A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Arequipa vs. Bonaire for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Arequipa or Bonaire?

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

Should I visit Arequipa or Bonaire? 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: Arequipa or Bonaire?

Arequipa

Sitting in the middle of the Misti, Chachani and PichuPichu volcanoes of Peru is the enchanting city of Arequipa. With 468 years of history, the city is full of Spanish colonial architecture. Known to locals as the "white city," the city center, Plaza de Armas, is quite the sight with buildings of sillar white stone made from the rocks of the surrounding volcanoes.

Bonaire

An island municipality of the Netherlands, Bonaire resides in the Caribbean, east of Central America and north of Venezuela. It is a part of the ABC Islands together with Aruba and CuraƧao, and is best known as a tropical vacation destination with many great dive spots, beaches, lagoons, and wildlife.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Bonaire or Arequipa?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Arequipa is $47, while the average daily cost in Bonaire is $256. 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 Arequipa and Bonaire in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Arequipa $23
    Bonaire $155
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Arequipa $46
    Bonaire $310
Compare Hotels in Arequipa and Bonaire

Looking for a hotel in Arequipa or Bonaire? 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 Arequipa


Hotels in Bonaire


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: Arequipa Hotel Prices and Bonaire Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Arequipa $6.02
    Bonaire $65
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.36
  • Bus Ride
    $0.43
  • Taxi Ride
    $0.95

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arequipa

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Arequipa:

  • Arequipa Airport Departure Transfer: $13
  • Arequipa Airport Arrival Transfer: $13
  • Private Transfer from Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón Airport to Hotel: $20
  • Arequipa Bus Station Arrival Transfer : $25
  • Arequipa Airport Private Transfer: $25
  • Airport private transfer to/from the city center: $26
  • 1-Way Airport Private Transfer: $31
  • Sihanouk Ville Airport Pickup or Transfer Private Car: $32
  • Private Transfer from Arequipa to Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón (AQP) Airport : $35
  • Transfer Between Arequipa's Airport and Hotels: $35
  • Koh Lanta any hotel to Krabi airport Private transfer: $71
  • From 2-Day Colca Canyon Tour with Transfer to Puno: $98

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bonaire

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bonaire:

  • Airport Transfer Return Included: $44
  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk City to Kralendijk Cruise Port: $59
  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk Cruise Port to Kralendijk city : $59
  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk Port to Bonaire Airport (BON): $59
  • Private Transfers from Bonaire airport to any address on Bonaire: $43

Is it cheaper to fly into Arequipa or Bonaire?

Prices for flights to both Bonaire and Arequipa 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
    Arequipa $14
    Bonaire $59
Typical Food Prices in Arequipa

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Arequipa:


  • Coke
    $0.41
  • Lunch
    $2.85
  • Ice Cream
    $1.09
  • Fruit
    $0.81
  • Ice Cream
    $0.95

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arequipa

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Arequipa.

  • Skip the Line: Dinner and Typical Dances Show Ticket: $25
  • Peruvian Cooking Experience in Arequipa: $34
  • Peruvian Cooking Class: $48
  • Peruvian Cooking Class: $48
  • Peruvian Cooking Class in arequipa: $50
  • Guided Food Tour in Arequipa City: $69
  • 3-hour guided food tour / 5 iconic restaurants of Arequipa: $72
  • A 3-hour Guided Food Tour with 4 Iconic Restaurants of Arequipa: $79
  • Arequipa Food Tour: Ancestral Cuisine & City Tour: $85
  • Peruvian cooking experience, pisco sour and visit local market: $95
  • Peruvian cooking class + PiscoSour class + visit the local market: $95
  • Food Tour Experience: $115

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Arequipa $18
    Bonaire $40
Typical Entertainment Prices in Arequipa

Here are a few typical costs in Arequipa for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Monastery Entry
    $2.71
  • Salsa Class
    $2.71
  • Movie Ticket
    $2.96
  • Hot Springs
    $2.71

Tours and Activities in Arequipa

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

  • Arequipa Tasting Tour: $8.00
  • Campiña Tour in Arequipa and Quick View to the Viewpoints 4 hours: $10
  • 4-hour tour to the Sillar Route in Arequipa: $10
  • Small-Group Arequipa Countryside Tour Including La Mansion del Fundador -Mirabus: $15
  • Tour por la Ruta del Sillar, el Origen de Arequipa: $16
  • Countryside Tour Arequipa: $18
  • From Panoramic Tour of Arequipa: $20
  • From Sillar Route Tour || Half Day ||: $20
  • From Sillar Route - Half Day Tour: $20
  • City tour with panoramic bus: $20
  • The Sillar Route Day Tour: $22
  • Tour Colca Full Day Promotional Price: $22

Tours and Activities in Bonaire

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

  • Semi Submarine Boat Experience to Klein Bonaire: $33
  • Walking Tours & Private Tours on Bonaire: $36
  • 4 Hours Open Air Party Bus Tour with Beach Stop in Caribbean: $39
  • Half-Day Bonaire Island Tour with Hotel Pickup and Drop-off: $46
  • Bonaire Essentials Island Tour: $49
  • Sunset Adventure: $55
  • Yacht tour with local guide & snorkeling activities: $57
  • Highlights of Bonaire & Cultural Experience: $59
  • Clearbottom Mangrove Kayak & Snorkel tour: $59
  • Explore North & South Tour: $65
  • Small-Group Guided North & South Tour of Bonaire with Pick Up: $65
  • Donkey Sanctuary Tour with a Local Guide : $68

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Arequipa $16
    Bonaire $33
Typical Alcohol Prices in Arequipa

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Arequipa are as follows:


  • Beer
    $2.44

Sample the Local Flavors in Arequipa

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Arequipa:

  • Pub Crawl Tour in Arequipa with VIP Access.: $25
  • From Pisco and wine tour through the Majes Valley: $50
  • Pub Crawl Tour in Arequipa with Drinks and VIP Access.: $60


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

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


Which is Bigger, Arequipa or Bonaire?

Arequipa has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Bonaire. When comparing the sizes of Arequipa and Bonaire, 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.