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

Should you visit Arica or Guadalajara?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Arica and Guadalajara. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Arica or Guadalajara?

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.

Guadalajara

Guadalajara is the capital of the state of Jalisco in western Mexico, as well as one of the country's largest cities. It is best known for tequila and mariachi music, which both originate in Jalisco, as well as a thriving historic center with colonial architecture and landmarks.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Chile, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico.


Which place is cheaper, Guadalajara or Arica?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Arica Prices
    Chile Prices
    Guadalajara Prices
    Mexico Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Arica $100
    Guadalajara $138

The average daily cost (per person) in Arica is $100, while the average daily cost in Guadalajara is $138. 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 Arica and Guadalajara in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Arica $35
    Guadalajara $38
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Arica $70
    Guadalajara $76
Compare Hotels in Arica and Guadalajara

Looking for a hotel in Arica or Guadalajara? 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 Arica


Hotels in Guadalajara


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: Arica Hotel Prices and Guadalajara Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Arica $18
    Guadalajara $35
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arica

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


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $2.09

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arica

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

  • Arica Airport Private Transfer: $95
  • Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port: $83
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $83
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $75
  • Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port : $75
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Hotels: $69
  • Private Transfer from Arica Hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $69
  • Private Transfer from Arica City hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $63
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica city hotels: $63

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guadalajara

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

  • Transfer from International Airport to Tequila Jalisco: $89
  • Transfer by car to or from Guadalajara Airport: $35
  • Tequila to Guadalajara Airport (GDL) - Departure Private Transfer: $101
  • Tequila to Guadalajara - Private Transfer with English-speaking driver: $179
  • Private Airport Transfer to Guadalajara Hotels Safe & Stress-Free: $159
  • Guadalajara to Tequila - Private Transfer with English-speaking driver: $179
  • Guadalajara Airport(GDL) to Tequila - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $202
  • Guadalajara Airport Private Transfer to Ajijic & Chapala: $289
  • Guadalajara Airport (GDL) to Guadalajara hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $107

Is it cheaper to fly into Arica or Guadalajara?

Prices for flights to both Guadalajara and Arica 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
    Arica $49
    Guadalajara $75

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guadalajara

For Guadalajara, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Private Street Food Tour and City Tour Guadalajara - Best Rated : $44
  • Guadalajara Private Food Tour: $70
  • Authentic Mexican Cooking & Tequila tasting experience-Casa Humo: $108
  • Mexican Cooking Classes and Market Visit in Guadalajara: $195
  • VIP Tequila Night Tour with Dinner and Tasting: $199

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Arica $20
    Guadalajara $25

Tours and Activities in Arica

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

  • Archeological Sightseeing tour in Arica: $152
  • Arica Private Sightseeing Tour : $148
  • City Tour with Chinchorro Beach Visit: $82
  • Half day Panoramic City Tour: $49
  • Chungará Lake & Lauca Park Tour from Arica with Lunch: $197
  • Private Tour to Tacna from Arica: $285

Tours and Activities in Guadalajara

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

  • Walking Tour Experience in Ajijic Mexico: $50
  • 3 Hours Private Tour Guide in Guadalajara, you choose!: $36
  • A unique tour! Visiting Hacienda Casa herradura From Guadalajara: $120
  • Architecture of Luis Barragan Walking Tour with Street Food: $70
  • Bar Tour of the Coolest Quarter of Guadalajara: $17
  • Cantaritos and Tequila Factory Tour: $89
  • Chapala Ajijic Area Tour from Guadalajara: $40
  • Chapala Lake & Ajijic Tour with "Tres Potrillos Ranch": $65
  • Chapala and Ajijic Private Full-Day Tour: $128
  • Charreria heritage tour be a charro for a day: $50
  • City Tour Downtown Guadalajara Historical and Cultural Walking Tour: $79
  • City tour in Guadalajara and Tlaquepaque: $90

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Arica $19
    Guadalajara $16

Sample the Local Flavors in Guadalajara

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Guadalajara:

  • Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Guadalajara Mexico: $25
  • Tequila distillery experience, Jose Cuervo & Tequila Magic Town: $65
  • full day Tequila tour visiting artisanal distillery and downtown.: $95
  • Guided Tour of Guachimontones and Tequila Distillery: $105
  • Full-Day Tour to La Fortaleza Distillery and Cantaritos: $155
  • Private Adventure Day Tour to Tequila and Cazcanes Distillery: $156
  • Private Adventure to El Tequileño Distillery and visit to Tequila: $161
  • Private One Day Adventure Tour in Tequila and La Fortaleza Distillery: $167
  • Private Tour Cascahuin Distillery and visit to Tequila: $190
  • Private Tour to El Tequileño Distillery and visit to Tequila: $190
  • Private Tour one day in Guachimontones and La Fortaleza Distillery: $211
  • Guachimontones and Tequila Distillery in One Day: $264


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

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


Which is Bigger, Arica or Guadalajara?

Guadalajara has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Arica. When comparing the sizes of Arica and Guadalajara, 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.