Should you visit San Juan del Sur or Granada?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for San Juan del Sur and Granada. 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. So, let's dig into it.
San Juan del Sur
San Juan del Sur is a popular port destination on the Pacific coast of southwest Nicaragua. The town was once a quaint fishing village but has grown into a tourist town with activities for visitors that include surfing, fishing, and, of course, partying. The town has a population of just over 15,000, most of whom are either fishermen or involved in the tourism industry. There is also a large expat community from the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Granada
Granada is Nicaragua's oldest colonial city, and arguably, the most beautiful city in the country. It sits on the northern edge of Lake Nicaragua (Lago Cocibolca) and has many beautifully colored buildings and nice churches. The city's beauty and colonial architecture, along with its relative safety and accessibility, make it one of Nicaragua's top tourist destinations. The city has long been a center for commerce, but today its economy depends heavily on tourism. The city is the sixth largest in Nicaragua and a real estate boom in the early 2000's brought a large number of expats to the town.
Which city is cheaper, Granada or San Juan del Sur?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in San Juan del Sur is $45, while the average daily cost in Granada is $33. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for San Juan del Sur and Granada in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $36 for a double occupancy room in San Juan del Sur.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $28 for a double occupancy room in Granada.
Food
The average traveler spends about $16 per day in San Juan del Sur for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
Granada food costs typically run travelers around $12 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
San Juan del Sur $16
Granada $12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan del Sur
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Juan del Sur.
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Food Tour - Nicaragua Gastronomy:
$102
Typical Food prices in Granada
Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Granada
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Granada.
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Middle Eastern 6-course dinner in Granada with a professional chef:
$49
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Albaicín & Sacromonte Guided Walking Tour with Flamenco & Tapas Dinner:
$81
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Small Group Food Tour in Granada:
$88
-
Spanish Tapas Cooking Class in Granada:
$116
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around San Juan del Sur is $15 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $7.22 per day to get around in Granada.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan del Sur
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Juan del Sur:
-
One-Way Private Transfer from San Juan del Sur to Managua:
$146
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:
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Granada Airport Private Arrival Transfer:
$51
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Granada Airport Private Departure Transfer:
$51
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Granada Private Departure Transfer:
$51
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Granada Private Transfer from the city centre to Granada Airport:
$62
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Granada Private Transfer to Seville with a Visit to Cordoba:
$348
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Granada airport private arrival transfer, Mercedes Sedan:
$81
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Granada airport private arrival transfer, Mercedes minivan:
$107
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Granada to Cordoba Private Transfer:
$275
-
Granada to Malaga Airport Private Transfer:
$216
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Granada to Seville Private Transfer:
$388
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Private Transfer IN or OUT in Upscale Vehicle with Professional Driver:
$93
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One-Way Private Transfer from Granada to Managua:
$83
Is it cheaper to fly into San Juan del Sur or Granada?
Prices for flights to both Granada and San Juan del Sur 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.
Entertainment
San Juan del Sur's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $13 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $8.77 per person, per day in Granada. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in San Juan del Sur
Here are a few actual costs in San Juan del Sur for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Open Bar Sunset Cruise in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua:
$30
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SJDS PORT EXCURSION: Zipline and Adventure Park:
$100
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ATV Tour:
$103
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Mombacho Volcano Hike and Ziplining Adventure from San Juan del Sur:
$159
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San Juan del Sur Shore Excursion: Private Masaya Volcano and Catarina Tour:
$201
Typical Entertainment prices in Granada
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Granada are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Granada
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Granada are as follows:
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Self-guided Virtual Tour of Alhambra Palace: The Highlights:
$11
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Albaicin and Sacromonte Walking Tour:
$12
-
Jewish and Christian Neighborhoods Guided Tour:
$13
-
Illustration Walking Tours in Albayzin Granada:
$15
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Granada Walking Tour:
$15
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Granada Walking Tour: Albaicin and Sacromonte Quarters:
$16
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Albaicin & Sacromonte regular tour:
$17
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Albaicin & Sacromonte nigth tour:
$17
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Tour De Misterios Y Leyendas Por Granada:
$17
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Tour Albaicín y Sacromonte:
$17
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Tour Albaicín & Sacromonte:
$17
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Albayzin and Sacromonte Guided Walking Tour in Granada:
$19
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting San Juan del Sur may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $11 per day on alcoholic beverages.
The average person spends about $6.32 on alcoholic beverages in Granada per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Granada
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Granada:
Sample the Local Flavors in Granada
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Granada:
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Wine Tasting in Granada:
$57
-
Granada Tapas and wine tour!:
$67
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Granada Traditional Tapas and Wine Tour - by Oh My Good Guide!:
$81
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Small-Group Granada Tapas Bar Crawl Evening Tasting Experience:
$83
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BEST OF Flamenco, Tapas and Wine Tour - by OhMyGoodGuide!:
$106
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Juan del Sur and Granada, we can see that San Juan del Sur is more expensive. And not only is Granada much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Granada would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Granada 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 del Sur would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan del Sur than you might in Granada.
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