Which place is cheaper, San Miguel de Tucuman or Merida?
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 Merida or San Miguel de Tucuman?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Merida or San Miguel de Tucuman, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Merida or San Miguel de Tucuman?
Merida
Merida is the largest city on the Yucatan Peninsula, which separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea. It is also the capital of the state of Yucatan as a whole. There is a population of 750,000 and is very rich in diversity and culture.
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 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, The Best Tours for Seniors to Argentina, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Argentina.
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Merida Prices
Mexico PricesSan Miguel de Tucuman Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMerida $99San Miguel de Tucuman $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Merida is $99, while the average daily cost in San Miguel de Tucuman is $50. 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 Merida and San Miguel de Tucuman in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMerida $40San Miguel de Tucuman $37
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMerida $80San Miguel de Tucuman $74
Compare Hotels in Merida and San Miguel de Tucuman
Looking for a hotel in Merida 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.
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: Merida Hotel Prices and San Miguel de Tucuman Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Merida $17San Miguel de Tucuman $2.38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merida
Also for Merida, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Airport to Hotel in Merida One Way: $44
- Private Transfer From Merida to Uxmal, English Speaking Driver: $156
- Private Airport Transfer from Mérida to Campeche: $292
- One-way Airport Transfers to Merida Hotels: $120
- Merida hotels to Mérida International Airport (MID) - Private Departure Transfer: $25
- Merida Airport (MID) Private Transfer to Merida Centre: $40
- Mérida International Airport (MID) to Merida hotels - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $50
- Mérida International Airport (MID) to Merida hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $25
Is it cheaper to fly into Merida or San Miguel de Tucuman?
Prices for flights to both San Miguel de Tucuman and Merida 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 dayMerida $46San Miguel de Tucuman $5.36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Merida
For Merida, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Street Food Tour + Historic Tour Merida - Best Rated : $44
- Merida Food Tour with local Yucatecan Chef : $56
- Merida Walking Food Tour. Authentic & Local Cuisine: $64
- Taste of the Yucatan: Merida Cooking Class and Market Visit: $86
- Merida Shore Excursion- Mexican Cooking Class with Port Transfers: $102
- Market Tour and Authentic Cooking Class in Merida with Transfers: $154
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Merida $15San Miguel de Tucuman $25
Typical Entertainment Prices in Merida
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Merida's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Train at the Zoo$0.11
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Uxmal Entrance (for 2)$18
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Mayan Village Entrance (for 2)$5.43
Tours and Activities in Merida
For Merida, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2-hour Temazcal experience in the Mayan world: $167
- 3 Hour Tour in The Sotuta de Peón Live Museum: $56
- 4 Cenotes Full Day Tour from Merida: $104
- 4 Cenotes Tour in Homún all inclusive from Merida: $68
- 4x1 Tour Chichen Itza Magic Towns Valladolid & Izamal from Merida: $108
- 6-hour Guided Tour to Uxmal and Kabah Express: $89
- Adventure 4 cenotes with Izamal: $119
- Ake Ruins & Homun Cenotes Day Tour from Merida: $90
- Ancestral Mayan Private Culinary Experience in Merida: $128
- Boat tour through the mangroves of Celestún and Playa from Merida: $75
- Celestun Biosphere Reserve Tour from Merida: $165
- Celestun Nature Reserve Flamingo Tour-Boat to Flamingo Paradise from Merida: $230
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: $110
- Entrance ticket to Aerial Park, Zip Line and Palestra: $27
- Rio Hondo Hot Springs Full Day Tour from Tucuman: $110
- Yungas Half-Day Tour from Tucuman: $71
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMerida $14San Miguel de Tucuman $7.99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Merida and San Miguel de Tucuman, we can see that Merida is more expensive. And not only is San Miguel de Tucuman much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Merida is in North America and San Miguel de Tucuman 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 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 Merida would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Merida 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 Merida Expensive? and Is San Miguel de Tucuman Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Merida or San Miguel de Tucuman?
San Miguel de Tucuman has a larger population, and is about 9% larger than the population of Merida. When comparing the sizes of Merida 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.
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.