A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Pedasi vs. San Juan for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pedasi or San Juan?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Pedasi or San Juan, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Pedasi or San Juan?

Pedasi

Pedasi is in the Los Santos province of the Pacific West region of Panama. It's on the edge of the Azuero Peninsula and has a population of just over 2000 people. The town is predominantly a fishing village and is set on a beautiful, rocky coastline, making it a dramatic place to visit. The town is small, but you'll find a few restaurants around town that are worth eating at. The area is well known for having some great carnivals and most travelers visit with the plan to enjoy some sport fishing, diving, snorkeling, or surfing. There are also some great national parks and preserves nearby.

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 Budget Tours to Panama, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City.


Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Pedasi?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Pedasi is $51, 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 Pedasi and San Juan in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pedasi $13
    San Juan $124
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pedasi $26
    San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Pedasi and San Juan

Looking for a hotel in Pedasi 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.

Hotels in Pedasi


Hotels in San Juan


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: San Juan Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pedasi $5.43
    San Juan $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan

Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Double ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $289
  • Luxury Puerto Rico Private Transfers: $220
  • Transfer from San Juan to Rincon or Rincon to San Juan: $167
  • Transfer SJU Airport to Dorado. Hotels and Airbnb. Vice Versa One Way Trip.: $140
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, 16Pax Mercedes Van, Select Zone: $130
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 14Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $124
  • San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $118
  • San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $118
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 11Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $103
  • San Juan PR Transfer in Luxury SUV (Airports,Ports,Hotel,Airbnb): $103
  • HandyCap Airport Transfer to Isla Verde, Condado or Ocean Park: $100
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Mercedes ECO Van, Select Zone: $87

Is it cheaper to fly into Pedasi or San Juan?

Prices for flights to both San Juan and Pedasi 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
    Pedasi $32
    San Juan $62

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pedasi -
    San Juan $49

Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan

For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Horseback Riding Tour
    $40
  • Full Day Snorkeling Trip
    $100
  • 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
  • Bioluminescent Bay Kayak Adventure Tour from San Juan: $110

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pedasi $2.87
    San Juan $12

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


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pedasi and San Juan, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is Pedasi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Pedasi is in Central America and San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Pedasi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pedasi 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan than you might in Pedasi.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pedasi Expensive? and Is San Juan Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Pedasi or San Juan?

San Juan has a larger population, and is about 270 times larger than the population of Pedasi. When comparing the sizes of Pedasi 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.