A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Salta vs. Sucre for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Salta or Sucre?

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 Sucre can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Salta or Sucre?

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.

Sucre

Sucre is famous for its gorgeous town center and delightful climate, making it for many Bolivia's most beautiful city. Also considered the symbolic heart of the nation, 'La ciudad blanca' or the white city has preserved stunning whitewashed buildings sheltering pretty patios and other beauties of colonial architecture. The city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991 and is under strict controls on development. It offers many attractions including historic buildings and a renowned theatre, but you can also wander around prehistoric sites and discover indigenous culture in the surrounding towns and countryside.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Photography Tours in Argentina, The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina, The Best 3-Day Tours from La Paz, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bolivia.


Which place is cheaper, Sucre or Salta?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Salta is $9.62, while the average daily cost in Sucre is $43. 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 Sucre in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Salta $3.47
    Sucre $11
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Salta $6.94
    Sucre $22
Compare Hotels in Salta and Sucre

Looking for a hotel in Salta or Sucre? 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 Salta


Hotels in Sucre


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 Sucre Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Salta $4.00
    Sucre $12
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Salta

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Salta are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $0.01

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salta

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

  • Train to the Clouds Experience with Transfers from Salta Hotels: $265
  • Yungas : full day with gauchos - transfer inc. from Salta: $240
  • 3-Day:Cafayate, Cachi, Salinas Grandes Including Transfer In/Out : $217
  • From Salinas and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $99
  • From Cafayate and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $88
  • Salta Airport One-Way or Round-Trip Transfers: $20
  • Round Trip Shared Transfer Salta Airport/Downtown Hotel: $13
  • One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $5.50

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Sucre

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Sucre are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.45

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sucre

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

  • Private transfer Sucre - Uyuni, stopover in Potosí Mines: $227
  • Private Transfer from Sucre Airport SRE to Sucre by SUV or Car: $23
  • Private MiniVan or Bus Transfer from Sucre Airport SRE to Sucre: $28
  • Departure Transfer from Sucre to Sucre Airport by MiniVan or Bus: $27

Is it cheaper to fly into Salta or Sucre?

Prices for flights to both Sucre 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Salta $3.27
    Sucre $18
Typical Food Prices in Salta

For Salta, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Emplanadas
    $0.01
  • Ice Cream
    $0.01
  • Lunch
    $0.67
  • Coffee
    $0.14

Typical Food Prices in Sucre

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Sucre:


  • Dinner
    $4.48
  • Juice
    $0.87
  • Juice
    $1.01
  • Chocolate
    $1.73
  • Cappuccino
    $4.34

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sucre

For Sucre, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Traditional Bolivian Cooking Class w/ Cocktail Making by La Boca del Sapo, Sucre: $40

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Salta $3.40
    Sucre $16
Typical Entertainment Prices in Salta

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Salta's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Gondola Ride
    $0.02
  • Pool
    $0.06
  • Wine and Cheese night
    $4.15

Tours and Activities in Salta

For Salta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • From City Tour and San Lorenzo on a half-day tour: $18
  • Full-Day Tour to Salinas Grandes and Purmamarca From Salta: $41
  • 2-Day Tour to Cachi and Los Cardones National Park: $57
  • Best of Guided City Tour: $27
  • Bungee Jumping Adrenaline Experience on Cabra Corral Dam: $107
  • Cachi Full Day Tour from Salta: $58
  • Cafayate, Vineyards and Calchaquies Valleys Tour from Salta: $57
  • Exclusive day-long private tour of Cafayate vineyards: $274
  • From Cachi and Los Cardones National Park Tour: $34
  • From City Tour of the city on a half-day ride: $18
  • From Full-Day Scenic Tour to Cachi: $33
  • From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate, Land of Wines: $34

Tours and Activities in Sucre

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sucre.

  • 2-Day Icla Canyon Tour from Sucre: $87
  • From Tour in English Uyuni salt flat tour 2 Days: $150
  • From Uyuni salt flat tour 2 days 1 night: $125
  • Guided Walking Tour in Sucre: $20
  • Hiking Tour in El Palmar from Sucre Bolivia: $250
  • JATUN YAMPARA - Agro-artisan Indigenous Nucleus -Full Day Tours + Lunch: $79
  • JATUN YAMPARA - Nucleo Indigena, Agroartesanal - Half Day Tours: $58
  • Private Cultural Tour in Sucre with Visit to 3 Museums: $44
  • Sucre - Walking City Tour - Half Day - English Speaking guide: $64
  • Sucre City Tour With Visit to Cretaceous Park: $123
  • Sucre City Tour with a German local! Something different!: $21
  • City Tour & Museums - Private Service: $106

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Salta $1.37
    Sucre $13
Typical Alcohol Prices in Salta

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Salta are as follows:


  • Beer
    $0.01
  • Alcohol
    $0.35

Sample the Local Flavors in Salta

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Salta:

  • From Cafayate Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $30
  • Full-day Cafayate, Lerma Valley, and Wine Tasting from Salta: $30
  • From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate with Wine Tasting: $33
  • Half Day Wine Tasting in Salta: $121
  • Full-Day Private Calchaquí Valley & Cafayate Wine Tour from Salta: $200


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Salta and Sucre, we can see that Sucre is more expensive. And not only is Salta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Sucre would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sucre 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 Sucre Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Salta or Sucre?

Salta has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Sucre. When comparing the sizes of Salta and Sucre, 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.