Which place is cheaper, Columbia or San Juan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Juan or Columbia?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit San Juan or Columbia? 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.
Where Should I go: San Juan or Columbia?
San Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
Columbia
Both the largest and capital city of South Carolina, Columbia is literally the center of everything. Geographically it is located in the middle of the state, and it is the home to the University of South Carolina, the Army's Fort Jackson, as well as a variety of museums that celebrate the city's art, history, and culture.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America, and The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Juan $192Columbia $0.00
The average daily cost (per person) in San Juan is $192, while the average daily cost in Columbia is $0.00. 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 and Columbia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Juan $124Columbia -
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Juan $248Columbia $0.00
Compare Hotels in San Juan and Columbia
Looking for a hotel in San Juan or Columbia? 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 Hotel Prices and Columbia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Juan $14Columbia -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to San Juan Airport: $22
- Mendoza: One-Way Private Transfer from Airport: $25
- San Juan One-way Transfer: $30
- San Juan hotels to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- San Juan Luxury Private Round-Trip Transfer: SJU Airport - Cruise Pier - Hotel : $50
- Oneway Transfer- San Juan(SJU, hotel, airbnb, port) to Río Grande: $68
- Old Walking Tour with Shopping and Hotel Transfer: $70
- Roundtrip-Transfer from: SJU Airport,Cruises and Hotels in Puerto Rico LuxurySUV: $70
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Tesla Y Luxury SUV, Select Zone: $77
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Tesla S Lux Sedan, Select Zone: $79
- Oneway Transfer San Juan to Ceiba: Ferry, Vieques/Culebra Airport: $80
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Lexus Luxury Sedan, Select Zone: $81
Is it cheaper to fly into San Juan or Columbia?
Prices for flights to both Columbia and San Juan 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 $36Columbia $5.03
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Old San Juan Sunset Food Tour with Drinks: $156
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walk and Food Tour: $159
- City Lights Sky High Dinner Experience: $165
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Juan $49Columbia -
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Historic Buildings: $5.99
- Discover Old In-App Audio Tour of History: $11
- Self-Guided Tour with Audio Guide: $14
- Group Transportation in airport, cruise ships, hotels, bnb's in San Juan, PR: $20
- Old Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $25
- Old San Juan Walking Tour with a Certified Guide: $30
- History, Legends, & Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $30
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- Old San Juan Walking Tour: $39
- Old San Juan City Walking Tour: $39
- Legacy Tour at Casa BarcadÍ in Puerto Rico: $45
- Ron del Barrilito Skip-the-Line Heritage Tour Ticket: $46
Tours and Activities in Columbia
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Columbia are as follows:
- Soda City: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in Columbia: $12
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Juan $12Columbia $88
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Pinones Pub crawl in Puerto Rico: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Juan and Columbia, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is Columbia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Juan is in Caribbean Islands and Columbia is in North 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 Columbia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Columbia 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 would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan than you might in Columbia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Juan Expensive? and Is Columbia Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Juan or Columbia?
San Juan has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Columbia. When comparing the sizes of San Juan and Columbia, 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 or Columbia?
Columbia has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Juan experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit San Juan or Columbia in the Summer?
Both Columbia and San Juan during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to San Juan because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Also, the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Columbia this time of year.
In the summer, San Juan is around the same temperature as Columbia. Typically, the summer temperatures in San Juan in July average around 28°C (83°F), and Columbia averages at about 82°F (28°C).
In Columbia, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in San Juan. In the summer, San Juan often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Columbia. San Juan gets 287 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Columbia receives 293 hours of full sun.
Columbia gets a good bit of rain this time of year. San Juan usually gets less rain in July than Columbia. San Juan gets 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while Columbia receives 4.6 inches (116 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySan Juan 28°C (83°F)Columbia 82°F (28°C)
Should I visit San Juan or Columbia in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both San Juan and Columbia. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Juan year-round. Also, many travelers come to Columbia for the shopping scene.
In October, San Juan is generally much warmer than Columbia. Daily temperatures in San Juan average around 28°C (82°F), and Columbia fluctuates around 64°F (18°C).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Columbia this time of the year. In San Juan, it's very sunny this time of the year. San Juan usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Columbia during autumn. San Juan gets 235 hours of sunny skies, while Columbia receives 230 hours of full sun in the autumn.
San Juan gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, San Juan usually receives more rain than Columbia. San Juan gets 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain, while Columbia receives 3 inches (75 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSan Juan 28°C (82°F)Columbia 64°F (18°C)
Should I visit San Juan or Columbia in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to San Juan as well as Columbia. San Juan attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. Also, many visitors come to Columbia in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
San Juan is much warmer than Columbia in the winter. The daily temperature in San Juan averages around 25°C (77°F) in January, and Columbia fluctuates around 45°F (7°C).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Juan this time of the year. In the winter, San Juan often gets more sunshine than Columbia. San Juan gets 240 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Columbia receives 171 hours of full sun.
San Juan usually gets less rain in January than Columbia. San Juan gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Columbia receives 3.7 inches (93 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySan Juan 25°C (77°F)Columbia 45°F (7°C)
Should I visit San Juan or Columbia in the Spring?
Both Columbia and San Juan are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Juan throughout the year.
In the spring, San Juan is a little warmer than Columbia. Typically, the spring temperatures in San Juan in April average around 26°C (79°F), and Columbia averages at about 64°F (18°C).
It's quite sunny in Columbia. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Juan. San Juan usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Columbia during spring. San Juan gets 272 hours of sunny skies, while Columbia receives 273 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, San Juan usually receives around the same amount of rain as Columbia. San Juan gets 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain, while Columbia receives 2.8 inches (72 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSan Juan 26°C (79°F)Columbia 64°F (18°C)
Typical Weather for Columbia and San Juan
| San Juan | Columbia | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 25°C (77°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 45°F (7°C) | 3.7 inches (93 mm) |
| Feb | 25°C (77°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 48°F (9°C) | 3.5 inches (88 mm) |
| Mar | 26°C (78°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 56°F (13°C) | 3.7 inches (95 mm) |
| Apr | 26°C (79°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 64°F (18°C) | 2.8 inches (72 mm) |
| May | 27°C (81°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) | 72°F (22°C) | 3 inches (77 mm) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) | 78°F (26°C) | 3.5 inches (89 mm) |
| Jul | 28°C (83°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) | 82°F (28°C) | 4.6 inches (116 mm) |
| Aug | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 81°F (27°C) | 5.8 inches (147 mm) |
| Sep | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 75°F (24°C) | 3.3 inches (84 mm) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) | 64°F (18°C) | 3 inches (75 mm) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) | 56°F (13°C) | 2.1 inches (54 mm) |
| Dec | 26°C (78°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 48°F (9°C) | 2.6 inches (67 mm) |
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.