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. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Arequipa is $60, while the average daily cost in Bonaire is $299. 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 $24
    Bonaire $155
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Arequipa $48
    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 $6.36
    Bonaire $65
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.43
  • Bus Ride
    $0.46
  • Taxi Ride
    $1.00

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arequipa

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Arequipa:

  • Arequipa Airport Arrival Transfer: $13
  • Private Transfer from Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón Airport to Hotel: $20
  • Arequipa Airport (AQP) Private Transfer to Arequipa City: $23
  • Arequipa Bus Station Arrival Transfer : $25
  • Transfer Between Arequipa's Airport and Hotels: $35
  • Private Transfer from Arequipa to Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón (AQP) Airport : $38
  • Full Day Tour to Colca including Transfer to Puno: $60
  • Colca Canyon Day Trip with Transfer to Puno: $65
  • Koh Lanta any hotel to Krabi airport Private transfer: $81
  • Colca Canyon + Transfer To Puno: $103
  • Full Day Tour Including Transfer to Puno / Colca Canyon: $112
  • 2-Day Colca Canyon Tour with optional transfer to Puno: $132

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bonaire

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bonaire:

  • Airport Transfer Return Included: $80
  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk Cruise Port to Kralendijk city : $59
  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk Port to Bonaire Airport (BON): $59
  • Private Transfers between Bonaire airport and any local address : $40

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 $25
    Bonaire $101
Typical Food Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Coke
    $0.43
  • Lunch
    $3.01
  • Ice Cream
    $1.15
  • Fruit
    $0.86
  • Ice Cream
    $1.00

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arequipa

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

  • Cooking Class at La Plantation: $35
  • Peruvian Cooking Experience in Arequipa: $35
  • Peruvian Cooking Class in arequipa: $50
  • Peruvian Cooking Class: $53
  • Private Cooking Class in Arequipa: $57
  • Food Tour Gastronomic Guided : $113

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bonaire

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

  • Dinner at Sea: $95
  • Discover the Flavors of Bonaire with the Bonaire Snack Food Tour: $130

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Arequipa $19
    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
    $2.87
  • Salsa Class
    $2.87
  • Movie Ticket
    $3.13
  • Hot Springs
    $2.87

Tours and Activities in Arequipa

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

  • Countryside Tour Arequipa: $18
  • 8-Hours Tour in Arequipa Laguna de Salinas with Pick-up: $20
  • Chili River White Water Rafting Adventure with Pickup: $20
  • From Salinas Lagoon Half Day Tour: $21
  • Tour Colca Full Day Promotional Price: $22
  • Full Day Tour Sillar Route and Culebrillas Canyon Arequipa: $23
  • Arequipa City Tour and food and drinks experience: $25
  • Half day Sillar Stone Tour from Arequipa: $25
  • Ticket for Planetarium and Star Observatory: $27
  • Pillones Waterfall Tour | Stone Forest | Arequipa: $27
  • Full Day Tour to Colca Canyon from Arequipa: $28
  • Walking tour history, legends & mysteries : $28

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
  • Walking Tour with Lunch & Ice Cream: $55
  • Yacht tour with local guide & snorkeling activities: $57
  • Clearbottom Mangrove Kayak & Snorkel tour: $59
  • Highlights of Bonaire & Cultural Experience: $59
  • Tour in North and South Bonaire Guided : $63
  • Explore North & South Tour: $65
  • Small-Group Guided North & South Tour of Bonaire with Pick Up: $65

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Arequipa $17
    Bonaire $33
Typical Alcohol Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Beer
    $2.58


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.