A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Veracruz vs. Granada for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Veracruz or Granada?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Veracruz and Granada can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Veracruz or Granada?

Veracruz

Veracruz is the name of both a state and city in the country of Mexico. Locals often call the city "Puerto" (port) in order to differentiate the city from the state. The general area runs along the Gulf of Mexico and encompasses ruins, old colonial cities, lush green mountains, and delicious seafood.

Granada

Granada is Nicaragua's oldest colonial city, and arguably, the most beautiful city in the country. It sits on the northern edge of Lake Nicaragua (Lago Cocibolca) and has many beautifully colored buildings and nice churches. The city's beauty and colonial architecture, along with its relative safety and accessibility, make it one of Nicaragua's top tourist destinations. The city has long been a center for commerce, but today its economy depends heavily on tourism. The city is the sixth largest in Nicaragua and a real estate boom in the early 2000's brought a large number of expats to the town.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, and The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua.


Which place is cheaper, Granada or Veracruz?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Veracruz is $122, while the average daily cost in Granada is $40. 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 Veracruz and Granada in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Veracruz $54
    Granada $17
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Veracruz $108
    Granada $34
Compare Hotels in Veracruz and Granada

Looking for a hotel in Veracruz or Granada? 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.

Hotels in Veracruz


Hotels in Granada


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: Veracruz Hotel Prices and Granada Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Veracruz $28
    Granada $8.57

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Veracruz

Also for Veracruz, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Colima Airport (CLQ) to Colima - Arrival Private Transfer: $14
  • Shared Arrival Transfer: General Heriberto Jara International Airport to Veracruz Hotels: $23
  • Airport Transfer: $25
  • Colima Airport (CLQ) to Colima - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $28
  • Transfer from Veracruz Airport to Hotel in Veracruz Port: $32

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:

  • One-Way Private Transfer From/To Airport or Hotels in Granada: $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Veracruz or Granada?

Prices for flights to both Granada and Veracruz 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Veracruz $50
    Granada $14

Typical Food Prices in Granada

Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:


  • Pizza
    $2.29

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Veracruz $15
    Granada $10

Tours and Activities in Veracruz

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Veracruz.

  • Hop-On Hop-Off Double-Decker Bus Tour: $7.87
  • Panoramic Sightseeing Tour of Veracruz: $8.00
  • San Juan de Ulua Fortress Skip-the-Line Ticket: $12
  • San Juan de Ulua Fortress of Veracruz Skip-the-Line Ticket: $12
  • Sightseeing City Tour and Aquarium: $22
  • From Nature & Seafood Boat Tour to Madinga: $23
  • 3-hour tour to the San Juan de Ulúa Fortress: $25
  • Sightseeing City Tour and Wax & Ripley´s Museums: $25
  • From San Juan de Ulua Prison Tour: $26
  • Mandinga And Boat Trip Tour: $26
  • Aquatico Inbursa Waterpark: Veracruz - Ticket: $27
  • San Juan De Ulua Tour: $29

Typical Entertainment Prices in Granada

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Granada are as follows:


  • Lago de Nicaragua Boat Tour
    $8.17

Tours and Activities in Granada

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Granada are as follows:

  • Bird Watching Tour: $90
  • Boat Tour and Granada City Tour: $120
  • Charming Granada Outdoor "Private Tour" : $92
  • Experience Granadas Best Sights Carriage ride + Local Guide: $65
  • Fabulous Night Tour in Masaya Volcano from Granada: $158
  • From Full-Day Tour to 6 Attractions with Lunch incl: $125
  • Full Day Tour Isletas + Pueblos Blancos + Laguna from Granada: $120
  • Full Day Tour in Granada with Volcano Visit: $224
  • Full-Day Tour: Masaya Volcano, Art Market and White Villages: $60
  • Granada City Tour: $40
  • Granada Colonial City Tour and Masaya Volcano: $130
  • Granada Kayak Tour: $30

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Veracruz $17
    Granada $7.50

Typical Alcohol Prices in Granada

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Granada:


  • Tequila
    $1.36


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Veracruz and Granada, we can see that Veracruz is more expensive. And not only is Granada much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Veracruz is in North America and Granada is in Central 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 Granada would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Granada 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 Veracruz would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Veracruz than you might in Granada.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Veracruz Expensive? and Is Granada Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Veracruz or Granada?

