A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Punta Cana vs. Antigua Guatemala for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Punta Cana or Antigua Guatemala?

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

Should I visit Punta Cana or Antigua Guatemala? 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: Punta Cana or Antigua Guatemala?

Punta Cana

Punta Cana, located on the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic, is renowned for its stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, and vibrant culture. This Caribbean paradise offers a diverse range of experiences that cater to all types of travelers, whether you're on a tight budget, seeking thrilling activities, exploring local cuisine, or figuring out the best ways to get around.

Antigua Guatemala

Before a disastrous earthquake in 1773, Antigua was the colonial capital of Guatemala. For 200 years it had reigned as so and today shows remnants of its glorious past with Spanish colonial buildings and other architectural landmarks still standing. Due to this large amount of preserved architecture, Antigua was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is now the most touristed city of Guatemala.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala.


Which place is cheaper, Antigua Guatemala or Punta Cana?

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 Punta Cana is $170, while the average daily cost in Antigua Guatemala is $74. 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 Punta Cana and Antigua Guatemala in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Punta Cana $95
    Antigua Guatemala $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Punta Cana $190
    Antigua Guatemala $44
Compare Hotels in Punta Cana and Antigua Guatemala

Looking for a hotel in Punta Cana or Antigua Guatemala? 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 Punta Cana


Hotels in Antigua Guatemala


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: Punta Cana Hotel Prices and Antigua Guatemala Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Punta Cana $6.39
    Antigua Guatemala $12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta Cana

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Punta Cana:

  • Private Transfer from Punta Cana PUJ to Samana: $299
  • Roundtrip VIP Transfer from Punta Cana Airport to Punta Cana Hotels: $270
  • La Romana port transfers (combined transfers: airport-hotel-port): $266
  • Private Transfer from puntacana AirPort to Bayahibe/romana: $260
  • Punta Cana Airport (PUJ) to Santo Domingo - Round-Trip Transfer: $257
  • Transfers From Punta Cana Airport (PUJ)<=>To All place at Juan Dolio: $255
  • Private Round Trip Punta Cana Airport to Uvero Alto Villa/Hotel Transfer: $250
  • Private car transfer from Punta Cana Airport to Santo Domingo: $250
  • Roundtrip VIP transfers from Punta Cana to uvero alto and bavaro: $230
  • Transfers From Las America Airport AILA SDQ<=>To All Place at Punta Cana: $227
  • Private Transfer from Punta Cana to La Altagracia Province: $220
  • Punta Cana to Bayahibe transfer: $191

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Antigua Guatemala

Also for Antigua Guatemala, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Ground Transfer From Antigua To Guatemala City Airport: $25
  • Private Transfer From Antigua to Panajachel Atitlan: $66
  • Private Transfer from Antigua Guatemala to La Aurora Airport: $25
  • Private Transfer from Antigua Guatemala to Panajachel: $65
  • Private Transfer from Antigua Guatemala to Puerto Quetzal Port: $185
  • Private Transfer from Antigua to La Aurora Airport: $28
  • Private Transfer from Antigua to the Airport: $90
  • Shared Transfer From Antigua to Panajachel (Atitlan): $27

Is it cheaper to fly into Punta Cana or Antigua Guatemala?

Prices for flights to both Antigua Guatemala and Punta Cana 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
    Punta Cana $64
    Antigua Guatemala $25

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Punta Cana

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Punta Cana.

  • Origen Tasting Adventure Dinner or Lunch of 8 Courses Dom Cuisine: $85
  • Taste of DR Street Food Tour: $125
  • Sunset Buggies Adventure with Dinner from Punta Cana: $130
  • Punta Cana Night Tour Polaris Ride Dinner Music and Open Bar: $169

Typical Food Prices in Antigua Guatemala

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Antigua Guatemala:


  • Lunch
    $3.26
  • Lunch
    $7.82

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Antigua Guatemala

For Antigua Guatemala, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Taste of Guatemala,Walking Food Tour in Antigua Guatemala : $50
  • Antigua Street Food Tour : $65
  • Private Cooking Class of Typical Guatemalan Dishes: $70
  • Local Street Food Tour of Antigua: $75
  • Street Food Tour Around Antigua: $80
  • Guatemalan Cooking Class & Market Tour: $85
  • Private Pacaya Volcano Hike & Optional Pizza Experience: $85
  • Guatemalan Cooking Class and Market Tour: $85
  • Authentic Guatemalan Cooking Class in Antigua: $90
  • Foodie & Street Food Tour in Antigua: $95
  • Guatemalan Cooking Class and Market Tour: $98
  • The Culinary Antigua Food Tour: $116

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Punta Cana $30
    Antigua Guatemala $15
Typical Entertainment Prices in Punta Cana

Here are a few typical costs in Punta Cana for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Dune Buggy Adventure
    $51

Tours and Activities in Punta Cana

Here are a few actual costs in Punta Cana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Adventure:4x4 ATV Cave and Dominican Culture At Punta Cana: $40
  • Enjoy Our Tours Higuey City Cultural : $45
  • Explore Punta Cana Buggy or ATV Adventure in Macao: $59
  • Full Day Tour to Santo Domingo with Lunch.: $70
  • Full Experience Hacienda – 6 Exciting Adventures: $90
  • Full-Day Boat Tour of Los Haitises National Park: $165
  • Full-Day Santo Domingo City Tour: $89
  • Half Day Higuey City Tour from Punta Cana with Pick Up: $82
  • Macao Beach private horseback tour in punta cana : $55
  • Private ATV Tour from Punta Cana : $250
  • Tours Parasailing Punta Cana: $99
  • Tours Ziplines Punta Cana : $99

Tours and Activities in Antigua Guatemala

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Antigua Guatemala.

  • Antigua Walking Tour: $23
  • Colonial Antigua Afternoon Walking Tour: $25
  • Guided Walking Tour Legends of Antigua Guatemala: $25
  • Antigua Walking Tour: $25
  • Walking Tour of the Wonders of La Antigua Guatemala: $25
  • Antigua Guatemala Walking Tour History Architecture & Facades: $29
  • Coffee Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $30
  • Coffee Tour Adventure Antigua Guatemala: $30
  • Antigua Sightseeing: Private Walking Tour Culture and History: $30
  • Antigua Guatemala Walking Group Tour: $30
  • Walking Tour Antigua, an open Museum: $32
  • Guided Walking Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $32

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Punta Cana $10
    Antigua Guatemala $11

Sample the Local Flavors in Punta Cana

Also in Punta Cana, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Bar Crawl in Punta Cana: $35

Sample the Local Flavors in Antigua Guatemala

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Antigua Guatemala:

  • Antigua Bar Crawl: $26


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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Punta Cana Expensive? and Is Antigua Guatemala Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Punta Cana or Antigua Guatemala?

Punta Cana has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Antigua Guatemala. When comparing the sizes of Punta Cana and Antigua Guatemala, 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.