A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Manaus vs. San Miguel de Tucuman for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Manaus or San Miguel de Tucuman?

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

Should I visit Manaus or San Miguel de Tucuman? 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: Manaus or San Miguel de Tucuman?

Manaus

Manaus is a Brazilian city, capital of the state of Amazonas, and is located on the Rio Negro a few miles before it meets the Rio Solimões to form the Amazon River. The city is a major departure point for those visiting the Amazon Rainforest, though there are a few sights worth seeing within the city itself as well.

San Miguel de Tucuman

The capital of the Tucuman Province in Argentina, San Miguel de Tucuman is the largest city in the country's northwest. The city is probably most well known as the sight where the Declaration of Independence from Spain took place on July 9, 1816. The location of this event, a colonial-style house called "Casa Historica" or "Casita de Tucuman", remains an important landmark in the city.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Brazil, The Best Contiki Tours to Brazil, The Best Photography Tours in Argentina, and The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, San Miguel de Tucuman or Manaus?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Manaus is $59, while the average daily cost in San Miguel de Tucuman is $11. 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 Manaus and San Miguel de Tucuman in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Manaus $42
    San Miguel de Tucuman $4.85
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Manaus $84
    San Miguel de Tucuman $9.70
Compare Hotels in Manaus and San Miguel de Tucuman

Looking for a hotel in Manaus or San Miguel de Tucuman? 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 Manaus


Hotels in San Miguel de Tucuman


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: Manaus Hotel Prices and San Miguel de Tucuman Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Manaus $7.94
    San Miguel de Tucuman $3.08

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manaus

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

  • Transfers from the airport to any place in Manaus City: $40
  • Transfer from Manaus Airport to Manaus City: $40
  • Shared Round-Trip Transfer: Eduardo Gomes International Airport: $72
  • Serviço de transfer privativo do Porto -> aeroporto de Mana: $20
  • Private Transfers Services Airport -Hotel 24h: $19
  • Private Transfer 24h Airport to Hotel in Manaus: $15
  • Private Transfer - Airport - Hotel / Hotel - Airport: $34
  • Private 24-hour transfer from the Hotel to the Airport in Manaus: $16
  • Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) to Manaus - Arrival Private Transfer: $21
  • Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) to Manaus - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
  • Manaus to Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) - Departure Private Transfer: $23
  • Manaus private Airport transfer: $30

Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Miguel de Tucuman:


  • Taxi Ride
    $0.01

Is it cheaper to fly into Manaus or San Miguel de Tucuman?

Prices for flights to both San Miguel de Tucuman and Manaus 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
    Manaus $12
    San Miguel de Tucuman $4.01

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manaus

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

  • Folklore Amazonian Dinner Show: $42
  • Food Tour: $50

Typical Food Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman

For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Sandwich
    $0.01

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Manaus -
    San Miguel de Tucuman $3.30

Tours and Activities in Manaus

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

  • Jewish Tour in Manaus in the Amazon from 4 to 5 hours: $147
  • Adventure: 4-hour hike in the Amazon rainforest: $150
  • Amazon Experience: meet a native village and swim with porpoises: $80
  • Amazon Jungle Experience with Overnight: $300
  • Amazon Jungle: 3- or 4-Day Tour at Ipanema River Guest House: $200
  • Amazon Negro River Half-Day Expedition Tour: $55
  • Amazon Private Safari by Tuhiri Eco Tour - Leaving Manaus: $199
  • Amazon River Stand Up Paddling Tour: $124
  • Amazon Waterfalls Tour: $70
  • Amazon and Negro Rivers Experience with Night Exploration Tour: $300
  • City Tour Plus Amazon River Tour: $100
  • City Tour in Manaus at Teatro Amazonas and Praça da Matriz: $50

Tours and Activities in San Miguel de Tucuman

For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Discover Tafí del Valle and Quilmes Ruins in a Day Tour: $82
  • Entrance ticket to Aerial Park, Zip Line and Palestra: $27
  • Rio Hondo Hot Springs Full Day Tour from Tucuman: $82
  • Tafi del Valle Half-Day Tour from Tucuman: $68
  • Yungas Half-Day Tour from Tucuman: $51

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Manaus $2.84
    San Miguel de Tucuman $2.07


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

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


Which is Bigger, Manaus or San Miguel de Tucuman?

Manaus has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of San Miguel de Tucuman. When comparing the sizes of Manaus and San Miguel de Tucuman, 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.