Which place is cheaper, Leon or San Cristobal de Las Casas?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit San Cristobal de Las Casas or Leon? 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.
Far away from the luxuries of Cancun and Cabo, Mexico's San Cristobal de las Casas is a stunning colonial city located in the southern state of Chiapas. Due to its strategic location, the town is commonly used as a transfer point for travelers looking to cross the border between Guatemala and Mexico. San Cristobal also has an immensely strong appeal among budget-minded travelers as it's one of Mexico's most affordable cities.
Leon is one of the oldest city's in Nicaragua and you can see hints of its colonial past in the architecture around town. Tourism is not a major part of the economy in Leon, but the city is gaining popularity with budget travelers and backpackers and more recently tour groups are including Leon in their itinerary.
With a population of just over 200,000, Leon is the second largest city in Nicaragua, after Managua. During the university season the population grows dramatically as there is a heavy presence of students in Leon. It is a popular university town, and this young population gives the city plenty of energy and entertainment.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, and The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in San Cristobal de Las Casas is $101, while the average daily cost in Leon is $59. 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 Cristobal de Las Casas and Leon in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Leon? 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.
Also for San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Leon and San Cristobal de Las Casas 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.
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Leon.
For San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Here are a few actual costs in Leon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Cristobal de Las Casas and Leon, we can see that San Cristobal de Las Casas is more expensive. And not only is Leon much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Cristobal de Las Casas is in North America and Leon is in Central America, 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 Leon would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Leon 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 Cristobal de Las Casas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Cristobal de Las Casas than you might in Leon.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Cristobal de Las Casas Expensive? and Is Leon Expensive?.
Leon has a larger population, and is about 12% larger than the population of San Cristobal de Las Casas. When comparing the sizes of San Cristobal de Las Casas and Leon, 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.