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

Should you visit Basse-Terre or Arica?

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

Should I visit Basse-Terre or Arica? 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: Basse-Terre or Arica?

Basse-Terre

In Guadeloupe there is Basse Terre the city and Basse-Terre the island - the city is the capital of Guadeloupe, and the island is Guadeloupe's western half of the main island. As a whole, the place is very green, featuring lush vegetation and a mountainous landscape with a sulfuric volcano.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Chile, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Arica or Basse-Terre?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Basse-Terre is €151, while the average daily cost in Arica is €74. 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 Basse-Terre and Arica in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Basse-Terre 90
    Arica 33
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Basse-Terre 180
    Arica 66
Compare Hotels in Basse-Terre and Arica

Looking for a hotel in Basse-Terre or Arica? 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 Basse-Terre


Hotels in Arica


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: Basse-Terre Hotel Prices and Arica Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Basse-Terre 8.00
    Arica 17

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arica

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


  • Short Taxi Ride
    1.96

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): $27
  • Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port : $27
  • 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: $85

Is it cheaper to fly into Basse-Terre or Arica?

Prices for flights to both Arica and Basse-Terre 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
    Basse-Terre 46
    Arica 26

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Basse-Terre 47
    Arica 19

Tours and Activities in Basse-Terre

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Basse-Terre are as follows:

  • Full day tour: the best of the island w/photos drone sunset: $214

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
  • Half day Panoramic City Tour: $49
  • Archeological Sightseeing tour in Arica: $103
  • Arica Private Sightseeing Tour : $134
  • Private Tour to Tacna from Arica: $256

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Basse-Terre 13
    Arica 18


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Basse-Terre and Arica, we can see that Basse-Terre is more expensive. And not only is Arica much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Basse-Terre is in Caribbean Islands and Arica is in South 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 Basse-Terre would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Basse-Terre 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 Basse-Terre Expensive? and Is Arica Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Basse-Terre or Arica?

Arica has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Basse-Terre. When comparing the sizes of Basse-Terre and Arica, 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.