Which place is cheaper, Ushuaia or San Juan del Sur?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Juan del Sur or Ushuaia?
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 Ushuaia. 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 Ushuaia?
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.
Ushuaia
Ushuaia is a city on the Tierra del Fuego island of Argentina on the Beagle Strait. The city is considered to be one of the southernmost cities in the world and is often used as a base for cruises to Antarctica. Ushuaia's close proximity to Antarctica and their amazing hiking trails have made it a popular tourist destination over the past few decades.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, and The Best Eco Tours in Argentina.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Juan del Sur $53Ushuaia $11
The average daily cost (per person) in San Juan del Sur is $53, while the average daily cost in Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Juan del Sur $21Ushuaia $5.64
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Juan del Sur $42Ushuaia $11
Compare Hotels in San Juan del Sur and Ushuaia
Looking for a hotel in San Juan del Sur or Ushuaia? 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 Juan del Sur Hotel Prices and Ushuaia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Juan del Sur $18Ushuaia -
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ushuaia
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Ushuaia are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$0.03
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ushuaia
Also for Ushuaia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Airport and Hotel Transfer in Ushuaia: $139
- Private Embarkation Debarkation Transfer: $129
- Private Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Ushuaia): $120
- Private Transfer Airport-Port or Port-Airport (Ushuaia): $55
- Private Transfer Hotel-Bus Station or Bus Station-Hotel (Ushuaia): $27
- Private Transfer from Ushuaia Airport (USH) to Ushuaia Port : $25
- Private Transfer from Ushuaia Airport(USH) to Ushuaia Cruise Port: $28
- Private Transfer from Ushuaia Cruise Port to Ushuaia Airport(USH): $28
- Private Transfer from Ushuaia Port to Ushuaia Airport (USH): $25
- Shared Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Ushuaia): $37
- Transfer Cerro Castor (Round Trip): $25
- Transfer Ushuaia Airport - Hotel in Ushuaia - Ushuaia Airport : $35
Is it cheaper to fly into San Juan del Sur or Ushuaia?
Prices for flights to both Ushuaia 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
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Food Meals for one daySan Juan del Sur $18Ushuaia $2.18
Typical Food Prices in Ushuaia
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ushuaia:
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Lunch for Two$0.06
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ushuaia
For Ushuaia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- The Martial Glacier at Night with Dinner Included: $94
- Ushuaia at night: A Snow and Fire dinner, sledding and adventure: $280
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Juan del Sur $15Ushuaia $13
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 Ushuaia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ushuaia.
- Panoramic City Train Tour: $10
- Exploring Double Decker Bus Tour: $22
- Double-Decker Sightseeing Tour: $24
- Ushuaia City Tour: $26
- Ushuaia City Half-Day Tour: $31
- An Hour Tour in the City of Ushuaia: $32
- City Tour of Ushuaia: $42
- End of the World Train Ticket: $45
- Beagle Channel & Sea Wolves Island Catamaran Cruise: $45
- Half-Day Tierra del Fuego National Park (NOT CRUISE): $59
- Escondido & Fagnano Lake Tour: $60
- Tour to Tierra del Fuego National Park from Ushuaia: $62
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Juan del Sur $13Ushuaia -
Typical Alcohol Prices in Ushuaia
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Ushuaia are as follows:
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Wine$0.05
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Beer$0.01
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Juan del Sur and Ushuaia, we can see that San Juan del Sur is more expensive. And not only is Ushuaia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Juan del Sur is in Central America and Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia.
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 Ushuaia Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Juan del Sur or Ushuaia?
Ushuaia has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of San Juan del Sur. When comparing the sizes of San Juan del Sur and Ushuaia, 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.
When is the best time to visit San Juan del Sur or Ushuaia?
Ushuaia has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Juan del Sur experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit San Juan del Sur or Ushuaia in the Summer?
Both Ushuaia and San Juan del Sur during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to San Juan del Sur because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In July, San Juan del Sur is generally much warmer than Ushuaiain January. Daily temperatures in San Juan del Sur average around 27°C (81°F), and Ushuaia fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).
In the summer, San Juan del Sur often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Ushuaiain January. San Juan del Sur gets 175 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ushuaia receives 169 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in San Juan del Sur. San Juan del Sur usually gets more rain in July than Ushuaiain January. San Juan del Sur gets 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuarySan Juan del Sur 27°C (81°F)Ushuaia 10°C (50°F)
Should I visit San Juan del Sur or Ushuaia in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both San Juan del Sur and Ushuaia. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Juan del Sur year-round.
San Juan del Sur is much warmer than Ushuaia in the autumn. The daily temperature in San Juan del Sur averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Ushuaia fluctuates around 6°C (43°F)in April.
San Juan del Sur usually receives more sunshine than Ushuaia during autumn. San Juan del Sur gets 195 hours of sunny skies, while Ushuaia receives 74 hours of full sun in the autumn.
San Juan del Sur gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, San Juan del Sur usually receives more rain than Ushuaiain April. San Juan del Sur gets 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilSan Juan del Sur 27°C (81°F)Ushuaia 6°C (43°F)
Should I visit San Juan del Sur or Ushuaia in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to San Juan del Sur as well as Ushuaia. San Juan del Sur attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Ushuaia can be very cold during winter. In the winter, San Juan del Sur is much warmer than Ushuaia. Typically, the winter temperatures in San Juan del Sur in January average around 26°C (79°F), and Ushuaia averages at about 2°C (36°F)in July.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Juan del Sur this time of the year. In the winter, San Juan del Sur often gets more sunshine than Ushuaiain July. San Juan del Sur gets 244 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ushuaia receives 61 hours of full sun.
San Juan del Sur usually gets less rain in January than Ushuaiain July. San Juan del Sur gets 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulySan Juan del Sur 26°C (79°F)Ushuaia 2°C (36°F)
Should I visit San Juan del Sur or Ushuaia in the Spring?
Both Ushuaia and San Juan del Sur are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Juan del Sur throughout the year.
In April, San Juan del Sur is generally much warmer than Ushuaiain October. Daily temperatures in San Juan del Sur average around 29°C (84°F), and Ushuaia fluctuates around 6°C (43°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Juan del Sur. San Juan del Sur usually receives more sunshine than Ushuaia during spring. San Juan del Sur gets 242 hours of sunny skies, while Ushuaia receives 156 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, San Juan del Sur usually receives less rain than Ushuaiain October. San Juan del Sur gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Ushuaia receives 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberSan Juan del Sur 29°C (84°F)Ushuaia 6°C (43°F)
Typical Weather for Ushuaia and San Juan del Sur
| San Juan del Sur | Ushuaia | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (80°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (84°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| May | 29°C (84°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 196 mm (7.7 in) | 1°C (34°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 144 mm (5.7 in) | 2°C (36°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 151 mm (5.9 in) | 2°C (36°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 210 mm (8.3 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 197 mm (7.8 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Nov | 31°C (88°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
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.