Which place is cheaper, Lima or Arica?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Arica or Lima?
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 Lima. 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 Lima?
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.
Lima
Lima, the capital city of Peru, is likely to be your point of entry for the country. Lima was founded in 1535 and was the seat of the Spanish rule for 300 years. It's a surprisingly modern city despite its rich history, but many beautiful churches and colonial architecture remain today. There are also large slum areas that highlight the poverty that exists in the city. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area have a population of about 8.5 million people, many of whom came from the Andes Mountains in search of work. Unfortunately the work opportunities are limited and the poverty is obvious as you arrive in Lima.
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 Cultural Tours in Peru, and The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayArica $81Lima $75
The average daily cost (per person) in Arica is $81, while the average daily cost in Lima is $75. 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 Lima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personArica $36Lima $48
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomArica $72Lima $96
Compare Hotels in Arica and Lima
Looking for a hotel in Arica or Lima? 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.
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 Lima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Arica $18Lima $5.58
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arica
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arica are as follows:
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Short Taxi Ride$2.15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arica
Also for Arica, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica city hotels: $22
- Private Transfer from Arica City hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $22
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Hotels: $24
- Private Transfer from Arica Hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $24
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $28
- Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port : $28
- Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port: $31
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $31
- Arica Airport Private Transfer: $96
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$5.29
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Taxi Ride$5.29
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Short Taxi Ride$3.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Lima HTL-APT (LIM): $34
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Lima City to Airport: $40
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Lima Jorge Chávez Airport to Lima City: $61
- Transfer from the Airport to Hotel/Airbnb Miraflores/San Isidro/Barranco: $18
- Transfer from Lima Airport to your hotel and vice versa: $175
- Transfer from Hotel/Airbnb Miraflores/San Isidro/Barranco to Airport: $18
- The Larco Museum Complete Tour with transfers: $52
- Tegucigalpa to Tegucigalpa Toncontin Airport (TGU) - Departure Private Transfer: $30
- Taxi transfers from and to the Lima Airport and Paracas Ica: $20
- SHARED AIRPORT TRANSFER - From or To Lima Airport: $11
- Round-Trip Transfer in Private Vehicle from-to Lima Jorge Chávez Airport in Lima: $47
- Round-Trip Transfer in Private Minivan from-to Lima Airport (LIM) in Lima City: $122
Is it cheaper to fly into Arica or Lima?
Prices for flights to both Lima 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
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Food Meals for one dayArica $29Lima $17
Typical Food Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two$4.23
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Ice cream$3.44
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Coffee$2.91
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Donut$0.92
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.
- Lima Market Food Tour: $35
- Ceviche Cooking Class Including Pisco Sour Lesson: $40
- Lima Street Food Tour: $40
- Lima Market Food Tour: $43
- Cooking Workshop and Water Circuit Tour: $45
- Lima Street Food Tour: $45
- Lima Food Tour: $45
- Barranco Tour with Dinner: $47
- Bohemian tour of Barranco with Dinner: $47
- Lima Night Food Tour: $48
- Best Cooking Classes and Local Market Visit in Miraflores: $50
- Private Guided Walking Street Food Tour in Lima: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Arica $20Lima $8.43
Tours and Activities in Arica
For Arica, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Half day Panoramic City Tour: $49
- Arica Private Sightseeing Tour : $150
- Archeological Sightseeing tour in Arica: $153
- Private Tour to Tacna from Arica: $287
Typical Entertainment Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lima are as follows:
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Entrance to Museo Larco (for 2)$16
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Movie Tickets$2.25
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
- Private Classic City Tour Experience of Lima: $65
- Private Stopover Tour of Lima from the Airport: $135
- The best of Lima walking tour: $200
- 2 Day Tour from Nazca Lines Flight, Paracas, and Huacachina: $279
- 2 Day Tour from Paracas, Ballestas Island and Huacachina: $149
- 2 Day Tour from Paracas, Huacachina, and Pisco Vineyard: $149
- 2 Days 1 Night Tour of Paracas Ica Nazca : $286
- 2-Hour Private Tour of Miraflores with Drone Video Included: $39
- 2d/1n Tour: Flight to the Nazca, Paracas and Huacachina Lines: $289
- 3 Day Tour from Nazca Lines Flight, Paracas, and Huacachina: $289
- 3-Hour Guided Bicycle Tour in Miraflores: $30
- 3-Hour Private Scooter Tour through Miraflores with Guide: $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayArica $20Lima $5.48
Typical Alcohol Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Lima are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$7.11
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Beer$3.96
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Cocktail$3.17
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
- Gin and Rum Distillery Tour: $12
- Party Tour in Miraflores with Bar Crawl and Drinks: $20
- Pub Crawl in Lima: $25
- Local Wine Tour: $50
When comparing the travel costs between Arica and Lima, we can see that Arica 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. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Arica Expensive? and Is Lima Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Arica or Lima?
Lima has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Arica. When comparing the sizes of Arica and Lima, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.