Which place is cheaper, San Juan or San Pedro La Laguna?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit San Pedro La Laguna or San Juan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit San Pedro La Laguna or San Juan? 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 Pedro La Laguna or San Juan?
San Pedro La Laguna
Located in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful volcanic lake ringed by small towns and villages that are highly frequented by backpackers. Panajachal is one of the best known of the towns, as well as the main entry point of the region, while others like San Pedro La Laguna are quieter and more off the beaten path. Lake Atitlan and its villages attract visitors for its scenic beauty, outdoor activities, and Mayan culture nearby.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Guatemala, and The Best Eco Tours in Guatemala.
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San Pedro La Laguna Prices
Guatemala PricesSan Juan Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Pedro La Laguna $45San Juan $218
The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro La Laguna is $45, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $218. 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 Pedro La Laguna and San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Pedro La Laguna $8.39San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Pedro La Laguna $17San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in San Pedro La Laguna and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in San Pedro La Laguna or San Juan? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Pedro La Laguna $13San Juan $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro La Laguna
Also for San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Lake Atitlán to Guatemala Airport (GUA): $96
- Private transfer from Panajachel to Airport or Capital city: $78
- Private transfer from Panajachel to Antigua Guatemala: $75
- Private One Way Transfer Lake Atitlán to Antigua Guatemala: $74
- Transfer from SanPedro Lago de Atitlan and airport Guatemala: $50
- Shared Transfer from Panajachel Atitlan to Guatemala City: $50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from San Juan to Rincon or Rincon to San Juan: $167
- Transfer from San Juan to Ponce or Ponce to San Juan: $150
- Transfer from San Juan to Humacao or Humacao to San Juan: $80
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Transfer SJU Airport to Dorado. Hotels and Airbnb. Vice Versa One Way Trip.: $140
- Transfer SJU Airport to Cruise Port / Vice Versa in Old S.J ONLY: $65
- Transfer Ceiba Port Vieques and Culebra to San Juan Area or San Juan to Ceiba Po: $125
- San Juan hotels to San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $58
- San Juan hotels to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $29
- San Juan Puerto Rico Private Luxury Transfers: $105
- San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $58
- San Juan PR Transfer in Luxury SUV (Airports,Ports,Hotel,Airbnb): $103
Is it cheaper to fly into San Pedro La Laguna or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan and San Pedro La Laguna 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 Pedro La Laguna $19San Juan $62
Typical Food Prices in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lemonade$2.10
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Cake$1.31
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Ice cream$0.39
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Hot Cocoa & Banana Bread$3.02
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Temazcal sauna and dinner, cultural sharing experience: $60
- Maya Cooking Class from Panajachel: $66
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:
- Private Puerto Rican Cooking Class in San Juan for Groups: $146
- FlyDining: 4 Course Sunset & City Light Dinner Over Old San Juan: $159
- FlyDining: 4 Courses Dinner with City Lights & Ocean Breeze: $165
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walking Food Tour: $179
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Pedro La Laguna $22San Juan $49
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Pedro La Laguna
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for San Pedro La Laguna's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Canopy Tour (for 2)$39
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Kayaking (for 2)$1.97
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Coffee Tour (for 2)$7.08
Tours and Activities in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 5-Hour Private Birdwatching Experience in San Juan La Laguna: $50
- Authentic local experience with a community of women: $73
- Authentic tour of Mayan art and culture in Lake Atitlan: $57
- Beading Class and tour a Non-profit vocational training center a Fun cultural sharing experience: $28
- Bicycle Tour Around Lake Atitlan with Weaving Coops and Coffee Plantations: $118
- Biking tour through the towns of Santa Catarina and San Antonio: $46
- Chichicastenango Market Day Tour from Panajachel: $120
- Coffee Walk Tour in San Juan La Laguna: $35
- Coffee, Chocolate and Textile Tour in Lake Atitlan: $35
- Day of the Dead Giant Kite Festival Cultural Experience: $45
- From Panajachel Canoe Adventure and Tul Route in Atitlan: $125
- Full Day Tour to Chichicastenango from Panajachel: $160
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.
- 1 Hour Bull Maze Adventure at Toroverde Urban Park San Juan: $45
- 1 Hour Historical UTV Tour in San Juan: $200
- 1)El Yunque Rainforest and Famous Luquillo Beach Experience: $96
- 2 Tours in 1 Day: Rainforest Waterslides & Beach Tour w/Transport: $60
- 3 Tours in 1 Day: Old San Juan, Rainforest, Beach with Transport: $65
- ATV Double Rider Adventure Near San Juan - Hacienda Campo Rico: $221
- ATV Single Rider Adventure Near San Juan - Hacienda Campo Rico: $149
- Adventure Water Bike in Condado Lagoon, San Juan: $60
- Bio Bay Magic and Rum Tasting Tour from San Juan: $250
- Bio Bay Night Kayak Tour with Transport from San Juan: $125
- BioBay Kayak Tour with San Juan Roundtrip Transportation: $179
- Bioluminescent Bay Kayak Adventure from San Juan: $110
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Pedro La Laguna $5.69San Juan $12
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- Puerto Rico Tobacco Farm and Local Brewery Tour: $109
- Puerto Rico's First and Only Craft Beer Brewery Tour!: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Pedro La Laguna and San Juan, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro La Laguna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Pedro La Laguna is in Central America and San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Pedro La Laguna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Pedro La Laguna 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 San Pedro La Laguna.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Pedro La Laguna Expensive? and Is San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Pedro La Laguna or San Juan?
San Juan has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of San Pedro La Laguna. When comparing the sizes of San Pedro La Laguna and San Juan, 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.