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

Should you visit Road Town or San Juan?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Road Town and San Juan can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Road Town or San Juan?

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.

Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Road Town?

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 Road Town is $355, 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 Road Town and San Juan in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Road Town $206
    San Juan $124
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Road Town $412
    San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Road Town and San Juan

Looking for a hotel in Road Town 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 Road Town


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.
    Road Town $33
    San Juan $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Road Town

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Road Town:


  • Taxi From Airport
    $30

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan

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

  • Airport Transfer to Cruise Ships, Hotels, Airbnb in San Juan: $76
  • Arrival Private Transfer SJU Airport to Old San Juan by Sedan: $120
  • Carabali Rain Forest Round Trip Private Taxi Transfer: $200
  • Departure Transfer from Old San Juan to to SJU Airport by Car: $86
  • Double ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $289
  • Premium Transfer in Airport, Hotel, Airbnb, Cruise: $25
  • Private Airport Transfers to Ceiba Ferry Terminal and Airport: $155
  • Private Transfer from SJU Airport to Cruise Port Roundtrip Servic: $109
  • Private Transfer from SJU Airport to San Juan / Rio Grande: $115
  • Private Transfer from or to San Juan and Ceiba Ferry: $93
  • Private Transfer to El Conquistador Hotel : $200
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 11Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $93

Is it cheaper to fly into Road Town or San Juan?

Prices for flights to both San Juan and Road Town 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
    Road Town $110
    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:

  • Old San Juan Food Tour with 7 Tastings of Authentic Local Flavors: $139
  • Private San Juan Cooking Class with a Local Expert: $146
  • Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $165
  • FlyDining: 4 Courses Dinner with City Lights & Ocean Breeze: $165
  • FlyDining: Sunset & City Lights Dinner Over Old San Juan: $165
  • Morning Old San Juan Food Tour: $169
  • Cooking and Connecting with a Local in Puerto Rico: $173
  • Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walking Food Tour: $179

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Road Town $91
    San Juan $49
Typical Entertainment Prices in Road Town

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


  • 1 Hr Horseback Ride in Sage Mt. Nat'l Pk
    $100

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.

  • Transportation in San Juan, Isla verde, Condado, Hotels, Cruises & Airbnb's SJU: $14
  • San Juan Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $17
  • Discover Superb Self-Guided Audio Tour: $20
  • Group Transportation in airport, cruise ships, hotels, bnb's in San Juan, PR: $23
  • Old San Juan Walking Tour with a Local Certified Guide: $25
  • San Juan Ghost Tour: Shrieks in the Sugarcane: $26
  • Explore Old San Juan Walking Tour: $30
  • Old San Juan Tour in Spanish: $30
  • Historic Old San Juan Sunset Walking Tour: $39
  • Old San Juan Walking Tour: $39
  • Top Rated El Yunque Rainforest & Waterslide – VIP SmallGroup Tour: $45
  • Ron del Barrilito Heritage Skip-the-Line Tour: $46

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Road Town $20
    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's First and Only Craft Beer Brewery Tour! : $99


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

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


Which is Bigger, Road Town or San Juan?

San Juan has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Road Town. When comparing the sizes of Road Town 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.

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