Comparison · Oaxaca vs San Miguel de Allende · Mexico
Oaxaca vs San Miguel de Allende
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. João Sousa assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Choose Oaxaca for Mole, Mezcal and lower day-to-day costs; choose San Miguel de Allende for Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, Cobbled colonial streets and free sights. Oaxaca is generally less expensive, and the two are about 601 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 601 km
- Less expensive
- Oaxaca
- Best time for Oaxaca
- October–March
- Best time for San Miguel de Allende
- February–April and October–November
Side by side
| Oaxaca | San Miguel de Allende | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Mexico | Mexico |
| Known for | Mole, Mezcal and Monte Albán | Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, Cobbled colonial streets and Art galleries |
| Best time to visit | October–March | February–April and October–November |
| Ideal stay | 5 days | 4 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $80–$150 | $130–$250 |
| Cost level | Affordable | Moderately priced |
| Warmest month | April, 32°C (90°F) | May, 31°C (88°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 27°C (81°F) | January, 23°C (73°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 6 | 12 |
| Day trips in our guide | 6 | 6 |
| Beaches | — | — |
| Airports | OAX | BJX, QRO |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Oaxaca for…
Mole, Mezcal and lower day-to-day costs. Oaxaca de Juárez is a low-rise colonial city of green cantera stone in a highland valley at about 1,550 metres, surrounded by Zapotec and Mixtec villages. Its UNESCO-listed centre runs from the laurel-shaded Zócalo up the pedestrian Andador Macedonio Alcalá…
Choose San Miguel de Allende for…
Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, Cobbled colonial streets and free sights. San Miguel de Allende is a hillside colonial town at about 1,900 metres in the state of Guanajuato, built around the pink stone spires of the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel and the laurel-shaded Jardín. Its cobbled streets of ochre and terracotta houses…
Top sights compared
| # | Oaxaca | San Miguel de Allende |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán | Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel |
| 2 | Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca | El Jardín |
| 3 | Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca | Museo Histórico Casa de Allende |
| 4 | Monte Albán | Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramírez (Bellas Artes) |
| 5 | Zócalo and Cathedral | Templo de la Concepción (Las Monjas) |
Food compared
| Oaxaca | San Miguel de Allende |
|---|---|
| Mole negro | Enchiladas mineras |
| Tlayuda | Gorditas |
| Tasajo and cecina | Tacos al pastor |
| Quesillo | Carnitas |
Which is cheaper?
Oaxaca is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $80–$150 per person there, against $130–$250 in San Miguel de Allende (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Oaxaca on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Oaxaca and San Miguel de Allende are about 601 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 5 days in Oaxaca and 4 in San Miguel de Allende.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Oaxaca or San Miguel de Allende cheaper?
Oaxaca is usually less expensive: about $80–$150 a day mid-range against $130–$250 (estimates).
+Is Oaxaca or San Miguel de Allende better for a first trip?
Pick Oaxaca for Mole, Mezcal and lower day-to-day costs, or San Miguel de Allende for Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, Cobbled colonial streets and free sights.
+How far is Oaxaca from San Miguel de Allende?
About 601 km in a straight line.