A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers San Juan del Sur vs. San Miguel de Tucuman for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit San Juan del Sur or San Miguel de Tucuman?

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 Juan del Sur and San Miguel de Tucuman. 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 Juan del Sur or San Miguel de Tucuman?

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.

San Miguel de Tucuman

The capital of the Tucuman Province in Argentina, San Miguel de Tucuman is the largest city in the country's northwest. The city is probably most well known as the sight where the Declaration of Independence from Spain took place on July 9, 1816. The location of this event, a colonial-style house called "Casa Historica" or "Casita de Tucuman", remains an important landmark in the city.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best Photography Tours in Argentina, and The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, San Miguel de Tucuman 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 $53, while the average daily cost in San Miguel de Tucuman is $11. 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 Juan del Sur and San Miguel de Tucuman in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    San Juan del Sur $21
    San Miguel de Tucuman $4.85
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    San Juan del Sur $42
    San Miguel de Tucuman $9.70
Compare Hotels in San Juan del Sur and San Miguel de Tucuman

Looking for a hotel in San Juan del Sur or San Miguel de Tucuman? 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 San Juan del Sur


Hotels in San Miguel de Tucuman


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 Juan del Sur Hotel Prices and San Miguel de Tucuman Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    San Juan del Sur $18
    San Miguel de Tucuman $3.08

Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Miguel de Tucuman:


  • Taxi Ride
    $0.01

Is it cheaper to fly into San Juan del Sur or San Miguel de Tucuman?

Prices for flights to both San Miguel de Tucuman 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    San Juan del Sur $18
    San Miguel de Tucuman $4.01

Typical Food Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman

For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Sandwich
    $0.01

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    San Juan del Sur $15
    San Miguel de Tucuman $3.30

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:

  • ATV Adventure Tour in San Juan del Sur, NICARAGUA: $130
  • Horseback Riding Tour in Playa Maderas, San Juan del Sur also in Costa Rica: $90
  • Mombacho Volcano Hike and Ziplining Adventure from San Juan del Sur: $159
  • SJDS PORT EXCURSION: Zipline and Adventure Park: $103
  • San Juan del Sur Shore Excursion: Private Masaya Volcano and Catarina Tour: $118
  • atv tour also in Costa Rica: $132

Tours and Activities in San Miguel de Tucuman

For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Entrance ticket to Aerial Park, Zip Line and Palestra: $27
  • Yungas Half-Day Tour from Tucuman: $51
  • Rio Hondo Hot Springs Full Day Tour from Tucuman: $82
  • Discover Tafí del Valle and Quilmes Ruins in a Day Tour: $82

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    San Juan del Sur $13
    San Miguel de Tucuman $2.07


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Juan del Sur and San Miguel de Tucuman, we can see that San Juan del Sur is more expensive. And not only is San Miguel de Tucuman much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Juan del Sur is in Central America and San Miguel de Tucuman is in South 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 San Miguel de Tucuman would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Miguel de Tucuman 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 San Miguel de Tucuman.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Juan del Sur Expensive? and Is San Miguel de Tucuman Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, San Juan del Sur or San Miguel de Tucuman?

San Miguel de Tucuman has a larger population, and is about 100 times larger than the population of San Juan del Sur. When comparing the sizes of San Juan del Sur and San Miguel de Tucuman, 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.