A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Oaxaca de Juarez vs. San Miguel de Tucuman for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Oaxaca de Juarez or San Miguel de Tucuman?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Oaxaca de Juarez or San Miguel de Tucuman? 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 San Miguel de Tucuman?

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.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best Photography Tours in Argentina, and The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, San Miguel de Tucuman 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 $46, while the average daily cost in San Miguel de Tucuman is $11. 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 San Miguel de Tucuman in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Oaxaca de Juarez $20
    San Miguel de Tucuman $4.85
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Oaxaca de Juarez $40
    San Miguel de Tucuman $9.70
Compare Hotels in Oaxaca de Juarez and San Miguel de Tucuman

Looking for a hotel in Oaxaca de Juarez 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.

Hotels in Oaxaca de Juarez


Hotels in San Miguel de Tucuman


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 and San Miguel de Tucuman Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Oaxaca de Juarez $13
    San Miguel de Tucuman $3.08

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oaxaca de Juarez

Also for Oaxaca de Juarez, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Xoxocotlan Airport: Private Transfer to Oaxaca City: $88
  • Xoxocotlan Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca de Juárez-RoundTrip Transfer: $74
  • Xoxocotlan Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca de Juárez-Arrival Transfer: $37
  • Transfer from your Hotel in Oaxaca to the Oaxaca Airport: $14
  • Transfer Private Vehicle from Huatulco City - Huatulco Airport (HUX): $27
  • Transfer Airport Hotel n Oaxaca: $16
  • Shared Transfer from Downtown Oaxaca to the Airport: $10
  • Safe transfer, City of Oaxaca to the airport: $199
  • Round private transfer Airport to hotel in Oaxaca: $59
  • Private transfer from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido - new highway: $268
  • Private and safe transfer from the airport to the hotel in Oaxaca: $50
  • Private Transfer from the Airport to your Hotel/house .: $89

Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Miguel de Tucuman:


  • Taxi Ride
    $0.01

Is it cheaper to fly into Oaxaca de Juarez or San Miguel de Tucuman?

Prices for flights to both San Miguel de Tucuman 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Oaxaca de Juarez $14
    San Miguel de Tucuman $4.01

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:

  • Oaxaca Night Street Food Tour with Transfers and Tastings: $50
  • Oaxaca: Night Street Food Tour with Transfers and Tastings: $52
  • Oaxaca: Vegetarian Cooking Class: $70
  • Oaxacan Vegetarian Cooking Class: $71
  • Central de Abastos Market Food Tour : $72
  • Flavors of Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu and Local Market Tour: $77
  • AUTHENTIC OAXACA FOOD TOUR, eat like a local.: $89
  • Food tour to the Tlacolula Market: $90
  • Traditional Oaxaqueña Cooking with Grandma's Recipes: $90
  • Cooking classes from the Isthmus with a Tehuana: $92
  • Traditional Oaxacan Cooking Class (includes transportation): $94
  • Traditional Cooking Class in Teotitlan Valle: $96

Typical Food Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman

For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Sandwich
    $0.01

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Oaxaca de Juarez $13
    San Miguel de Tucuman $3.30

Tours and Activities in Oaxaca de Juarez

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Oaxaca de Juarez.

  • Full Day Waterfall Adventure in Sierra Madre Mountains of Oaxaca: $80
  • 5 Hours Guided Day of The Dead Evening Walking Tour in Oaxaca: $94
  • A Piece Of Oaxaca: Guided Tour with Crafts Elaboration: $143
  • Amazing Monte Alban and City tour Private Tour: $200
  • Amazing experience in the mountain of San Jose del Pacifico: $80
  • Ancestral Carnival Tour 2025: $199
  • Archaeological sites Tour and Red Pottery in Tlacolula : $170
  • Art Workshops and Chocolate Shops Tour: $60
  • Artisanal Mezcal Culture Tour for Tasting and History: $107
  • Bicycle Tour through Oaxaca learning about its Urban Art and History: $19
  • Bike tour to the Tule Tree and the Gastronomic Market: $20
  • Boil the water tour: $48

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: $82
  • Entrance ticket to Aerial Park, Zip Line and Palestra: $27
  • Rio Hondo Hot Springs Full Day Tour from Tucuman: $82
  • Yungas Half-Day Tour from Tucuman: $51

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Oaxaca de Juarez $15
    San Miguel de Tucuman $2.07

Sample the Local Flavors in Oaxaca de Juarez

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Oaxaca de Juarez:

  • Hierve el Agua, Tule Tree, Mitla and Mezcal Distillery Tour: $45
  • Only Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery tour: $50
  • Only Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery Tour: $50
  • From Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery: $52
  • Tour to Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery (Small groups): $66
  • Personalized Tour to Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery: $107
  • Artisanal Mezcal distillery in an authentic Zapotec village : $150


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Oaxaca de Juarez and San Miguel de Tucuman, we can see that Oaxaca de Juarez is more expensive. And not only is San Miguel de Tucuman much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Oaxaca de Juarez 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 Oaxaca de Juarez would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Oaxaca de Juarez 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 Oaxaca de Juarez Expensive? and Is San Miguel de Tucuman Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Oaxaca de Juarez or San Miguel de Tucuman?

San Miguel de Tucuman has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Oaxaca de Juarez. When comparing the sizes of Oaxaca de Juarez 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.