Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Mendoza?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Mendoza 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.
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.
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 Photography Tours in Argentina, and The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Mendoza is $7.36, 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 Mendoza and San Juan in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Mendoza 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.
Also for Mendoza, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both San Juan and Mendoza 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.
For Mendoza, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
For Mendoza, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For Mendoza, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Mendoza:
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mendoza:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mendoza and San Juan, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is Mendoza much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mendoza 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 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 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 Mendoza.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mendoza Expensive? and Is San Juan Expensive?.
Mendoza has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of Mendoza 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.