Which place is cheaper, Lima or Banos?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Banos 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 Banos 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: Banos or Lima?
Banos
Banos (de Agua Santa) is a small city in the Andean highlands of Ecuador under volcano Tungurahua. Its name, which is Spanish for "Baths (of sacred water)," comes from the famous hydrothermal springs in the area. It's equally popular with foreigners as with Ecuadorians, and is known as the adventure capital of Ecuador. The streets are lined with hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, and tour agencies. Although it is very touristy, lots of people love it, more for the activities and surroundings than for the city itself. It is an important hub for outdoor sports and jungle tours.
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 Wildlife Tours to Ecuador, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Ecuador, The Best Cultural Tours in Peru, and The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBanos $46Lima $75
The average daily cost (per person) in Banos is $46, 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 Banos and Lima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBanos $16Lima $48
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBanos $32Lima $96
Compare Hotels in Banos and Lima
Looking for a hotel in Banos 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: Banos Hotel Prices and Lima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Banos $10Lima $5.58
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:
- Direct Private Transfer From Lima to Paracas, English Speaking Driver: $166
- From The Larco Museum Complete Tour with transfers: $50
- LIMA|| Private transfers by minibus from airport to hotel: $70
- Larco Museum Tour & Gastronomic Experience with rountrip transfer: $134
- Lima : Private transfer between airport to your destination: $29
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer: $20
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer: $27
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer for small groups: $79
- Lima Airport Departure Transfer: $27
- Lima Airport Departure Transfer: $20
- Lima Airport Round Trip Transfer: $53
- Lima Airport Transfers: Jorge Chavez Airport LIM to Lima City in Standard Van: $31
Is it cheaper to fly into Banos or Lima?
Prices for flights to both Lima and Banos 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 dayBanos $15Lima $17
Typical Food Prices in Banos
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Banos:
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Dinner$13
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Ice cream$1.50
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Coffee$2.50
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
- Lima Street Food Tour: $45
- Lima Food Tour: $45
- Cooking Workshop and Water Circuit Tour: $45
- Barranco Tour with Dinner: $47
- Bohemian tour of Barranco with Dinner: $47
- Lima Night Food Tour: $48
- Private Guided Walking Street Food Tour in Lima: $55
- Bohemian tour of Barranco with dinner: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Banos $19Lima $8.43
Typical Entertainment Prices in Banos
Here are a few typical costs in Banos for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Two Rented Bikes for the Day$10
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Cost to see Waterfall$2.00
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Day at the Spa$45
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2 Bike Rentals (1 Day)$10
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Entrance to Waterfall$2.00
Tours and Activities in Banos
Here are a few actual costs in Banos for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Adventure Circuit 4 activities in 1. All within an impressive cascade: $25
- Canopy Ziplining in Puntzan Adventure Park: $26
- 2 Hours Small-Group Horseback Riding Experience in Banos: $30
- Canyoning Adventure Tour in the Ravine: $30
- Full Day Amazon Jungle Tour: $32
- Puyo Jungle Tour in 1 Day: $35
- 1 day jungle tour: $35
- Pailón del Diablo | Waterfall Route | Tour for 3 hours: $35
- Adventure and Fun River Rafting in Baños Ecuador: $35
- Small-Group Canyoning Experience in Baños de Agua Santa: $39
- One day tour in the jungle. all inclusive.: $39
- 3 Hours Small-Group Horseback Riding Experience in Baños: $40
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:
- Best of Downtown A Self-Guided Audio Tours in English: $7.98
- Lima Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Skip the Line: Larco Museum Admission Ticket: $13
- Skip the Line: Peruvian Regional Dances Ticket: $14
- Private City Kickstart Tour: Lima: $14
- Peruvian Coffee Tasting Experience in Lima: $15
- Peruvian Craft Coffee Tasting Experience - 1 hr: $15
- 3-Hour Walking Tour Discovering the History of Lima : $16
- Party tour Fridays Barranco / Saturdays Miraflores: $19
- Private Bike Tour in Lima: $19
- Private Tour with guide in Museo de Arte de Lima - MALI: $20
- Guided and Private Bike Tour of Lima: $20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBanos $9.74Lima $5.48
Typical Alcohol Prices in Banos
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Banos from other travelers:
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Beer$4.00
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
- Local Wine Tour : $65
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Banos and Lima, we can see that Lima is more expensive. And not only is Banos much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Banos would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Banos 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 Lima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lima than you might in Banos.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Banos Expensive? and Is Lima Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Banos or Lima?
Lima has a larger population, and is about 810 times larger than the population of Banos. When comparing the sizes of Banos 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.