A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Acapulco de Juarez vs. Arica for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Acapulco de Juarez or Arica?

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

Should I visit Acapulco de Juarez or Arica? 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: Acapulco de Juarez or Arica?

Acapulco de Juarez

Located on the southwestern Pacific Coast of Mexico is the beautiful beach city of Acapulco de Juarez. Acapulco is one of the original travel and resort destinations in Mexico, and it's still considered a popular spring break destination for Americans. Known as simply "Acapulco" to many travelers, this region is a popular spot for cruise lines to stop and timeshares to grow. Thanks to those cruise lines and timeshares, tourist activities like water parks and jet skis have experienced considerable growth.

Arica

A mixture of coastline, desert and high Andean plateau, Arica is a seaside resort town, known for its surfing beaches located at the tip of Northern Chile. Arica boasts that it is "the land of the eternal spring," but its temperate climate and beaches are not the only reason to visit this small city. Arica's tourism is still principally geared toward domestic visitors and those from southern Peru and La Paz, who flock to its beaches mid-December through February. It is very easy to spend a few days in Arica in the sand, or seeing the sights in town, at a slow pace but the city also offers plenty of fun activities and exciting day trips.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best 10-Day Tours in Chile, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Arica or Acapulco de Juarez?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Acapulco de Juarez is $81, while the average daily cost in Arica is $79. 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 Acapulco de Juarez and Arica in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Acapulco de Juarez $39
    Arica $35
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Acapulco de Juarez $78
    Arica $70
Compare Hotels in Acapulco de Juarez and Arica

Looking for a hotel in Acapulco de Juarez or Arica? 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 Acapulco de Juarez


Hotels in Arica


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: Acapulco de Juarez Hotel Prices and Arica Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Acapulco de Juarez $16
    Arica $18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Acapulco de Juarez

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Acapulco de Juarez:

  • Transfer in private minivan from Bahía de Acapulco -Acapulco Airport (ACA): $32
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Bahía de Acapulco - Acapulco Airport (ACA): $24
  • Transfer in Private Vehicle from Acapulco Airport (ACA) -Bahía de Acapulco: $24
  • Shared transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA) - Acapulco: $6.00
  • Roundtrip Transfer Private Vehicle Acapulco Airport (ACA) - Bahia de Acapulco: $49
  • Private Airport Transfer &on 2nd Day 4Hr TourAll AttractionsCombo: $90
  • Airport Transfer in Suburban: $65
  • Acapulco hotels to Acapulco Airport (ACA) – Departure Private Transfer : $20
  • Acapulco Airport Transfer: $10
  • Private Best Round Trip Airport - Hotel - Airport Transfer : $70
  • Private - One Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $66

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arica

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arica are as follows:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $2.10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arica

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

  • Arica Airport Private Transfer: $85
  • Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port: $31
  • Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port : $27
  • Private Transfer from Arica City hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $22
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $27
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $31
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Hotels: $24
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica city hotels: $22
  • Private Transfer from Arica Hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $24

Is it cheaper to fly into Acapulco de Juarez or Arica?

Prices for flights to both Arica and Acapulco de Juarez 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
    Acapulco de Juarez $29
    Arica $28

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Acapulco de Juarez

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Acapulco de Juarez.

  • High Divers DeLuxe Three Course Dinner +Three Drinks plus SUNSET: $49
  • Cliff Divers Exhibition 2 Drinks + Tacos al Pastor Dinner & Beer: $55
  • Cliff Diver De Luxe 3 Course Dinner at "La Quebrada" in Acapulco: $56
  • Cliff Divers Show With Dinner At Acapulco: $72
  • Wrestling-Lucha Libre Experience Tacos Beer Dinner Only SUNDAY: $84
  • Off the Beaten Path Mexican Cooking Class Lagoon Boatride &Lunch: $89
  • Hands ON - Mex Cooking Class Experience - City Market & Lunch : $90
  • Hands On Mexican Cooking Class with Food Tasting & Market Visit: $100
  • Mexican Fiesta Show & Dinner: $115
  • Bella Vista PRIVATE Al Fresco 3 Course Dinner Cliff Diver3Drinks: $191
  • Super DeLuxe Bella Vista Dinner &1 Drink +2 Drinks at CliffDivers: $193
  • Divers Show and Luxury Dinner in Acapulco: $199

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Acapulco de Juarez $18
    Arica $20

Tours and Activities in Acapulco de Juarez

Here are a few actual costs in Acapulco de Juarez for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 4Hrs City Tour Exclusively for Hotels, Divers, Chapel & Mural.: $44
  • 6Hr Walking Tour San Diego Fort Museum Cliff Divers Zocalo: $68
  • Small-Group or Private All Inclusive 4 Hours City Tour & Divers: $36
  • 4 Hrs Exclusive to Cruise Ship Passengers Sightseeing Experience : $62
  • 4-6Hrs Acapulco City Tour With a Fun Guide. Diver Show, Mex Lunch: $47
  • 4Hrs Small Group Half Day City Tour with Lunch at High Divers: $85
  • 4hr City Tour For Cruises or Hotels Diver Peace Chapel & Mural: $40
  • 6Hr City Tour Cruise or Hotel Turtle Nesting High Diver & Market: $51
  • 6Hr Cruise or Hotels City Tour, Divers, Baby Turtles Peace Chapel: $51
  • 6Hr Cruisers or Hotels High Diver Peace Chapel BabyTurtleRelease: $50
  • Acapulco City Tour : $35
  • Acapulco Historical Tour with Cliff Divers Show: $65

Tours and Activities in Arica

For Arica, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Archaeological Tour: $32
  • Half day Panoramic City Tour: $49
  • Archeological Sightseeing tour in Arica: $103
  • Arica Private Sightseeing Tour : $134
  • Private Tour to Tacna from Arica: $256

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Acapulco de Juarez $11
    Arica $19


When comparing the travel costs between Acapulco de Juarez and Arica, we can see that Acapulco de Juarez is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Acapulco de Juarez is in North America and Arica is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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


Which is Bigger, Acapulco de Juarez or Arica?

Acapulco de Juarez has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Arica. When comparing the sizes of Acapulco de Juarez and Arica, 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.