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

Should you visit Piriapolis or San Fernando?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Piriapolis or San Fernando, 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: Piriapolis or San Fernando?

Piriapolis

Piriapolis is a small beach town between Montevideo and Punta del Este in Uruguay. It is a more laid back version of Punta del Este with fewer fancy restaurants and clubs but it has perhaps more charm, with its grand old hotel and beachfront promenade backed by small mountains. The rather old-school coastal resort is vaguely reminiscent of a Mediterranean beach town.

San Fernando

As the industrial capital of Trinidad & Tobago, San Fernando is an oil city which attracts more business visitors than tourists. While it is primarily focused on industry, the city has a certain charm with its old buildings and sloping streets that frame pretty views of the sea. It is the big city of Trinidad's southern half with plenty to offer in nightlife, especially during Carnival.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Uruguay, and The Best Cultural Tours in Uruguay.


Which place is cheaper, San Fernando or Piriapolis?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Piriapolis is $67, while the average daily cost in San Fernando is $153. 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 Piriapolis and San Fernando in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Piriapolis $27
    San Fernando $74
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Piriapolis $54
    San Fernando $148
Compare Hotels in Piriapolis and San Fernando

Looking for a hotel in Piriapolis or San Fernando? 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 Piriapolis


Hotels in San Fernando


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: Piriapolis Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Piriapolis $31
    San Fernando $50

Is it cheaper to fly into Piriapolis or San Fernando?

Prices for flights to both San Fernando and Piriapolis 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
    Piriapolis $23
    San Fernando $48

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Piriapolis $5.89
    San Fernando $28

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Piriapolis $8.11
    San Fernando $22


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

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


Which is Bigger, Piriapolis or San Fernando?

San Fernando has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Piriapolis. When comparing the sizes of Piriapolis and San Fernando, 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.


When is the best time to visit Piriapolis or San Fernando?

Piriapolis has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Fernando experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Piriapolis or San Fernando in the Summer?

Both San Fernando and Piriapolis during the summer are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Fernando year-round.

In January, Piriapolis is generally cooler than San Fernandoin July. Daily temperatures in Piriapolis average around 23°C (73°F), and San Fernando fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

In San Fernando, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Piriapolis. In the summer, Piriapolis often gets more sunshine than San Fernandoin July. Piriapolis gets 296 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Fernando receives 206 hours of full sun.

San Fernando gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Piriapolis usually gets less rain in January than San Fernandoin July. Piriapolis gets 75 mm (3 in) of rain, while San Fernando receives 266 mm (10.5 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures January and July
    Piriapolis 23°C (73°F) 
    San Fernando 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Piriapolis or San Fernando in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Piriapolis and San Fernando. San Fernando attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

Piriapolis is much colder than San Fernando in the autumn. The daily temperature in Piriapolis averages around 17°C (63°F) in April, and San Fernando fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in October.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Fernando this time of the year. Piriapolis usually receives less sunshine than San Fernando during autumn. Piriapolis gets 171 hours of sunny skies, while San Fernando receives 207 hours of full sun in the autumn.

San Fernando receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In April, Piriapolis usually receives less rain than San Fernandoin October. Piriapolis gets 84 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while San Fernando receives 199 mm (7.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures April and October
    Piriapolis 17°C (63°F) 
    San Fernando 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Piriapolis or San Fernando in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Piriapolis as well as San Fernando. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Fernando throughout the year.

In the winter, Piriapolis is much colder than San Fernando. Typically, the winter temperatures in Piriapolis in July average around 10°C (50°F), and San Fernando averages at about 26°C (78°F)in January.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Fernando. In the winter, Piriapolis often gets less sunshine than San Fernandoin January. Piriapolis gets 135 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Fernando receives 241 hours of full sun.

Piriapolis usually gets more rain in July than San Fernandoin January. Piriapolis gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while San Fernando receives 71 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures July and January
    Piriapolis 10°C (50°F) 
    San Fernando 26°C (78°F)

Should I visit Piriapolis or San Fernando in the Spring?

Both San Fernando and Piriapolis are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to San Fernando because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In October, Piriapolis is generally much colder than San Fernandoin April. Daily temperatures in Piriapolis average around 16°C (61°F), and San Fernando fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

It's quite sunny in San Fernando. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Piriapolis. Piriapolis usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as San Fernando during spring. Piriapolis gets 248 hours of sunny skies, while San Fernando receives 238 hours of full sun in the spring.

In October, Piriapolis usually receives more rain than San Fernandoin April. Piriapolis gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while San Fernando receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures October and April
    Piriapolis 16°C (61°F) 
    San Fernando 27°C (81°F)

Typical Weather for San Fernando and Piriapolis

Piriapolis San Fernando
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 23°C (73°F) 75 mm (3 in) 26°C (78°F) 71 mm (2.8 in)
Feb 22°C (72°F) 85 mm (3.3 in) 26°C (79°F) 43 mm (1.7 in)
Mar 20°C (68°F) 79 mm (3.1 in) 26°C (80°F) 34 mm (1.3 in)
Apr 17°C (63°F) 84 mm (3.3 in) 27°C (81°F) 51 mm (2 in)
May 14°C (57°F) 91 mm (3.6 in) 28°C (82°F) 117 mm (4.6 in)
Jun 11°C (52°F) 90 mm (3.5 in) 27°C (81°F) 252 mm (9.9 in)
Jul 10°C (50°F) 90 mm (3.5 in) 27°C (81°F) 266 mm (10.5 in)
Aug 11°C (52°F) 94 mm (3.7 in) 27°C (81°F) 225 mm (8.9 in)
Sep 13°C (55°F) 93 mm (3.7 in) 27°C (81°F) 203 mm (8 in)
Oct 16°C (61°F) 85 mm (3.3 in) 27°C (81°F) 199 mm (7.8 in)
Nov 19°C (66°F) 87 mm (3.4 in) 27°C (80°F) 228 mm (9 in)
Dec 21°C (70°F) 67 mm (2.6 in) 26°C (79°F) 155 mm (6.1 in)