Veracruz has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Granada. When comparing the sizes of Veracruz and Granada, 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 Veracruz or Granada?

Veracruz has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Granada experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Veracruz or Granada in the Summer?

Both Granada and Veracruz during the summer are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Granada year-round.

In the summer, Veracruz is around the same temperature as Granada. Typically, the summer temperatures in Veracruz in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Granada averages at about 27°C (81°F).

It's quite sunny in Veracruz. In the summer, Veracruz often gets more sunshine than Granada. Veracruz gets 208 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Granada receives 175 hours of full sun.

Granada gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Veracruz. Veracruz usually gets more rain in July than Granada. Veracruz gets 410 mm (16.1 in) of rain, while Granada receives 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Veracruz 27°C (81°F) 
    Granada 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Veracruz or Granada in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Veracruz and Granada. Granada attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In October, Veracruz is generally around the same temperature as Granada. Daily temperatures in Veracruz average around 26°C (79°F), and Granada fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

Veracruz usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Granada during autumn. Veracruz gets 188 hours of sunny skies, while Granada receives 195 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Granada receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Veracruz gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Veracruz usually receives less rain than Granada. Veracruz gets 131 mm (5.2 in) of rain, while Granada receives 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Veracruz 26°C (79°F) 
    Granada 27°C (81°F)

Should I visit Veracruz or Granada in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Veracruz as well as Granada. The warm climate attracts visitors to Granada throughout the year.

Veracruz is cooler than Granada in the winter. The daily temperature in Veracruz averages around 21°C (71°F) in January, and Granada fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Granada. In the winter, Veracruz often gets less sunshine than Granada. Veracruz gets 156 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Granada receives 244 hours of full sun.

Veracruz usually gets more rain in January than Granada. Veracruz gets 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Granada receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Veracruz 21°C (71°F) 
    Granada 26°C (79°F)

Should I visit Veracruz or Granada in the Spring?

Both Granada and Veracruz are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Granada because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In the spring, Veracruz is cooler than Granada. Typically, the spring temperatures in Veracruz in April average around 26°C (78°F), and Granada averages at about 29°C (84°F).

It's quite sunny in Granada. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Veracruz. Veracruz usually receives less sunshine than Granada during spring. Veracruz gets 203 hours of sunny skies, while Granada receives 242 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Veracruz usually receives more rain than Granada. Veracruz gets 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Granada receives 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Veracruz 26°C (78°F) 
    Granada 29°C (84°F)

Typical Weather for Granada and Veracruz

Veracruz Granada
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 21°C (71°F) 19 mm (0.7 in) 26°C (79°F) 4 mm (0.2 in)
Feb 22°C (71°F) 16 mm (0.6 in) 27°C (80°F) 2 mm (0.1 in)
Mar 24°C (74°F) 27 mm (1.1 in) 28°C (82°F) 3 mm (0.1 in)
Apr 26°C (78°F) 19 mm (0.7 in) 29°C (84°F) 6 mm (0.2 in)
May 28°C (82°F) 45 mm (1.8 in) 29°C (84°F) 131 mm (5.2 in)
Jun 28°C (82°F) 290 mm (11.4 in) 28°C (82°F) 196 mm (7.7 in)
Jul 27°C (81°F) 410 mm (16.1 in) 27°C (81°F) 144 mm (5.7 in)
Aug 27°C (81°F) 351 mm (13.8 in) 27°C (81°F) 151 mm (5.9 in)
Sep 27°C (81°F) 346 mm (13.6 in) 27°C (81°F) 210 mm (8.3 in)
Oct 26°C (79°F) 131 mm (5.2 in) 27°C (81°F) 197 mm (7.8 in)
Nov 25°C (76°F) 60 mm (2.4 in) 31°C (88°F) 54 mm (2.1 in)
Dec 23°C (73°F) 27 mm (1.1 in) 26°C (79°F) 11 mm (0.4 in)