A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Belize City vs. Copacabana for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Belize City or Copacabana?

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

Should I visit Belize City or Copacabana? 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: Belize City or Copacabana?

Belize City

Belize City is the largest city in Belize. It was once the capital of the country, but due to massive hurricane damage in 1961, the country decided to relocate it capital. With a population of 57,000 people, Belize City is located right at the mouth of the Haulover Creek.

This gorgeous tropical city experiences a monsoon climate – meaning there are warm and humid conditions throughout the course of the year. There is a wet season from May to January, so plan for a little bit of rain in that time.

Copacabana

Copacabana, Bolivia, is a small, bright and enchanting town located on the Bolivian shore of Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake. Situated relatively close to the capital of La Paz, it is a popular resort mostly destination for foreign travellers, meaning that you may feel like there are more Argentinians and Americans than locals. Copacabana is the perfect jump-off point for visiting Isla del Sol and Isla de la Luna and makes a pleasant stopover between La Paz and Puno or Cusco. Featuring beautiful nature walks, ancient sites, stunning sunsets and quaint little restaurants, Copacabana is a travelers' favorite destination to soak in the panoramic views, savor freshly caught trucha, and explore what the Incas believed to be the birthplace of their empire.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Belize, The Best Budget Tours to Bolivia, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Bolivia.


Which place is cheaper, Copacabana or Belize City?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Belize City is $88, while the average daily cost in Copacabana is $42. 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 Belize City and Copacabana in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Belize City $49
    Copacabana $11
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Belize City $98
    Copacabana $22
Compare Hotels in Belize City and Copacabana

Looking for a hotel in Belize City or Copacabana? 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 Belize City


Hotels in Copacabana


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: Belize City Hotel Prices and Copacabana Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Belize City $5.82
    Copacabana $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Belize City

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

  • Belize City to/from Placencia/Hopkins Shuttle Transfer: $113
  • Belize city water taxi terminal to Airport transfer: $30
  • Belize: Belize City to/from San Ignacio Shuttle Transfer: $68
  • Private Transfer from Belize City Port to Belize Airport (BZE): $60
  • Private Transfer from Belize City and Airport to Placencia: $150
  • Transfer Belize city to bacalar: $50
  • We do transfers from airport to any where in Belize.: $49

Is it cheaper to fly into Belize City or Copacabana?

Prices for flights to both Copacabana and Belize City 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
    Belize City $27
    Copacabana $17

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Belize City

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

  • Altun Ha Mayan Site & Food Tour: $80

Typical Food Prices in Copacabana

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Copacabana:


  • Lunch
    $3.61
  • Sandwich
    $1.16

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Belize City $29
    Copacabana $19

Tours and Activities in Belize City

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

  • Belize City Tour: $40
  • Belizean Bits & Bites Food Tastings and City Tour in Belize: $50
  • Hassle free Cave Tubing Adventure from Belize City with Lunch: $55
  • Charlie's Cave Tubing Tour for cruisers (lunch included): $65
  • Second largest Barrier Reef Adventure Snorkeling: $70
  • Guided Cave Kayaking Tour with Pickup: $77
  • Altun Ha Mayan Ruins and River Wallace and Manatee Watch Tour: $85
  • Cave Tubing Experience from Belize City: $85
  • Altun Ha Mayan Site tour from Belize City: $85
  • Half-Day Altun Ha Temple & Belize City Tour: $86
  • Turtle Garden Snorkeling Tour and Island Break : $90
  • Howler Monkey Sanctuary Tour from Belize City: $90

Tours and Activities in Copacabana

Here are a few actual costs in Copacabana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • CONDORIRI Mountain 5650m. 2 DAYS 1 NIGHT. TREKKING. English guide. Shared Tour: $300
  • From La Paz: Cable car ride tour with tasting food.: $49
  • Full Day Tour of Sun Island in Copacabana from La Paz: $100
  • Full day tour of Copacabana and Sun Island: $90
  • Sun and Moon tour: $95
  • Titicaca Lake & Isla del Sol Catamaran Tour: $293
  • Titicaca Touristic Bus from Copacabana to La Paz_Everyday_1:00 p.m.: $12

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Belize City $12
    Copacabana $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Belize City

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

  • Belize: City Highlights Tour with Rum Distillery Visit: $49

Typical Alcohol Prices in Copacabana

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Copacabana from other travelers:


  • Wine
    $2.89


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

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


Which is Bigger, Belize City or Copacabana?

Belize City has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Copacabana. When comparing the sizes of Belize City and Copacabana, 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.