Which place is cheaper, Arica or Buenos Aires, Argentina?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Buenos Aires, Argentina or Arica?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Buenos Aires, Argentina and Arica can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Buenos Aires, Argentina or Arica?
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires, federal capital of Argentina, also known as "The City of Tango", is best known for its energetic and unpredictable character. Like a restless child, Buenos Aires is a dynamic and modern city full of surprises. While its French-style palaces, rooftop restaurants, wide avenues and green plazas resemble European-style architecture, Buenos Aires preserves its musical, literary and culinary traditions. You can't miss dining in front of a Tango show, walking around the colourful streets of La Boca and visiting the renowned Recoleta Cemetery, designed by Argentina's most important architects and home to hundreds of illustrious corpses.
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 Vineyard & Wine Tours in Argentina, The Best Photography Tours in Argentina, 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 dayBuenos Aires, Argentina $10Arica $79
The average daily cost (per person) in Buenos Aires, Argentina is $10, while the average daily cost in Arica is $79. 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 Buenos Aires, Argentina and Arica in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBuenos Aires, Argentina $4.13Arica $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBuenos Aires, Argentina $8.26Arica $70
Compare Hotels in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Arica
Looking for a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina 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.
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: Buenos Aires, Argentina Hotel Prices and Arica Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Buenos Aires, Argentina $1.58Arica $18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Buenos Aires, Argentina:
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Taxi from Airport$0.13
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Local Bus$0.00
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Metro Ride$0.00
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Taxi to airport$0.03
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Taxi$0.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Buenos Aires APT-HTL (EZA): $36
- Transfers from or to the airport In Argentina Your Best Choice: $83
- Transfer from Ezeiza Airport to Buenos Aires City - ROUND TRIP: $261
- Transfer from Buenos Aires International Airport (EZE) to Cruise Terminal: $80
- Transfer from Buenos Aires Cruise Terminal to International Airport (EZE): $80
- Transfer between airports (EZE-AEP): $70
- Transfer Buenos Aires Downtown Hotel transfer to International Airport (EZE): $68
- Tango Show in Aljibe - No transfers: $75
- Tango Show La Ventana only show exclusive with transfer: $76
- Tango Porteño Show With Private Transfers From Port & Hotels In Buenos Aires: $70
- Soccer Match in Buenos Aires with Transfers and Local Guide: $160
- Small Group Buenos Aires City Tour and Airport Transfer Combo: $169
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: $30
- Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port : $27
- Private Transfer from Arica City hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $22
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $27
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $30
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Hotels: $24
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica city hotels: $22
- Private Transfer from Arica Hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $24
Is it cheaper to fly into Buenos Aires, Argentina or Arica?
Prices for flights to both Arica and Buenos Aires, Argentina 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 dayBuenos Aires, Argentina $3.25Arica $28
Typical Food Prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Buenos Aires, Argentina:
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Lunch$0.03
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Cup of Coffee$0.01
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Empandas$0.02
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Espresso$0.01
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Dinner (Pizza)$0.02
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Ice Cream$0.01
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Breakfast at Airport$0.04
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Dinner (Sandwiches)$0.01
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Sweets$0.01
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Hot Dog$0.01
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Breakfast (Take-Away)$0.01
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Lunch for 2$0.16
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Cake and Coffee$0.53
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Dinner$1.88
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Powerade$0.12
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Lunch$0.83
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Dinner$1.21
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Chocolate$3.12
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- 3-Hour Buenos Aires Empanadas and Alfajores Guided Cooking Class: $35
- Small-Group Empanadas Cooking Class: $35
- Premium Empanadas Cooking Class in Buenos Aires: $37
- Esquina Homero Manzi Tango Show Ticket Including Optional Dinner in Buenos Aires: $39
- Tango Show and Optional Dinner at Esquina Homero Manzi: $40
- Argentinian grilled pizza class in San Telmo: $40
- Catulo Tango: Tango Show & Folklore with Optional Dinner: $40
- Tango Dinner Show Homero Manzi menu Sur: $45
- Private tour Argentinian Flavours food tours on foot : $46
- Tango Porteño Show with Optional Dinner and Tango Class: $50
- Skip the Line Ticket for Tango Porteño Show with Dinner : $53
- Tango Porteño Show with Private Transfers (with optional dinner): $54
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Buenos Aires, Argentina $3.34Arica $20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Here are a few typical costs in Buenos Aires, Argentina for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entry to Japanese Gardens (for 2)$0.04
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Movie Ticket$0.02
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Tango Class$0.03
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Bar entrance$0.58
Tours and Activities in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Here are a few actual costs in Buenos Aires, Argentina for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Experience the Night of Buenos Aires with electric bikes: $59
- Private Full Day City Tour by Iconic Buenos Aires: $290
- Small group Yerba Mate Experience with snacks: $35
- 1-hour Paramotor Experience in Buenos Aires Argentina: $100
- 100% Gaucho Experience in a Traditional Estancia: $239
- 2 Hours Football and Street Art Walking Tour in Buenos Aires : $30
- 3 hours Private La Boca Street Art Walking Tour: $127
- 3-Hour Private Street Art Tour in La Boca and Barraca: $45
- 4-Hour Private Night Tour of the Most Exclusive Places: $70
- 5hs Premium Small Group City Tour of Buenos Aires: $55
- @argentinahighlights Private City Tour in Buenos Aires: $120
- A Back-Street Beer Brewing Tour of Buenos Aires: $123
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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBuenos Aires, Argentina $1.81Arica $19
Typical Alcohol Prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Buenos Aires, Argentina from other travelers:
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Beer$0.01
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Beer (0.66L)$0.02
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Cocktail$0.03
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Alcohol$0.67
Sample the Local Flavors in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Also in Buenos Aires, Argentina, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wine tasting at the Barolo Palace: $35
- Wine Tasting in Palermo, City of Buenos Aires.: $38
- Wine Tasting and Tapas with Expert Sommelier in Buenos Aires: $42
- Unique Wine Tasting in a Boutique Hotel : $45
- Wine Tasting at Downtown Buenos Aires Ego Experience: $53
- Buenos Aires Small-Group Wine Tasting: $55
- Buenos Aires Premium Wine Tasting: $58
- Wine Tasting Boutique in Buenos Aires: $62
- Argentinian Private Premium Wine Tasting Live+Guided Walking tour: $76
- Premium Wine Tasting in Buenos Aires: $79
- Argentine Experience: Immersive 6 Course Menu with Wine Tasting : $98
- Private Asado and Wine Tasting in Argentina: $130
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Buenos Aires, Argentina and Arica, we can see that Arica is more expensive. And not only is Buenos Aires, Argentina much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Buenos Aires, Argentina would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Buenos Aires, Argentina 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 Arica would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Arica than you might in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Buenos Aires, Argentina Expensive? and Is Arica Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Buenos Aires, Argentina or Arica?
Buenos Aires, Argentina has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Arica. When comparing the sizes of Buenos Aires, Argentina 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.
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.