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

Should you visit Rome 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 Rome 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: Rome or San Juan?

Rome

Rome is the capital and largest city in Italy. It is also a common entry point for most visitors flying into the country. Rome has been a center of power, culture, and religion for the last millenium, making it one of the most famous and popular destinations in not only Europe, but the world. The influence of the Roman Empire can be seen across continents.

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 Luxury Tours to Italy, and The Best Budget Tours to Italy.


Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Rome?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Rome is $182, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $192. 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 Rome and San Juan in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Rome $95
    San Juan $124
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Rome $190
    San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Rome and San Juan

Looking for a hotel in Rome 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 Rome


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: Rome Hotel Prices and San Juan Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Rome $23
    San Juan $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rome

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


  • Metro Ride (for Two)
    $2.14
  • Train to the Airport
    $16
  • Taxi to Airport
    $48
  • Bicycle Rental (Full Day)
    $11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rome

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rome:

  • Trieste Port: One-Way Private Transfer to/from Rome Hotels: $2,551
  • Fiumucino Rome Airport (FCO): 1-Way Transfer To Trieste Port: $2,551
  • Luxury Private Transfer Siena to Rome Fiumicino Airport: $979
  • Luxury private transfer Siena to Rome Ciampino airport: $942
  • Private luxury transfer Siena to Rome city center: $942
  • Private Transfer from Amalfi to Rome or viceversa: $845
  • From Sorrento: Private Transfer to Rome or Vice Versa: $818
  • Verona Airport (VRN) : One-Way Private Transfer to Ravenna: $710
  • Sorrento to Rome 1-Way Private Transfer: $667
  • Private Transfer from Naples to Rome or viceversa: $624
  • From Private Transfer to Naples or Vice Versa: $592
  • Transfer from Fiumicino Airport with 3 Hours Rome Tour: $425

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan

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

  • Carabali Rain Forest Round Trip Private Taxi Transfer: $210
  • Old Walking Tour with Shopping and Hotel Transfer: $70
  • Oneway Transfer San Juan to Ceiba: Ferry, Vieques/Culebra Airport: $80
  • Oneway Transfer- San Juan(SJU, hotel, airbnb, port) to Río Grande: $68
  • Private Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to San Juan Airport: $22
  • Private Transfer from SJU Airport to San Juan / Rio Grande: $105
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 11Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $103
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 14Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $124
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, 16Pax Mercedes Van, Select Zone: $130
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Ford Premium SUV, Select Zone: $87
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Lexus Luxury Sedan, Select Zone: $81
  • Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Mercedes ECO Van, Select Zone: $87

Is it cheaper to fly into Rome or San Juan?

Prices for flights to both San Juan and Rome 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
    Rome $51
    San Juan $36
Typical Food Prices in Rome

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rome:


  • Casual Lunch (for Two)
    $15
  • 4 Ice Cream Sandwiches
    $3.20
  • Cafe e doce
    $4.29
  • Pizza (Fast Food)
    $2.84
  • Sitdown Lunch (for Two)
    $34
  • Cheese and bread
    $11
  • Espresso
    $2.14
  • Dinner
    $62

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rome

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

  • Award-Winning Roman Food Tours: $16
  • Eat Pasta in Rome, Testaccio - Self-Guided Walking Food Tour: $17
  • Vatican and Trionfale Farmers Market Food tour and Wine tasting : $32
  • Vatican Street Food Tour around the Biggest Fresh Market in Rome: $32
  • Roman Master Chef Cooking Class with Wine: $37
  • Roman Dinner & History Tour: An Epic Journey Through Time: $37
  • Tasty Trionfale Farmers Market Food Tour and Local Wines Tasting: $38
  • Campo dei Fiori & Jewish Ghetto area Street Food Tour: $42
  • Rome Food Tour : Street Food Testings with Local Guide: $43
  • Painting and Pizza Party in Rome: $43
  • Pub Crawl and Ultimate Party with Open Bar and Pizza: $43
  • Tiber River Urban Rafting Tour with Roman Pizza: $43

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 Sunset Food Tour with Drinks: $156
  • Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walk and Food Tour: $159
  • City Lights Sky High Dinner Experience: $165
  • Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Rome $39
    San Juan $49
Typical Entertainment Prices in Rome

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


  • Rome Museum Vaticano (for 2)
    $74
  • Coliseum Tickets (for Two)
    $35
  • Roma Pass
    $32
  • Hop on Hop Off Bus (All Day)
    $21
  • Segway Tour
    $80

Tours and Activities in Rome

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

  • Colosseum & Ancient Rome Tour: $89
  • Colosseum and Ancient Rome Tour with Circus Maximus and Forums: $16
  • Cruise into Rome?! Full-Day Rome Discovery from Civitavecchia : $97
  • Doria Pamphilj Gallery Entry Ticket : $38
  • Electric - Bike 3 hour Tour : $56
  • Electric Bike Tour of City Centre with Gelato Highlights of Rome: $75
  • Haunted Rome Walking Tour : $233
  • Hidden Gems & Rome Catacomb Semi Private Tour 8 People Max. : $98
  • Palatine Hill and Colosseum Tour in Rome: $86
  • Premium Rome Walking Tour: from Colosseum to the Orange Gardens: $295
  • Private Tour - Capuchin Crypt and Hidden Gems of Rome: $285
  • Private Tour in Ferrari with Driver in Rome: $273

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.

