings of Old San Juan: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Footsteps in San Juan Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $17
- Private Sunset Walking Tour in San Juan: $25
- Old San Juan Tour (1 Hour) by DUHO: $25
- Salsa Tours PR Sunset Salsa Beach Class in San Juan, Puerto Rico : $29
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- Guided Walking Tour in Ponce: $30
- Guided City Walking Tour: $32
- La Perla Cultural Tour: $35
- Historic Old San Juan Sunset Walking Tour: $39
- Bio Bay Boat Tour with Swimming from La Parguera, Puerto Rico: $50
- Turtle spotting snorkeling adventure- no Jets : $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLeon $3.53Ponce $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Ponce
Also in Ponce, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Artisan Puertorrican Winery and Distillery Tour: $50
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- Local Puerto Rican Rum Distillery Tour - Ron Pepon: $90
- Rum Distillery and Old San Juan Tour: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Leon and Ponce, we can see that Ponce is more expensive. And not only is Leon much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Leon is in Central America and Ponce 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 Leon would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Leon 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 Ponce would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ponce than you might in Leon.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Leon Expensive? and Is Ponce Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Leon or Ponce?
Ponce has a larger population, and is about 6% larger than the population of Leon. When comparing the sizes of Leon and Ponce, 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.
When is the best time to visit Leon or Ponce?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate with nice weather most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season.
Should I visit Leon or Ponce in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Leon and Ponce. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Leon year-round. Ponce attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Leon gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Leon usually receives more rain than Ponce. Leon gets 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Ponce this time of the year. Leon usually receives less sunshine than Ponce during summer. Leon gets 175 hours of sunny skies, while Ponce receives 287 hours of full sun in the summer.
In the summer, Leon is around the same temperature as Ponce. Typically, the summer temperatures in Leon in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Ponce averages at about 28°C (83°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyLeon 27°C (81°F)Ponce 28°C (83°F)
Should I visit Leon or Ponce in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Leon as well as Ponce. Leon attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Ponce throughout the year.
It's quite rainy in Ponce. Leon receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Leon usually gets more rain in October than Ponce. Leon gets 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Ponce. In the autumn, Leon often gets less sunshine than Ponce. Leon gets 195 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ponce receives 235 hours of full sun.
In October, Leon is generally around the same temperature as Ponce. Daily temperatures in Leon average around 27°C (81°F), and Ponce fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberLeon 27°C (81°F)Ponce 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Leon or Ponce in the Winter?
Both Ponce and Leon are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Leon throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Ponce because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In January, Leon usually receives less rain than Ponce. Leon gets 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
It's quite sunny in Ponce. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Leon. Leon usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Ponce during winter. Leon gets 244 hours of sunny skies, while Ponce receives 240 hours of full sun in the winter.
Leon is around the same temperature as Ponce in the winter. The daily temperature in Leon averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Ponce fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryLeon 26°C (79°F)Ponce 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Leon or Ponce in the Spring?
Both Ponce and Leon during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Leon because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Ponce year-round.
Leon usually gets less rain in April than Ponce. Leon gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
In Ponce, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Leon. In the spring, Leon often gets less sunshine than Ponce. Leon gets 242 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ponce receives 272 hours of full sun.
In the spring, Leon is around the same temperature as Ponce. Typically, the spring temperatures in Leon in April average around 29°C (84°F), and Ponce averages at about 26°C (79°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilLeon 29°C (84°F)Ponce 26°C (79°F)
Typical Weather for Ponce and Leon
| Leon | Ponce | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (80°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (84°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| May | 29°C (84°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 196 mm (7.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 144 mm (5.7 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 151 mm (5.9 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 210 mm (8.3 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 197 mm (7.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
| Nov | 31°C (88°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) |
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.