Should you visit Buzios or Paracas?
Should I visit Buzios or Paracas? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Buzios
Initially a fishing village, Armação dos Buzios is a small beach resort town about three hours from Rio de Janeiro by bus. Buzios is a common weekend getaway destination for Cariocas. With 23 beaches, visitors from all over come to swim, snorkel, surf and enjoy sun and sand.
Paracas
Paracas, also known as El Chaco, is a resort town on the Southern coast of the country, about 150 miles south of Lima. The town in located in one of the oldest regions of Peru, with a history dating back to 900 BC and offers many pre-Inca cultural sites throughout the area. Paracas is possibly best known for being home to the Paracas National Reserve, a nature reserve boasting one of the most abundant and diverse ecosystems in the world.
Which city is cheaper, Paracas or Buzios?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Buzios is $60, while the average daily cost in Paracas is $49. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Buzios and Paracas in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $58 in Buzios For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Paracas's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $34. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $17.
Food
The price of a meal in Buzios can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $19 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $7.60 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
Paracas food costs typically run travelers around $18 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Buzios $19
Paracas $18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Paracas
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Paracas.
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Dinner on Paracas Desert:
$393
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Buzios than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $15 on transportation in Buzios on average per day.
The average price of local transportation around Paracas is $14 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Paracas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Paracas:
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Private transfer from Paracas to Lima Airport (price per vehicle):
$490
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Private transfer from Paracas to Lima (price per vehicle):
$480
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Transfer Paracas -Lima:
$250
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Private Transfer from Paracas to Ica:
$110
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Private Bus Station transfer in Paracas:
$9.10
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Buzios, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $21 per day, per person.
Paracas's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $19 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Tours and Activities in Buzios
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Buzios.
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Tour in Boat Tour in Buzios:
$14
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Half-Day Schooner Sightseeing Trip in Buzios Peninsula Beaches:
$28
Tours and Activities in Paracas
Here are a few actual costs in Paracas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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ATV Tour in Paracas:
$45
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Ballestas Islands Group Tour from Paracas:
$26
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Ballestas Islands Private Group Tour:
$440
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Ballestas Islands Sightseeing Boat Ride from Paracas:
$24
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Ballestas Islands Sigthseeing Tour:
$36
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Ballestas Islands and Chandelier tour from Paracas:
$36
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Ballestas Islands and Paracas National Park from the Cruise pier San Martin:
$124
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Ballestas Islands for cruise ship passenger - Paracas Harbour:
$32
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Buggy & Sandboard Adventure in Paracas:
$98
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Desert Adventure: Luxury Picnic, Off-Road & Sandboarding:
$629
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From 2-Hour Private Ballestas Islands Tour:
$405
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From Ica Vineyard Private Tour Including Lunch and Tasting:
$99
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Buzios, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $14.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Paracas may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $8.64 per day on alcoholic beverages.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Buzios and Paracas, we can see that Buzios is more expensive. And not only is Paracas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Paracas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Paracas 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 Buzios would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Buzios than you might in Paracas.
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