  • Self-Guided Audio Tour of Historic Buildings: $5.99
  • Discover Old In-App Audio Tour of History: $11
  • Self-Guided Tour with Audio Guide: $14
  • Group Transportation in airport, cruise ships, hotels, bnb's in San Juan, PR: $20
  • Old Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $25
  • Old San Juan Walking Tour with a Certified Guide: $30
  • Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
  • History, Legends, & Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $30
  • Old San Juan Walking Tour: $39
  • Old San Juan City Walking Tour: $39
  • Legacy Tour at Casa BarcadÍ in Puerto Rico: $45
  • Ron del Barrilito Skip-the-Line Heritage Tour Ticket: $46

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Rome $19
    San Juan $12
Typical Alcohol Prices in Rome

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Rome:


  • Bottle of Wine
    $6.96
  • Pint of Beer
    $6.79
  • Beer
    $11

Sample the Local Flavors in Rome

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

  • Cabaret & Burlesque Show: $32
  • Vatican Street Food and Wine Tour with Farmers Market: $38
  • The Best Wine Tasting in Trastevere with food pairing and Gelato: $49
  • Bar Crawl with Local Guide & Drinks: $53
  • Roman Night Life and Burlesque Show Tour: $54
  • Wine Tour in Historic Center of Rome: $55
  • Agricultural Brewery Tour in the Roman Countryside: $55
  • Small-Group Exclusive Winery and Wine Tasting Tour in Frascati: $60
  • Pasta Making Class & Wine Tasting in a Trasteve Villa: $68
  • E-Bike Night Tour with Food and Wine Tasting: $69
  • Rome by Night-Ebike tour with Food and Wine Tasting: $70
  • Taste of Tuscany: Food & Wine tour with Florentine Steak: $74

Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:

  • Pinones Pub crawl in Puerto Rico: $50


When comparing the travel costs between Rome and San Juan, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Rome is in Europe and San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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


Which is Bigger, Rome or San Juan?

Rome has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of Rome 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.


When is the best time to visit Rome or San Juan?

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

Should I visit Rome or San Juan in the Summer?

Both San Juan and Rome during the summer are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Rome for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Juan year-round.

In the summer, Rome is cooler than San Juan. Typically, the summer temperatures in Rome in July average around 25°C (77°F), and San Juan averages at about 28°C (83°F).

In San Juan, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Rome. In the summer, Rome often gets more sunshine than San Juan. Rome gets 338 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan receives 287 hours of full sun.

Rome usually gets less rain in July than San Juan. Rome gets 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Rome 25°C (77°F) 
    San Juan 28°C (83°F)

Should I visit Rome or San Juan in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Rome and San Juan. Many visitors come to Rome in the autumn for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area. San Juan attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In October, Rome is generally much colder than San Juan. Daily temperatures in Rome average around 17°C (63°F), and San Juan fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Juan this time of the year. Rome usually receives less sunshine than San Juan during autumn. Rome gets 198 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan receives 235 hours of full sun in the autumn.

San Juan receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Rome usually receives less rain than San Juan. Rome gets 94 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Rome 17°C (63°F) 
    San Juan 28°C (82°F)

Should I visit Rome or San Juan in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Rome as well as San Juan. Most visitors come to Rome for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Juan throughout the year.

Rome is much colder than San Juan in the winter. The daily temperature in Rome averages around 8°C (47°F) in January, and San Juan fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Juan. In the winter, Rome often gets less sunshine than San Juan. Rome gets 127 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan receives 240 hours of full sun.

Rome usually gets more rain in January than San Juan. Rome gets 81 mm (3.2 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Rome 8°C (47°F) 
    San Juan 25°C (77°F)

Should I visit Rome or San Juan in the Spring?

Both San Juan and Rome are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The spring months attract visitors to Rome because of the activities around the city and the natural beauty. Plenty of visitors come to San Juan because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In the spring, Rome is much colder than San Juan. Typically, the spring temperatures in Rome in April average around 14°C (57°F), and San Juan averages at about 26°C (79°F).

It's quite sunny in San Juan. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Rome. Rome usually receives less sunshine than San Juan during spring. Rome gets 204 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan receives 272 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Rome usually receives less rain than San Juan. Rome gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Rome 14°C (57°F) 
    San Juan 26°C (79°F)

Typical Weather for San Juan and Rome

Rome San Juan
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 8°C (47°F) 81 mm (3.2 in) 25°C (77°F) 58 mm (2.3 in)
Feb 9°C (49°F) 76 mm (3 in) 25°C (77°F) 41 mm (1.6 in)
Mar 11°C (52°F) 64 mm (2.5 in) 26°C (78°F) 45 mm (1.8 in)
Apr 14°C (57°F) 50 mm (2 in) 26°C (79°F) 69 mm (2.7 in)
May 18°C (64°F) 42 mm (1.6 in) 27°C (81°F) 120 mm (4.7 in)
Jun 22°C (71°F) 21 mm (0.8 in) 28°C (82°F) 82 mm (3.2 in)
Jul 25°C (77°F) 19 mm (0.7 in) 28°C (83°F) 95 mm (3.7 in)
Aug 25°C (77°F) 36 mm (1.4 in) 28°C (83°F) 130 mm (5.1 in)
Sep 22°C (71°F) 74 mm (2.9 in) 28°C (83°F) 130 mm (5.1 in)
Oct 17°C (63°F) 94 mm (3.7 in) 28°C (82°F) 135 mm (5.3 in)
Nov 12°C (54°F) 105 mm (4.1 in) 27°C (80°F) 132 mm (5.2 in)
Dec 9°C (49°F) 94 mm (3.7 in) 26°C (78°F) 92 mm (3.6 in)