Which place is cheaper, Ponce or Salta?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Salta or Ponce?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Salta and Ponce can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Salta or Ponce?
Salta
Located in the heart of the famous Northwest region of Argentina, at 1200m of elevation and at the foot of the Cerro San Bernardo, Salta is the largest city of the region and perhaps the most beautiful colonial city of Argentina. Founded in 1582 by the Spanish, Salta was an important stop for merchants who followed the usual trade road through Bolivia and Peru. Argentines call this city nestled in the foothills of the Andes and surrounded by mountains, of just over half a million inhabitants, Salta La Linda (Salta the Beautiful) and it's easy to see why. Young and traditional at the same time, Salta and its renowned museums, plaza side cafes and live musica folklorica of its bustling penas, is a sophisticated and lively city day and night.
Ponce
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, and The Best Eco Tours in Argentina.
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Salta Prices
Argentina PricesPonce Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySalta $45Ponce $230
The average daily cost (per person) in Salta is $45, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $230. 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 Salta and Ponce in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSalta $31Ponce $151
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSalta $62Ponce $302
Compare Hotels in Salta and Ponce
Looking for a hotel in Salta or Ponce? 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.
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: Salta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Salta $3.13Ponce $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salta
Also for Salta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $5.50
- Transfer from Salta Airport: $7.19
- Shared 1-Way or Round Trip SLA Airport Transfer: $8.00
- Shared Transfer from Downtown Hotels in Salta to Airport: $12
- Salta Airport Shuttle Transfer: $15
- Salta Airport One-Way or Round-Trip Transfers: $45
- Private 1-Way or Round Trip SLA Airport Transfer: $56
- From Cafayate and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $88
- From Salinas and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $99
- Salta City Tour & Round Trip Transfers airport - hotel: $109
- Combo: Cafayate Tour + Cachi + Transfers + Free Walking Tour: $117
- Cafayate Wine Tour with Tastings and Transfers: $150
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
- Vega Baja to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $170
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Transfer SJU Airport to Humacao and Nagüabo. Vice Versa One Way Trip: $185
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- San Juan PR Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Transfer: $46
- San Juan Departure Share Transfer: $27
- Rio Grande hotel to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $109
- Private Transfers from SJU Airport to Isla Verde, Condado or San Juan área : $60
- Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
- Isabela / Hatillo to Aguadilla Airport(BQN) - DepartureTransfer: $44
- Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87
Is it cheaper to fly into Salta or Ponce?
Prices for flights to both Ponce and Salta 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
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Food Meals for one daySalta $5.41Ponce $61
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.
- Latin Night with Dinner and Local Music with Transportation: $59
- Puerto Rico Art and Wine Dinner with One Way Transportation: $89
- Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
- Private Half-Day Island Authentic Food Tour : $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Salta $27Ponce $56
Tours and Activities in Salta
For Salta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 4-Hour Guided Highlights City Tour: $16
- Salta Private Tour with a Photojournalist : $18
- Salta City Half Day Tour: $20
- From City Tour of the city on a half-day ride: $20
- Guided City Tour: $26
- From Full-Day Scenic Tour to Cachi: $30
- From Cachi and Los Cardones National Park Tour: $30
- From Full-day tour to Cachi and Los Cardones National Park: $31
- From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate, Land of Wines: $31
- Tour to Cafayate from Salta : $31
- Half-Day City Tour: Salta and San Lorenzo: $32
- Full-Day Tour Cafayate Calchaqui Valleys with Wine: $32
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
- Half-Day El Yunque Rainforest Tour from Fajardo: $65
- Scuba Boat Diving Experience in Gilligan's Island at Copamarina: $160
- 2.5-Hour Historical Walking Tour of Old San Juan: $65
- 5 hours Tour in La Parguera Private Boat Charter: $200
- 7 Hours River Tour with Beach and Learn to Make Piña Colada : $195
- 8 Hours Private Tours in Puerto Rico: $150
- Adventure in Cave and the Guayaney Spring: $99
- Afro-Boriken-Loiza: Food, Cave & Art Tour: $140
- Aguadilla 6 Hour Local Tour: $150
- Camuy Caves Experience Tour with transportation: $130
- Cave Hopping Tour: $198
- Caves Coastlines and Beach; Cueva del Indio, Arecibo Adventure : $125
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySalta $5.50Ponce $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Salta
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Salta:
- Cafayate: Full-day tour of wineries and wine tasting: $29
- Full-day Cafayate, Lerma Valley, and Wine Tasting from Salta: $30
- From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate with Wine Tasting: $30
- From Cafayate Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $40
- Half Day Wine Tasting in Salta: $147
Sample the Local Flavors in Ponce
Also in Ponce, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Artisan Puertorrican Winery and Distillery Tour: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Salta and Ponce, we can see that Ponce is more expensive. And not only is Salta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Salta is in South America and Ponce 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 Salta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salta 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 Ponce would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ponce than you might in Salta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Salta Expensive? and Is Ponce Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Salta or Ponce?
Salta has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Ponce. When comparing the sizes of Salta and Ponce, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.