Which place is cheaper, Tena 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 Tena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Oaxaca de Juarez or Tena? 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 Tena?
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.
Tena
Tena is the capital of the Napo Province, an attractive and quiet city in the Amazon rainforest, and is known as the "cinnamon capital" of Ecuador. Tena has a friendly population, lots of backpacker infrastructure, a gorgeous setting surrounded by jungle-covered hills and a high concentration of surrounding rivers where white-water lovers from around the world come to paddle and kayak. The town provides a gateway to exploration into Ecuador's most accessible part of the great Amazon rainforest, which does not leave visitors disappointed. Beyond being a base for discovering the jungle and its wildlife, Tena is also a hub for adventure sports which are abundant in the area. Tena is a charming place where many travelers find themselves hanging around quite happily before or after a trip into the rainforest.
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 G Adventures Tours to Colombia, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bogota.
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Oaxaca de Juarez Prices
Mexico PricesTena Prices
Colombia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOaxaca de Juarez $54Tena $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Oaxaca de Juarez is $54, while the average daily cost in Tena is $64. 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 Tena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOaxaca de Juarez $19Tena $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOaxaca de Juarez $38Tena $50
Compare Hotels in Oaxaca de Juarez and Tena
Looking for a hotel in Oaxaca de Juarez or Tena? 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 $12Tena $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oaxaca de Juarez
Also for Oaxaca de Juarez, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Discover Puerto Escondido One Day Trip Shuttle Coastal Transfer: $142
- 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) to Oaxaca - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $59
- Oaxaca Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca de Juárez - Round-Trip Transfer: $59
- Oaxaca Airport: Private Transfer Service: $130
- Oaxaca Xoxocotlan Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $29
- Oaxaca Xoxocotlan Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca hotels -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $59
- Oaxaca city: Roundtrip Private/Shared Airport Transfer: $27
- Oaxaca hotels to Oaxaca Xoxocotlan Airport (OAX) - Departure Private Transfer: $29
- Oaxaca: Santiago Apoala Waterfall Day Trip with Transfers: $71
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tena
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tena:
- Popayan to Cali Private Transfer: $272
- Popayan to Cali Private Transfer: $272
- Private Transfer from Villavieja to San Agustín: $150
- Roundtrip transfer in private minivan Medellin airport (MDE)- Guatape: $84
- Private transfer service from or to Medellín Airport: $50
- Private transfer to Medellín Airport: $45
Is it cheaper to fly into Oaxaca de Juarez or Tena?
Prices for flights to both Tena 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 $24Tena $27
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:
- Food Tour at the Mercado de Abastos: $57
- Oaxaca Hidden Street Food Tour by The Lost Taco: $58
- Taste Oaxaca Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Tradicional Oaxacan Dinner on Agronomic Biodiversity_01: $60
- Oaxaca: Vegetarian Cooking Class: $65
- Oaxaca Streets Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $69
- Authentic Oaxaca Eat Like a Local Street Food Tour: $69
- Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu &Local Market Tour: $70
- Oaxacan Vegetarian Cooking Class: $71
- Bike Ride and Street Food Tour in Oaxaca: $71
- Flavors of Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu and Local Market Tour: $75
- Secret Food Tour: Oaxaca de Juárez: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Oaxaca de Juarez $12Tena $15
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: $5.13
- Oaxaca: Colonial City Bus Tour: $5.45
- Oaxaca: Legends Tour Mezcalbús: $6.53
- Oaxaca: Monte Alban, Cuilapam, and Artisan Villages Tour: $20
- Oaxaca: Guided Bike Tour to the Largest Tree in the World: $20
- First Day in Oaxaca – Guided Walking Tour: $21
- Oaxaca Walking Tour: $21
- Oaxaca: Oaxaca City Beyond the Surface Walking Tour: $22
- Free Tour Oaxaca Essential : History and Tips of a Local Guide: $24
- Half day to Monte Alban and Mezcal Experience: $25
- Half Day Teotitlan Del Valle Village Shared Tour: $25
- Private Half Day Teotitlan Del Valle Village Walking Tour: $25
Tours and Activities in Tena
Here are a few actual costs in Tena for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 4-Hour Private Walking Tour along Ruta de Las Flores: $42
- Coffee Night Plan 2D/1N -2H to Medellin-Real Coffee Experience!: $239
- Coffee Tour from Bogota at La Palma Plantation and El Tucan: $119
- Full Day Adventure Laguna Negra-Páramo de Ocetá from Mongua: $20
- Gastronomic Private Walking Tour in Popayán: $50
- Hanging Stone Private Guided Tour Susa Cundinamarca: $55
- Paragliding tour in Medellín, fly and live a great experience: $69
- Popayán Tour from Cali: $216
- Popayan and Silvia Town Private Tour from Cali: $240
- Private 2-hour Diving Experience with Instructor: $65
- Scuba Diving Private Tour in San Andres: $130
- Unique experience flying paragliding: $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOaxaca de Juarez $14Tena $11
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
- Oaxaca Pub Crawl: $19
- Sustainable Mezcal Tour at an Award Winning Family Distillery: $25
- Check out Hierve el Agua, Mitla, the Tule Tree, Rugs, and a Mezcal Distillery Tour: $49
- From Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery: $54
- Hierve el Agua, Tule Tree, Mitla and Mezcal Distillery Tour: $55
- Hierve el Agua and Distillery of Mezcal Tour: $60
- Hierve el Agua and distillery of mezcal tour: $60
- Distillery Tour and Agave Fields by Mal de Amor Mezcal: $71
- Personalized Tour to Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery: $107
- Oaxaca: Mezcal Distillery Tour with Tastings: $125
- Mezcal Distillery Day Trip: $143
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Oaxaca de Juarez and Tena, we can see that Tena 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 Tena 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 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 Tena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tena 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 Tena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Oaxaca de Juarez or Tena?
Oaxaca de Juarez has a larger population, and is about 380 times larger than the population of Tena. When comparing the sizes of Oaxaca de Juarez and Tena, 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.