Which place is cheaper, San Juan 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 San Juan?
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 San Juan can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Salta or San Juan?
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.
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 Camping Tours in Argentina, and The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina.
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Salta Prices
Argentina PricesSan Juan Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySalta $45San Juan $218
The average daily cost (per person) in Salta is $45, 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 Salta and San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSalta $31San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSalta $62San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Salta and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Salta 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.
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 and San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Salta $3.13San Juan $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salta
Also for Salta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Saver Combo: Cafayate, Cachi, Salt Fields, Transfers and Walking: $184
- Combo: Cafayate, Cachi and Humahuaca, transfers and walking tour: $177
- Humahuaca, 7-color Hill & round trip transfers airport - hotel in Salta: $167
- Combo: Cafayate Tour + Cachi + Transfers + Free Walking Tour: $117
- Salta City Tour & Round Trip Transfers airport - hotel: $109
- From Salinas and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $99
- From Cafayate and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $88
- Private 1-Way or Round Trip SLA Airport Transfer: $56
- Salta Airport One-Way or Round-Trip Transfers: $45
- Salta Airport Shuttle Transfer: $15
- Shared Transfer from Downtown Hotels in Salta to Airport: $12
- Shared 1-Way or Round Trip SLA Airport Transfer: $8.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer in Puerto Rico with Minivan from Airport: $280
- Transfer from San Juan to Ponce or Ponce to San Juan: $125
- Transfer SJU Airport to Ponce and Juana Diaz. Hotels and Airbnb Vice Versa 1 Way: $260
- Transfer SJU Airport to Dorado. Hotels and Airbnb. Vice Versa One Way Trip.: $140
- Single ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $195
- San juan Puerto Rico PrivateTransfers Airport,Hotels,Cruise Ports: $66
- Old San Juan Sunset Cruise with Drinks & Transfer: $99
- Airport Private Transfer from/to City Hotels: $70
- San Juan hotels to San Juan PR Cruise Port - Departure Transfer: $30
- San Juan Puerto Rico Private Transfers: $105
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port: Transfer to San Juan hotel: $300
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $120
Is it cheaper to fly into Salta or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan 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 $5.41San 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:
- Puerto Rican food tasting and beginner cooking Tour: $79
- From Pinones Beach & Bar Hopping Food Tour: $85
- Old San Juan Food Tour including Classic Piña Colada: $110
- Puerto Rico Secret Food Tour of Old San Juan: $147
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $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
- Bad Bunny Origins & Cultural Food Tour: $230
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Salta $27San Juan $49
Tours and Activities in Salta
For Salta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full-Day Tour to Salinas Grandes and Purmamarca From Salta: $38
- 2-Day Tour to Cachi and Los Cardones National Park: $57
- 3 Day Tour from Salta to Cachi, Humahuaca and Salinas Grandes: $88
- Adventure in the North: Pack of 4 Excursions + Hornocal: $132
- Best of Guided City Tour: $43
- Cachi Full Day Tour with Los Cardones National Park: $34
- From Salta 3 Day Tour to Cafayate Humahuaca and Salinas Grandes: $88
- From Cachi and Los Cardones National Park Tour: $30
- From City Tour of the city on a half-day ride: $25
- From Full-Day Scenic Tour to Cachi: $30
- From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate, Land of Wines: $31
- From Full-Day Tour to Humahuaca, Purmamarca and Tilcara: $38
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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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.
- Culebra Swim with Turtles Adventure and Flamenco Beach by Ferry: $130
- El Yunque Rainforest Tour Half Day Earlybird/ Small Groups: $85
- Full-Day Tour: El Yunque, Luquillo Beach, Bio Bay Night Kayaking: $155
- Puerto Rican Food Experience: $99
- "Exclusive Tour": VIP Rum Tasting at San Juan Artisan Distillers: $150
- "Yo Soy de PfknR" Bad Bunny Party Bus Experience: $145
- 1 Hour Historical UTV Tour in San Juan: $200
- 2 Tours in 1 Day: Rainforest Waterslides & Beach Tour w/Transport: $51
- 3 Tours in 1 Day: Old San Juan, Rainforest, Beach with Transport: $64
- 30-Minute Freestyle Jet Ski Adventure in the Bay: $100
- ATV Double Rider Adventure Near San Juan - Hacienda Campo Rico: $221
- ATV Single Rider Adventure Near San Juan - Hacienda Campo Rico: $149
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySalta $5.50San Juan $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Salta
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Salta:
- Full-day Cafayate, Lerma Valley, and Wine Tasting from Salta: $30
- From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate with Wine Tasting: $30
- Cafayate: Full-day tour of wineries and wine tasting: $39
- From Cafayate Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $40
- Half Day Wine Tasting in Salta: $148
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
- The Pinones Pub crawl Bar crawl : $70
- Local Puerto Rican Rum Distillery Tour - Ron Pepon: $90
- Puerto Rico's First and Only Craft Beer Brewery Tour! : $99
- Puerto Rico: Ocean Lab Brewery and Tobaco Farm Tour: $139
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Salta and San Juan, we can see that San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Salta or San Juan?
Salta has a larger population, and is about 23% larger than the population of San Juan. When comparing the sizes of Salta 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.
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.