Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Arica?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Arica or San Juan?
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 San Juan. 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 San Juan?
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.
San Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Chile, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayArica $79San Juan $192
The average daily cost (per person) in Arica is $79, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $192. 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 San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personArica $35San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomArica $70San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Arica and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Arica or San Juan? 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 San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Arica $18San Juan $14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arica
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arica are as follows:
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Short Taxi Ride$2.10
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 Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $31
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $27
- Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port : $27
- 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 city hotels: $22
- Private Transfer from Arica City hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $22
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Old San Juan Sunset Cruise with Drinks & Transfer: $99
- San Juan hotels to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port: Transfer to San Juan hotel: $271
- San Juan Airport (SJU): Private Transfer to San Juan Port: $271
- Roundtrip-Transfer from: SJU Airport,Cruises and Hotels in Puerto Rico LuxurySUV: $70
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Tesla Y Luxury SUV, Select Zone: $77
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Tesla S Lux Sedan, Select Zone: $79
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Mercedes ECO Van, Select Zone: $87
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Lexus Luxury Sedan, Select Zone: $81
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Ford Premium SUV, Select Zone: $87
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, 16Pax Mercedes Van, Select Zone: $130
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 11Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $103
Is it cheaper to fly into Arica or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan 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 $28San Juan $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Old San Juan Sunset Food Tour with Drinks: $156
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walk and Food Tour: $159
- City Lights Sky High Dinner Experience: $165
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
- Private Local Food Tour in San Juan: $275
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Arica $20San Juan $49
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
- Archeological Sightseeing tour in Arica: $103
- Arica Private Sightseeing Tour : $134
- Half day Panoramic City Tour: $49
- Private Tour to Tacna from Arica: $256
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- Rum Craft Cocktail Tour in San Juan: $65
- 1 or 2 Hour Puerto Rico Horseback Ride Experience!: $210
- Bioluminescent Bay Kayak Adventure from San Juan: $110
- Carolina: ATV Adventure at Campo Rico Ranch with Guide: $136
- Cave Day Tour From San Juan: $109
- Cruise Ship Travelers: Hike to a Hidden Puerto Rican Waterfall: $85
- Culebra Beach Day Tour with Snorkeling from San Juan by Ferry: $200
- Culebra Snorkeling Tour by Catamaran from Fajardo: $175
- Discover El Yunque: Half-Day Rainforest Tour: $115
- Discover Old In-App Audio Tour of History: $11
- El Yunque National RainForest: Tour with Nature walk: $75
- El Yunque Rainforest Guided Day Tour from San Juan: $85
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayArica $19San Juan $12
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Pinones Pub crawl in Puerto Rico: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Arica and San Juan, we can see that San Juan 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 San Juan 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 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Arica or San Juan?
San Juan has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Arica. When comparing the sizes of Arica and San Juan, 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.