Should you visit Oaxaca de Juarez or Ensenada?
Should I visit Oaxaca de Juarez or Ensenada? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Oaxaca de Juarez
Officially known as Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca is the capital and largest city in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It's a beautiful colonial city in the foothills of the Sierra Madre. The city has beautiful architecture and a variety of festivals as well as a tree lined square called El Zocalo. Oaxaca's economy is heavily dependent on tourism and it is a wonderful place to see Mexican art and handicrafts. There are many artists and artisans in Oaxaca and the contemporary art scene is on the rise. The artists combine the area's rich indigenous culture and tradition with a modern twist. While you're in the area you should definitely make a point of experiencing the area's wonderful museums, interesting architecture, charming hotels and unique twist on Mexican cuisine.
Ensenada
Ensenada is on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, south of Tijuana. It's the only deep water port in the state of Baja California and as such, it is an important commerical fishing port as well as a cruise ship destination. The city has a population of almost 500,000 and is located just 78 miles south of San Diego. The city sits between the ocean and a small mountain range. The surrounding area is known for its wine production, which produces some of the best wine in Mexico.
Which city is cheaper, Ensenada or Oaxaca de Juarez?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Oaxaca de Juarez is $31, while the average daily cost in Ensenada is $66. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Oaxaca de Juarez and Ensenada in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $26 in Oaxaca de Juarez For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $31. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Ensenada the cost is $62 on average.
Food
In Oaxaca de Juarez travelers spend around $9.58 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
While meal prices in Ensenada can vary, the average travelers spends about $26 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Ensenada should cost around $10 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Ensenada is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Oaxaca de Juarez $9.58
Ensenada $26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Oaxaca de Juarez
For Oaxaca de Juarez, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Oaxaca Street Food Tour:
$13
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Oaxacan Vegetarian Cooking Class:
$51
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OAXACA STREET FOOD TOUR, eat like a local.:
$55
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Flavors of Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu and Local Market Tour:
$77
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MAIZ Cooking Class & Tour To The CASA Oaxaca:
$77
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Ancestral cooking class with market visit:
$259
Local Transportation
To get around in Oaxaca de Juarez, the average visitor spends $8.61 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
The average price of local transportation around Ensenada is $14 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oaxaca de Juarez
Also for Oaxaca de Juarez, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Oaxaca International Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca hotels - Arrival Private Transfer:
$75
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Oaxaca International Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca hotels -Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$149
Is it cheaper to fly into Oaxaca de Juarez or Ensenada?
Prices for flights to both Ensenada and Oaxaca de Juarez 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.
Entertainment
In Oaxaca de Juarez, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $8.58 per person, per day.
Ensenada's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $7.24 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Tours and Activities in Oaxaca de Juarez
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Oaxaca de Juarez.
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Oaxaca City Tour:
$15
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Oaxaca City Tour:
$24
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Oaxaca Street Art Tour:
$24
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Tour Monte Albán:
$28
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Mitla, Teotitlan and Santa Maria del Tule Sightseeing Tour from Oaxaca:
$32
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Private VIP Tour Oaxaca:
$40
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Oaxaca Gallery Art Tour:
$43
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Oaxaca City Sightseeing Tour: Temple of Santo Domingo de Guzman, Oaxaca Regional Museum and Benito Juarez Market:
$47
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Oaxaca Private Foodies Delight Market Tour and Street Food:
$48
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Monte Alban, Arrazola, Coyotepec and Cuilapam Full-Day Tour from Oaxaca:
$48
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Gastronomy Experince with chef, Culture of Mezcal & Textiles. Private Tour.:
$199
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Romantic tour in Oaxaca:
$449
Tours and Activities in Ensenada
Here are a few actual costs in Ensenada for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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4 days Dirt Bike Tour at Baja North:
$2,515
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Dirt Bike One Day Tour from Ensenada to San Felipe (Point to Point):
$875
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Ensenada Shore Excursion: Blowhole and La Bufadora Tour with Horseback Riding:
$132
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Ensenada Shore Excursion: City Tour & La Bufadora:
$68
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Ensenada Shore Excursion: Entre Santos and El Cielo Winery Tours with Lunch:
$160
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Ensenada Shore Excursion: Wine and Cheese Tour with Lunch in Ojos Negros Valley:
$225
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Ensenada Travels Tours:
$64
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Tuk Tuk, Beach and Bar Tour:
$90
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Ensenadas Ziplines , Pai Pai Zoo and Bufadora Private tour.:
$300
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Family-Friendly Baja Wine and Food Adventure:
$425
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Ford model T tours:
$100
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Guadalupe Valley Wine Route Tour in Baja California:
$77
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Oaxaca de Juarez, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $9.92.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Ensenada may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $7.39 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Ensenada
Also in Ensenada, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Private wine tour:
$65
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Private Full-Day Wine Tour in Valle de Guadalupe:
$89
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Valle de Guadalupe Wine Tour, All Inclusive by AKA Expeditions.:
$140
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Valle de Guadalupe Off The Beaten Path Wine Tasting:
$505
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Oaxaca de Juarez and Ensenada, we can see that Ensenada is more expensive. And not only is Oaxaca de Juarez much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Oaxaca de Juarez would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Oaxaca de Juarez 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 Ensenada would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ensenada than you might in Oaxaca de Juarez.
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