A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Cajamarca vs. La Serena for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Cajamarca or La Serena?

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

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 Serena can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Cajamarca or La Serena?

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 Serena

La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!

Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, The Best Cultural Tours in Peru, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, La Serena or Cajamarca?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Cajamarca is $69, while the average daily cost in La Serena is $85. 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 Cajamarca and La Serena in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cajamarca $24
    La Serena $41
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cajamarca $48
    La Serena $82
Compare Hotels in Cajamarca and La Serena

Looking for a hotel in Cajamarca or La Serena? 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 Cajamarca


Hotels in La Serena


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: La Serena Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cajamarca $17
    La Serena $20

Is it cheaper to fly into Cajamarca or La Serena?

Prices for flights to both La Serena and Cajamarca 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
    Cajamarca $28
    La Serena $26

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cajamarca $26
    La Serena $23

Tours and Activities in Cajamarca

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cajamarca are as follows:

  • 3-Day Guided Cultural Tour of Cajamarca with Transportation: $202
  • City Tour: $67
  • Sulluscocha Extreme Adventure |Atv, Canopy, Climbing|: $65
  • || Tour of the Cajamarca Valley - San Nicolás lagoon ||: $40

Tours and Activities in La Serena

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

  • Full Day History and Flavors Tour in the Elqui Valley: $50
  • La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
  • La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
  • Full day Tour to Elqui Valley : $80
  • Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $89
  • Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $120
  • La Serena & Coquimbo City Tour - Short excursion for cruise ships: $128
  • Daily tour to go Whale Watching all inclusive: $130
  • Tour to the internationally renowned Pangue Observatory: $139
  • Tour to Valle del Encanto Archeology, Petroglyphs, Flora, Fauna and Springs: $140
  • Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
  • Elqui Valley and Vicuña Private Tour Including Lunch: $183

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cajamarca $16
    La Serena $22


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

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


Which is Bigger, Cajamarca or La Serena?

La Serena has a larger population, and is about 14% larger than the population of Cajamarca. When comparing the sizes of Cajamarca and La Serena, 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.