Which place is cheaper, South Lake Tahoe or San Juan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Juan or South Lake Tahoe?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit San Juan or South Lake Tahoe? 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 South Lake Tahoe?
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.
South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe is the largest town on the famous Lake Tahoe that straddles the California-Nevada border in the Sierra Mountain Range. Located just south of Reno, Nevada and about 2 hours east of Sacramento, the Lake Tahoe area is easily accessible to many visitors.
Lake Tahoe is known for skiing and other winter sports, as well as plenty of warm weather activities such as hiking, swimming, boating, mountain biking, and more.
South Lake Tahoe has plenty of accommodations, restaurants, bars, and shopping. This is a good town to base yourself if you're looking to explore the area, as it has a large number of amenities.
Located on the Nevada side of South Lake Tahoe is the town of Stateline. Here you can find some casinos, as gambling is legal in Nevada.
If you're looking to go skiing or snowboarding, the Heavenly Ski Resort can be found on the southern edge of the town of South Lake Tahoe. Naturally, more ski resorts are located around the lake as well.
As swimming is also popular, several beach areas are on the southern section of the lake including the Regan Memorial City Beach, Lakeside Beach, Pope Beach, Emerald Bay State Park, and the Edgewood Resort area (on the Nevada side).
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Juan $192South Lake Tahoe $118
The average daily cost (per person) in San Juan is $192, while the average daily cost in South Lake Tahoe is $118. 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 South Lake Tahoe in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Juan $124South Lake Tahoe $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Juan $248South Lake Tahoe $108
Compare Hotels in San Juan and South Lake Tahoe
Looking for a hotel in San Juan or South Lake Tahoe? 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 South Lake Tahoe Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Juan $14South Lake Tahoe $24
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
- Private Transportation in Puerto Rico From or To San Juan Airport(SJU) Transfers: $33
- San Juan hotels to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- 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
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Ford Premium SUV, Select Zone: $87
Hired Cars and Shuttles in South Lake Tahoe
Some specific examples of transportation prices in South Lake Tahoe:
- Departure Transfer Northstar/Squaw Valley to Reno Tahoe Airport: $164
- Heavenly Mountain to Reno Tahoe Airport RNO - Departure Transfer: $109
Is it cheaper to fly into San Juan or South Lake Tahoe?
Prices for flights to both South Lake Tahoe 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 $36South Lake Tahoe $38
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
- Private Local Food Tour in San Juan: $275
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Juan $49South Lake Tahoe $56
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
- History, Legends, & Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $30
- Old San Juan Walking Tour with a Certified Guide: $30
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- Old San Juan City Walking Tour: $39
- Old San Juan Walking Tour: $39
- Legacy Tour at Casa BarcadÍ in Puerto Rico: $45
- Walking tour of Oaxaca City: $48
Tours and Activities in South Lake Tahoe
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for South Lake Tahoe are as follows:
- 2 Hour Sailing Cruise on Lake Tahoe: $140
- Clear Kayak Paddle Tour at Sand Harbor: $150
- Clear Kayak Tour of Lake Tahoe: $165
- Driving Lake Tahoe: A Self-Guided Audio Tour From Tahoe City to Incline Village: $9.99
- Driving Lake Tahoe: A Self-Guided Tour From Incline Village to South Lake Tahoe: $12
- Driving Lake Tahoe: A Self-Guided Tour from South Lake Tahoe to Tahoe City: $12
- Electric Dirtbike Adventure in Lake Tahoe: $200
- Emerald Bay Helicopter Tour of Lake Tahoe: $110
- Emerald Bay Private Luxury Boat Tours: $750
- Full Day Self-Guided Bike Tour of Lake Tahoe: $69
- Full-Day Lake Tahoe Circle Tour including Squaw Valley: $80
- Guided Snowshoe Experience in Lake Tahoe: $150
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Juan $12South Lake Tahoe $34
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Pinones Pub crawl in Puerto Rico: $50
Sample the Local Flavors in South Lake Tahoe
Also in South Lake Tahoe, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Lake Tahoe: Emerald Bay Sunset Wine Tasting Yacht Cruise: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Juan and South Lake Tahoe, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is South Lake Tahoe much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Juan is in Caribbean Islands and South Lake Tahoe 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 South Lake Tahoe would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in South Lake Tahoe 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 South Lake Tahoe.
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 South Lake Tahoe Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Juan or South Lake Tahoe?
San Juan has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of South Lake Tahoe. When comparing the sizes of San Juan and South Lake Tahoe, 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.