Should you visit Cajamarca or La Paz?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Cajamarca and La Paz can help you decide which place is right for you.
Cajamarca
Located in the northern highlands of Peru, Cajamarca is a town of about 100,000 people. The city's mild weather and fertile soil is ideal for agriculture, which is a major industry in the area. The city is also well known for its cheeses and dairy products. Cajamarca is the site of the Battle of Cajamarca which led to the execution of the Inca emperor Atahualpa and the end of the infamous Inca empire. Today, the area is appealing to visitors in part because of its lovely churches, nice hot springs, and interesting Inca Baths.
La Paz
La Paz, the administrative capital of Bolivia, has a breathtaking setting. The city is the highest national capital in the world, with an altitude ranging from about 4,058 m (13,313 ft) above sea level in El Alto, where the airport is located, to 3,100 m (10,170 ft) in the lower residential area. The dynamic and chaotic city was built in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River. La Paz is now a fusion of architectural styles, cultures and beliefs, welcoming everyday new boutique hotels, modern shops, delicious restaurants and reinventing standing establishments. However, generally speaking, Bolivia remains more a backpacker hit than a mainstream tourist destination.
Which city is cheaper, La Paz or Cajamarca?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cajamarca is $52, while the average daily cost in La Paz is $36. 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 Cajamarca and La Paz in more detail.
Accommodation
Cajamarca's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $36. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $18.
Travelers usually pay around $26 for a double occupancy room in La Paz If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The average traveler spends about $21 per day in Cajamarca for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
La Paz food costs typically run travelers around $13 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
Cajamarca $21
La Paz $13
Typical Food prices in La Paz
For La Paz, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Cajamarca is $13 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.
To get around in La Paz, the average visitor spends $7.58 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Typical Local Transportation prices in La Paz
Some typical examples of transportation costs in La Paz are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Paz
Also for La Paz, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Transfer in Private Vehicle from La Paz City to La Paz El Alto Airport:
$20
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Day Transfer from Airport to Hotel and Cable Car:
$20
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Departure Private Transfer La Paz City to La Paz Airport LPB by Minibus:
$25
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Departure Private Transfer La Paz City to La Paz Airport LPB by S-Cross Sx4:
$25
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Departure Private Transfer La Paz City to La Paz Airport LPB by Minibus:
$25
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Airport Transfer In_ Day:
$25
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Airport Transfer In_night:
$25
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Airport Transfer Out_day:
$25
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Airport Transfer Out_night:
$25
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Bus Station Transfer Out_day:
$25
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Bus Station Transfer Out_night:
$25
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Bus Station Transfer In_day:
$25
Entertainment
Cajamarca's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $20 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.
In La Paz, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $13 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Cajamarca
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cajamarca are as follows:
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3-Day Guided Cultural Tour of Cajamarca with Transportation:
$189
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Cajamarca city tour - Private tour:
$47
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Cumbemayo, the stone forest - Private tour:
$75
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Inca's Bath - Private tour:
$52
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Porcón farm - Private tour:
$76
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Ventanillas de Otuzco - private tour:
$53
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Tour of the Port of Callao and fort Real Felipe:
$60
Tours and Activities in La Paz
For La Paz, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Virtual City Tour - La Paz:
$4.00
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La Paz City Walking Tour Including Historical Streets:
$5.00
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La Paz City Walking Tour:
$5.00
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La Paz Walking Tour:
$5.00
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Cable Car Tour of La Paz:
$8.00
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La Paz city, nomad bohemian tour:
$10
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Titicaca Lake - Bus Ticket - From La Paz City - Ow:
$12
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Cable Car, Cementery, Shaman and El Alto Adventure in La Paz:
$17
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Private Cable Car City Tour:
$18
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Full Day Tiwanaku Archeological Site Shared Tour:
$20
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Bus City Tour Sightseeing La Paz:
$23
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Tiwanaku and Puma Punku - Shared Tour -:
$23
Alcohol
The average person spends about $12 on alcoholic beverages in Cajamarca per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typically, people visiting La Paz spend on average $8.58 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cajamarca and La Paz, we can see that Cajamarca is more expensive. And not only is La Paz much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to La Paz would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Paz 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 Cajamarca would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cajamarca than you might in La Paz.
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