Which place is cheaper, Leon or Oaxaca de Juarez?
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 Oaxaca de Juarez or Leon?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Oaxaca de Juarez or Leon? 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: Oaxaca de Juarez or Leon?
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.
Leon
Leon is one of the oldest city's in Nicaragua and you can see hints of its colonial past in the architecture around town. Tourism is not a major part of the economy in Leon, but the city is gaining popularity with budget travelers and backpackers and more recently tour groups are including Leon in their itinerary.
With a population of just over 200,000, Leon is the second largest city in Nicaragua, after Managua. During the university season the population grows dramatically as there is a heavy presence of students in Leon. It is a popular university town, and this young population gives the city plenty of energy and entertainment.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, and The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua.
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Oaxaca de Juarez Prices
Mexico PricesLeon Prices
Nicaragua Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOaxaca de Juarez $51Leon $68
The average daily cost (per person) in Oaxaca de Juarez is $51, while the average daily cost in Leon is $68. 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 Oaxaca de Juarez and Leon in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOaxaca de Juarez $18Leon $16
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOaxaca de Juarez $36Leon $32
Compare Hotels in Oaxaca de Juarez and Leon
Looking for a hotel in Oaxaca de Juarez or Leon? 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: Oaxaca de Juarez Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Oaxaca de Juarez $12Leon $1.50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oaxaca de Juarez
Also for Oaxaca de Juarez, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 4 Day Oaxaca Excursion with Transfer included: $300
- From Oaxaca One way shared transfer to San Jose del Pacifico: $29
- From Oaxaca: Private Transfer to Huatulco: $436
- From Oaxaca: Transfer to Puerto Escondido: $408
- Oaxaca Airport (OAX) Private Transfer to Oaxaca City: $56
- Oaxaca Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $60
- Oaxaca Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca de Juárez - Arrival Transfer: $30
- Oaxaca Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca de Juárez - Round-Trip Transfer: $60
- Oaxaca Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $30
- Oaxaca Airport Transfer to Hotel: $39
- Oaxaca Xoxocotlan Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $30
- Oaxaca Xoxocotlan Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca hotels -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Leon
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Leon:
- From San Jorge: One way shared transfer to Leon: $57
- San Juan del Sur: One way shared transfer to Leon: $57
- One way shared transfer to San Juan del Sur: $57
- From Granada: One way shared transfer to San Jorge: $39
Is it cheaper to fly into Oaxaca de Juarez or Leon?
Prices for flights to both Leon 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayOaxaca de Juarez $22Leon $21
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:
- Private Oaxaca Street Food Tour - Best Rated : $35
- Tour with Legends Night Walk and Dinner Included: $42
- Central Oaxaca Food Tour: $55
- Electric Bike Food Tour in Oaxaca: $56
- Oaxacan Dinner on Agronomic Biodiversity: $56
- Food Tour at the Mercado de Abastos: $57
- Tradicional Oaxacan Dinner on Agronomic Biodiversity_01: $60
- Oaxaca: Vegetarian Cooking Class: $65
- Oaxacan Vegetarian Cooking Class: $66
- Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu &Local Market Tour: $70
- Flavors of Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu and Local Market Tour: $75
- Secret Food Tour: Oaxaca de Juárez: $75
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Leon
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Leon.
- Tlakualli Food Tour: $25
- Cooking Workshop in Nicaragua: $25
- Nicaraguan Food Cooking Workshop & Market Tour: $40
- Cooking Class Private Tour: $55
- Nicaraguan Cooking Class with a Local Family at Leon City: $60
- Leon City: Cooking Class: $60
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Oaxaca de Juarez $12Leon $5.80
Tours and Activities in Oaxaca de Juarez
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Oaxaca de Juarez.
- Oaxaca Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self Guided Tour: $5.14
- Oaxaca: Colonial City Bus Tour: $5.45
- Walking Tour Oaxaca — Small Group Walk with Your Personal Guide: $5.57
- Oaxaca Walking Tour: $5.57
- Oaxaca: Legends Tour Mezcalbús: $6.53
- Oaxaca: Guided Bike Tour to the Largest Tree in the World: $20
- Oaxaca: Monte Alban, Cuilapam, and Artisan Villages Tour: $20
- Oaxaca: Oaxaca City Beyond the Surface Walking Tour: $22
- Tour Route Monte Alban, Coyotepec, Jalieza and Tilcajete: $22
- Half Day Teotitlan Del Valle Village Shared Tour : $25
- Monte Albán Morning Half-Day Tour –Small Group, Transport & Guide: $27
- Oaxaca: The Art of Death walking tour: $27
Tours and Activities in Leon
Here are a few actual costs in Leon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 6 Hours Sunset Private Guided Tour of Telica Volcano in León: $448
- 6 Hours Sunset Private Guided Tour of Telica Volcano in León: $227
- A Stroll Through León’s Enchanting Streets: Romantic Walking Tour: $246
- Half Day Tour of Cerro Negro's Volcano Boarding: $49
- Half-Day Leon City Tour: $135
- Hike El Hoyo Volcano "Private Tour" : $67
- Horseback Riding Private Tour : $120
- Kayak Private tour at Juan Venado Island: $92
- Leon City Walking Private Tour : $48
- Leon Colonial City Tour: $39
- Leon Nicaragua City Tour: $122
- Leon city: Walking tour by our landmarks.: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOaxaca de Juarez $13Leon $3.52
Sample the Local Flavors in Oaxaca de Juarez
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Oaxaca de Juarez:
- Oaxaca Pub Crawl with Mezcal Shots and Live Music: $18
- Check out Hierve el Agua, Mitla, the Tule Tree, Rugs, and a Mezcal Distillery Tour: $49
- Hierve el Agua, Tule Tree, Mitla and Mezcal Distillery Tour: $50
- From Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery: $54
- Only Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery tour: $55
- Only Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery Tour: $55
- Personalized Tour to Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery: $100
- Oaxaca: Mezcal Distillery Tour with Tastings: $125
- Mezcal Distillery Day Trip: $134
- Artisanal Mezcal distillery in an authentic Zapotec village : $150
- Oaxaca: Hierve el Agua, Mezcal Distillery, and Lunch Tour: $272
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Oaxaca de Juarez and Leon, we can see that Leon is more expensive. And not only is Oaxaca de Juarez much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Oaxaca de Juarez is in North America and Leon is in Central 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 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 Leon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Leon than you might in Oaxaca de Juarez.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Oaxaca de Juarez Expensive? and Is Leon Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Oaxaca de Juarez or Leon?
Oaxaca de Juarez has a larger population, and is about 82% larger than the population of Leon. When comparing the sizes of Oaxaca de Juarez and Leon, 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.