Which place is cheaper, Ponce or San Carlos de Bariloche?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Carlos de Bariloche or Ponce?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for San Carlos de Bariloche and Ponce. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: San Carlos de Bariloche or Ponce?
San Carlos de Bariloche
Set in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Argentina, San Carlos de Bariloche is the biggest city in the Lake District. Bariloche is popular for skiing and snowboarding in the winter and trekking, swimming, fishing and horseback riding in the summertime.
No matter the time of year, there is something for everyone in Bariloche. Skiing season begins from June to October while fishing season is from November to April. Summer is from December to March, but visiting during low seasons (Spring in October to December and Autumn in late-April to mid-June) also has its benefits when it comes to saving cash and avoiding crowds.
Check out our ultimate guide to Hiking in Patagonia.
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 Eco Tours in Argentina, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Argentina.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Carlos de Bariloche $7.40Ponce $205
The average daily cost (per person) in San Carlos de Bariloche is $7.40, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $205. 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 San Carlos de Bariloche and Ponce in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Carlos de Bariloche $2.68Ponce $151
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Carlos de Bariloche $5.36Ponce $302
Compare Hotels in San Carlos de Bariloche and Ponce
Looking for a hotel in San Carlos de Bariloche 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: San Carlos de Bariloche Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Carlos de Bariloche $2.28Ponce $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Carlos de Bariloche
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Carlos de Bariloche:
- Bariloche: 1-Way or Round-Trip BRC Airport Transfer: $9.00
- Private transfer Bariloche Airpot- Hotels: $13
- Transfers in Bariloche: $22
- Transfer from the Airport to Bariloche: $26
- Shared Transfer One Way - Bariloche Airport to Hotel or v.v.: $26
- Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Bariloche Airport: $26
- Bariloche Airport (BRC) to Cerro Catedral - Arrival Transfer: $27
- Bariloche: One-Way Private Transfer from Airport: $35
- Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Tambo Viejo: $36
- Bariloche Airport Arrival Shuttle Transfer: $36
- Bariloche Airport Departure Shuttle Transfer: $36
- Private Transfer from Lago Moreno to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $46
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
- San Juan Departure Share Transfer: $27
- Isabela / Hatillo to Aguadilla Airport(BQN) - DepartureTransfer: $44
- San Juan PR Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Transfer: $46
- San Juan hotels to San Juan PR Cruise Port - Departure Transfer: $46
- San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- Private Transfers from SJU Airport to Isla Verde, Condado or San Juan área : $60
- San juan Puerto Rico PrivateTransfers Airport,Hotels,Cruise Ports: $60
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
- Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
Is it cheaper to fly into San Carlos de Bariloche or Ponce?
Prices for flights to both Ponce and San Carlos de Bariloche 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 daySan Carlos de Bariloche $2.78Ponce $35
Typical Food Prices in San Carlos de Bariloche
Some typical examples of dining costs in San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:
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Pastries$0.01
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Empanadas$0.03
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.
- Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
- Private Half-Day Food Tour : $130
- Private San Juan Cooking Class with a Local Expert: $146
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Carlos de Bariloche $3.05Ponce $56
Tours and Activities in San Carlos de Bariloche
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:
- Bariloche: 4-Hour Cerro Catedral Base Tour: $15
- Classic Bariloche: Half-Day Sightseeing Excursion: $26
- Bariloche: Half Day Small Circuit Tour - Mt Campanario and Llao Llao Peninsula: $28
- German Footprint & Nazi presence - Walking Tour in Bariloche: $29
- German Footprint Tour: $29
- Indigenous People of Patagonia History Tour: $29
- From Bariloche: Half-Day Circuito Chico Sightseeing Tour: $38
- Small Circuit Tour: Mt Campanario and Llao Llao Peninsula: $39
- Bariloche: Full-Day El Bolsón and Puelo Lake Tour: $42
- Half-Day Tour to Circuito Chico and Cerro Catedral with Transportation: $56
- President Peron in Bariloche - Historic Tour: $60
- Pablo Bernasconi's Art Gallery Guided Tour: $60
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
- Talking Buildings of Old San Juan: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Footsteps in San Juan Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $17
- Private Sunset Walking Tour in San Juan: $25
- Old San Juan Tour (1 Hour) by DUHO: $25
- Salsa Tours PR Sunset Salsa Beach Class in San Juan, Puerto Rico : $29
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- Guided Walking Tour in Ponce: $30
- Guided City Walking Tour: $32
- La Perla Cultural Tour: $35
- Historic Old San Juan Sunset Walking Tour: $39
- Bio Bay Boat Tour with Swimming from La Parguera, Puerto Rico: $50
- Turtle spotting snorkeling adventure- no Jets : $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Carlos de Bariloche $1.83Ponce $16
Typical Alcohol Prices in San Carlos de Bariloche
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in San Carlos de Bariloche from other travelers:
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Beer$0.01
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
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- Local Puerto Rican Rum Distillery Tour - Ron Pepon: $90
- Rum Distillery and Old San Juan Tour: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Carlos de Bariloche and Ponce, we can see that Ponce is more expensive. And not only is San Carlos de Bariloche much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Carlos de Bariloche 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 San Carlos de Bariloche would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Carlos de Bariloche 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 San Carlos de Bariloche.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Carlos de Bariloche Expensive? and Is Ponce Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Carlos de Bariloche or Ponce?
Ponce has a larger population, and is about 60% larger than the population of San Carlos de Bariloche. When comparing the sizes of San Carlos de Bariloche 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.