Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Mexico City?
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 Mexico City or San Juan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Mexico City or San Juan? 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: Mexico City or San Juan?
Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.
San Juan
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 2-Week Tours in Mexico, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico.
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Mexico City Prices
Mexico PricesSan Juan Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMexico City $225San Juan $218
The average daily cost (per person) in Mexico City is $225, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $218. 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 Mexico City and San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMexico City $41San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMexico City $82San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Mexico City and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Mexico City 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Mexico City Hotel Prices and San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mexico City $13San Juan $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:
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Metro$1.15
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Uber Ride$4.03
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City
Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Visit with Transfer: $599
- Teotihuacan: Private Balloon Flight with optional Transfer: $293
- Mexico City to Guanajuato - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $291
- Private Transfer Mexico City to Oaxaca with Flexible Stops: $280
- Shared Balloon Flight in Teotihuacan with transfer: $274
- Mexico Airport (MEX) Tecozautla - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $248
- Private Transfer Mexico City to San Miguel with Flexible Stops: $240
- Balloon adventure: transfer+breakfast in the cave+guided pyramids: $239
- Balloon Flight in Teotihuacan Transfers and Breakfast Included: $236
- Private Airport Transfer to Hotel de CDMX (8 to 11 people): $236
- Mexico Airport(MEX) to Chignahuapan - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $231
- Transfer from Airport to Hotel: $220
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from San Juan to Rincon or Rincon to San Juan: $167
- Transfer from San Juan to Humacao or Humacao to San Juan: $80
- Transfer from San Juan to Dorado or Dorado to San Juan: $80
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Transfer SJU Airport to Dorado. Hotels and Airbnb. Vice Versa One Way Trip.: $140
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $118
- San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU)- Departure Transfer: $29
- San Juan PR Transfer in Luxury SUV (Airports,Ports,Hotel,Airbnb): $103
- San Juan Luxury Private Round-Trip Transfer: SJU Airport - Cruise Pier - Hotel: $80
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $59
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Port Arrival Private Transfer: $59
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $118
Is it cheaper to fly into Mexico City or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan and Mexico City 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 dayMexico City $46San Juan $62
Typical Food Prices in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$13
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Coffee and Snacks$4.49
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Dinner for 2$26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Art and Food Tour with Lunch: $54
- San Juan Market Food Tour Exotic Bites & Flavors: $55
- Coyoacan Market Food Tour Urban Eats & Local Legends: $55
- Tortilla Crawl: Food Tour in Mexico City: $55
- CDMX Historic Center Food Tour: $59
- Local Markets & Food Tour in Mexico City: $63
- 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $65
- Old Town Food Tour of 7 Tastings & Secret Dish: $66
- Frida Kahlo Museum & Coyoacan Tacos & Food Tour: $69
- Mexico City Food Tour: Historic Center, Heritage on a Plate: $70
- Vegan & Veggie Market Tour with Cooking Lesson: $71
- 4h Cooking Class in 8 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $75
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- FlyDining: 4 Course Sunset & City Light Dinner Over Old San Juan: $159
- Morning Old San Juan Food Tour: $169
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walking Food Tour: $179
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mexico City $15San Juan $49
Tours and Activities in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 Day Tour to Zacatlán and Chignahuapan from Mexico city: $200
- 1 day in Puebla and Cholula in private tour from Mexico city: $160
- 100% Private Teotihuacan Tour from Mexico City: $132
- 100% Private Tour in Teotihuacán Pyramids from Mexico City: $120
- 100% private tour in Chapultepec Castle & around (with transport): $77
- 100% private tour to hotsprings Tolantongo from Mexico city: $177
- 2D: Frida Kahlo Museum(No ticket)-Xochimilco & Cuernavaca - Taxco: $194
- 3-in-1 Tour: Teotihuacan + Breakfast in La Gruta + Transportation: $100
- 3X1 Tour in Xochimilco UNAM and Coyoacan: $60
- A Hidden Foodie Experience in Mercado de Jamaica: $135
- A Tour through the Guadalupe Basilica Grounds: $46
- A Walking Tour in San Ángel with Mezcal Tasting: $48
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- 1 Hour Bull Maze Adventure at Toroverde Urban Park San Juan: $45
- 1 Hour Historical UTV Tour in San Juan: $200
- 1)El Yunque Rainforest and Famous Luquillo Beach Experience: $96
- 2 Tours in 1 Day: Rainforest Waterslides & Beach Tour w/Transport: $60
- 3 Tours in 1 Day: Old San Juan, Rainforest, Beach with Transport: $65
- ATV Double Rider Adventure Near San Juan - Hacienda Campo Rico: $221
- ATV Single Rider Adventure Near San Juan - Hacienda Campo Rico: $149
- Adventure Water Bike in Condado Lagoon, San Juan: $60
- Arecibo Cave Cliffside Waterfall Adventure: $139
- Arecibo Indian Cave Coastal Adventure: $65
- Bio Bay Night Kayak Tour with Transport from San Juan: $125
- BioBay Kayak Tour with San Juan Roundtrip Transportation: $179
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMexico City $20San Juan $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:
- Guided Pub Crawl with Party Games: $23
- Mexico City Pub Crawl: $26
- Zona Rosa Pub Crawl Experience: $94
- The Mexican Wine Tasting and Pairing: $127
- Distillery Tour and Lucha Libre Spirits and Showdown: $127
- Private Cheese and Wine Tour to Queretaro: $479
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- Puerto Rico Tobacco Farm and Local Brewery Tour: $109
- Puerto Rico's First and Only Craft Beer Brewery Tour!: $150
When comparing the travel costs between Mexico City and San Juan, we can see that Mexico City is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Mexico City is in North America and San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mexico City Expensive? and Is San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mexico City or San Juan?
Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of Mexico City 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.
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.