Which place is cheaper, Salt Lake City or San Juan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Juan or Salt Lake City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit San Juan or Salt Lake City? 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 Salt Lake City?
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.
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City is the capital city of Utah and one of the largest cities in the southwest region of the US. Salt Lake sits on the border between the Rocky Mountains and Great Basin regions, making it the perfect place for outdoor activities. The city's natural beauty and resources even became the focal point for the 2002 Winter Olympics. Salt Lake experiences all four seasons, with the most popular times to visit being summer and winter. Summer, June-August, sees little rain and temperatures in the high 80's Fahrenheit. Winter, December-March, has temperatures in the 30's Fahrenheit and gets the perfect amount of snow for winter sports.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, and The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Juan $192Salt Lake City $246
The average daily cost (per person) in San Juan is $192, while the average daily cost in Salt Lake City is $246. 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 Salt Lake City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Juan $124Salt Lake City $119
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Juan $248Salt Lake City $238
Compare Hotels in San Juan and Salt Lake City
Looking for a hotel in San Juan or Salt Lake City? 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 Salt Lake City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Juan $14Salt Lake City $45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Old San Juan Sunset Cruise with Drinks & Transfer: $99
- San Juan hotels to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port: Transfer to San Juan hotel: $271
- San Juan One-way Transfer: $30
- San Juan Luxury Private Round-Trip Transfer: SJU Airport - Cruise Pier - Hotel : $50
- San Juan Airport (SJU): Private Transfer to San Juan Port: $271
- 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
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Mercedes ECO Van, Select Zone: $87
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Lexus Luxury Sedan, Select Zone: $81
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Ford Premium SUV, Select Zone: $87
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salt Lake City
Also for Salt Lake City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Park City hotel or address: $261
- Private Transfer from SLC to Park City UT : $261
- Salt Lake Airport (SLC) to Canyons Village - Round-Trip Transfer: $230
- Salt Lake City Airport (SLC): Transfer to Salt Lake City: $201
- Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Park City UT - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $182
- Private Transfer from Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Salt Lake City : $120
- Private Transfer from SLC to Salt Lake City : $120
- Salt Lake Airport (SLC) to Canyons Village - Arrival Transfer: $115
- Private Transfer: Salt Lake City to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) : $107
- Salt Lake City to Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- Private Departure Transfer to Salt Lake City Airport SLC: $36
Is it cheaper to fly into San Juan or Salt Lake City?
Prices for flights to both Salt Lake City 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 $36Salt Lake City $50
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 $49Salt Lake City $28
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.
- Full-Day Tour: El Yunque, Luquillo Beach, Bio Bay Night Kayaking: $155
- Rum Craft Cocktail Tour in San Juan: $65
- 1 or 2 Hour Puerto Rico Horseback Ride Experience!: $210
- Arte Boriken-Urban Art & Beach Sip & Paint Tour: $145
- Bioluminescent Bay Kayak Adventure from San Juan: $110
- Black Sand Beach- See The Southeast of Puerto Rico Private Tour: $150
- Carolina: ATV Adventure at Campo Rico Ranch with Guide: $136
- Cave Day Tour From San Juan: $109
- Craft Beer Private Tour in San Juan: $168
- Cruise Ship Travelers: Hike to a Hidden Puerto Rican Waterfall: $85
- Culebra Snorkeling Tour by Catamaran from Fajardo: $175
- Discover El Yunque: Half-Day Rainforest Tour: $115
Tours and Activities in Salt Lake City
For Salt Lake City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2 Hour Salt Lake Boat Tour with Swimming on the Lake: $79
- 4-Day Winter Yellowstone Tour: $2,499
- 45 Minute Great Salt Lake Boat Tour: $37
- 5-day Tour Yellowstone Park Los Angeles-Salt Lake City: $1,558
- From 3-Day Yellowstone Wildlife Adventure: $999
- From Private Bryce Canyon National Park Tour: $1,475
- From Private Canyonlands National Park Tour: $1,475
- From Private Capitol Reef National Park Tour: $1,475
- From Private Goblin Valley State Park Tour: $1,475
- From Private Tour of Arches National Park: $1,475
- Great Salt Lake Flying Tour: $249
- Great Salt Lake Guided Bus Tour from Salt Lake City: $70
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Juan $12Salt Lake City $17
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 Salt Lake City, we can see that Salt Lake City is more expensive. And not only is San Juan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Juan is in Caribbean Islands and Salt Lake City 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 San Juan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Juan 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 Salt Lake City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Salt Lake City than you might in San Juan.
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 Salt Lake City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Juan or Salt Lake City?
San Juan has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Salt Lake City. When comparing the sizes of San Juan and Salt Lake City, 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.
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.