A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Salento vs. San Miguel de Tucuman for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Salento or San Miguel de Tucuman?

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

Should I visit Salento or San Miguel de Tucuman? 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: Salento or San Miguel de Tucuman?

Salento

Founded in 1850, Salento is one of the oldest towns in Quindio. This colonial Colombian town has retained much of its old world charm, with its colorful buildings, large square and, of course, the obligatory church. Because the main route between Cali and Bogota which used to pass through Salento was diverted, the town didn't develop as quickly as others in the Quindio region. This gave Salento the opportunity to evolve into a thriving community of craftsmen and artisans as well as remaining one of the region's most prolific coffee producers. Salento is located 24 km northeast of the departmental capital Armenia. However, unlike its colorful neighbor, Armenia itself has very little to offer tourists. Salento attracts those wishing to learn about the coffee regions and for those who simply admire breathtaking scenery, and especially the stunning Cocora Valley.

San Miguel de Tucuman

The capital of the Tucuman Province in Argentina, San Miguel de Tucuman is the largest city in the country's northwest. The city is probably most well known as the sight where the Declaration of Independence from Spain took place on July 9, 1816. The location of this event, a colonial-style house called "Casa Historica" or "Casita de Tucuman", remains an important landmark in the city.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best Photography Tours in Argentina, and The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, San Miguel de Tucuman or Salento?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Salento is $32, while the average daily cost in San Miguel de Tucuman is $11. 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 Salento and San Miguel de Tucuman in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Salento $11
    San Miguel de Tucuman $4.92
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Salento $22
    San Miguel de Tucuman $9.84
Compare Hotels in Salento and San Miguel de Tucuman

Looking for a hotel in Salento or San Miguel de Tucuman? 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 Salento


Hotels in San Miguel de Tucuman


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: Salento Hotel Prices and San Miguel de Tucuman Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Salento $14
    San Miguel de Tucuman $3.12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salento

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Salento:

  • Pereira Airport Private Transfer Service: $55

Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Miguel de Tucuman:


  • Taxi Ride
    $0.01

Is it cheaper to fly into Salento or San Miguel de Tucuman?

Prices for flights to both San Miguel de Tucuman and Salento 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
    Salento $9.38
    San Miguel de Tucuman $4.07

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Salento

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

  • Cooking Stories - Cocinando Historias: $46

Typical Food Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman

For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Sandwich
    $0.01

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Salento $12
    San Miguel de Tucuman $3.35

Tours and Activities in Salento

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Salento are as follows:

  • Cocora Valley and Salento Guided Hiking Tour: $91
  • Cocora Valley and Salento Hike Tour: $79
  • Cocora Valley and Salento Horseback Riding Day Tour: $137
  • Cocora Valley, Salento and Coffee Farm Day Tour : $124
  • Cocora Valley, Salento and Coffee Farm Tour: $143
  • Cocora, Salento and Filandia Tour: $100
  • Coffe Experience: Daily departure from Salento: $91
  • Coffee Farm and Salento Walking Tour with Lunch: $87
  • Coffee Tour and Salento Walking Tour with lunch: $96
  • Coffee tour in the heart of the coffee region: $28
  • Filandia and Salento Coffee Towns Tour: $63
  • Filandia and Salento Coffee Towns Tour: $105

Tours and Activities in San Miguel de Tucuman

For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Entrance ticket to Aerial Park, Zip Line and Palestra: $27
  • Yungas Half-Day Tour from Tucuman: $51
  • Tafi del Valle Half-Day Tour from Tucuman: $68
  • Rio Hondo Hot Springs Full Day Tour from Tucuman: $82
  • Discover Tafí del Valle and Quilmes Ruins in a Day Tour: $82

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Salento $11
    San Miguel de Tucuman $2.10


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

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


Which is Bigger, Salento or San Miguel de Tucuman?

San Miguel de Tucuman has a larger population, and is about 190 times larger than the population of Salento. When comparing the sizes of Salento and San Miguel de Tucuman, 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.