Which place is cheaper, Lima or Cali?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Cali or Lima?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Cali and Lima 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: Cali or Lima?
Cali
Cali is Colombia's third largest city. Founded in 1536, can be explored on foot: walk under the shade of trees along the riverbank, admire the architecture of churches and other national monuments, and visit the city's many museums. Being the salsa capital of the world, Cali is primarily a destination for salsa and party but it also offers some great days out in the nearby natural surroundings. In Cali, travelers can enjoy music festivals, learn about sugarcane farming, and take in the mountainous landscapes.
Lima
Lima, the capital city of Peru, is likely to be your point of entry for the country. Lima was founded in 1535 and was the seat of the Spanish rule for 300 years. It's a surprisingly modern city despite its rich history, but many beautiful churches and colonial architecture remain today. There are also large slum areas that highlight the poverty that exists in the city. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area have a population of about 8.5 million people, many of whom came from the Andes Mountains in search of work. Unfortunately the work opportunities are limited and the poverty is obvious as you arrive in Lima.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bogota, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Colombia, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Peru, and The Best Adventure Tours to Peru.
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Cali Prices
Colombia PricesLima Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCali $39Lima $98
The average daily cost (per person) in Cali is $39, while the average daily cost in Lima is $98. 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 Cali and Lima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCali $7.64Lima $54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCali $15Lima $108
Compare Hotels in Cali and Lima
Looking for a hotel in Cali or Lima? 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: Cali Hotel Prices and Lima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cali $7.14Lima $6.29
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cali
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cali:
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Short Taxi Ride$1.27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cali
Also for Cali, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airport: $19
- Transfer Airport Private- Hotels North: $36
- Alfonso Airport (CLO) to Cali/Palmira - Arrival Private Transfer: $37
- Cali/Palmira to Alfonso B.Aragon Airport (CLO) - Private Transfer: $46
- Arrival Transfer from Cali Airport CLO to Cali City by car: $131
- Cali to or from Coffee Region Private Transfer: $136
- Arrival Private Transfer from Cali Airport CLO to Cali City by Minivan: $174
- Cali to Popayan Private Transfer: $272
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$5.96
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Taxi Ride$5.96
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Short Taxi Ride$4.47
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
- Transfer: Lima City Center to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $14
- Transfer: Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Lima City Center: $15
- Transfer in Private Van from the Airport to Hotels in Lima: $60
- Transfer from the Airport to hotels in Lima: $30
- Transfer from the Airport to Hotel/Airbnb Miraflores/San Isidro/Barranco: $21
- Transfer from Lima Airport to your hotel and vice versa: $175
- Transfer by official taxi from Jorge Chávez Lima Airport: $35
- Transfer To Lima Airport: $20
- Tour Night Magic Water Park and Ravine with Transfer: $49
- QuickLlama: Door-to-door transfer from Miraflores to Lima Airport: $5.95
- Private taxi transfer: Lima Jorge Chávez Airport – Safe: $16
- Private Transfers from/to Lima Airport (Price per Vehicle): $29
Is it cheaper to fly into Cali or Lima?
Prices for flights to both Lima and Cali 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 dayCali $19Lima $33
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cali
For Cali, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Street Food Tour: $24
- Street Food Tour Cali Authentic Flavors and Street Art: $29
- Alameda Market Food Tour: $55
- Traditional Colombian Cooking Class in Cali: $71
- Food Tour San Antonio: $90
- Discover Pacific Flavors Cali Cooking Class and Market Tour: $184
Typical Food Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two$4.77
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Ice cream$3.87
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Coffee$3.28
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Donut$1.04
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.
- Dinner at Café del Museo Larco restaurant: $30
- Lima Street Food Tour: Taste Authentic Peruvian Delights: $45
- Lima Food Tour with Ceviche, Pisco, and Grilled Chicken: $45
- Miraflores Cooking Class Ceviche, Tartar & Pisco Sour: $48
- Dinner at Mangos Larcomar Restaurant: $48
- Food Tour and Market Experience: 12 Peruvian Snacks: $50
- Private Churros Cooking Class, Miraflores & Hotel Pickup: $50
- Private Cooking Class in Causa & Lomo Saltado: $55
- Miraflores Food Tour, eat like a local: $57
- #1 Rated Lima Cooking Class: Make Ceviche, Causa & Pisco Sours!: $59
- Dinner at the Cala Restaurant in Lima: $63
- Dinner at the Huaca Pucllana Restaurant: $67
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cali $13Lima $9.51
Tours and Activities in Cali
For Cali, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Historical Shared Tour Salsa, Graffiti & Resistance in Cali: $14
- Chiva Private Cultural Tour with Audio Guide in Buga: $15
- Shared Tour of the Historical and Cultural Center of Cali: $15
- Cali Food Market Tour Galería Alameda with Exotic Tastings: $29
- Cali City Tour: $29
- The Cali Street Food Walking Tour: $33
- Coffee Tasting Experience in Cali Colombia: $39
- Skip the Line: Show de Salsa Ticket: $46
- Historical Walking Cali City Tour 3H: $46
- Afro Tour The Colors of Cali: $57
- Cali River Waterfall Tour (4 hours): $64
- A day to enjoy nature and have an adventure in the Jordan river: $65
Typical Entertainment Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lima are as follows:
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Entrance to Museo Larco (for 2)$18
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Movie Tickets$2.53
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
- 1 Day Tour to Huacachina from Lima (Dunebuggy + Vineyards): $225
- 2 Day Tour from Nazca Lines Flight, Paracas, and Huacachina: $279
- 2 Day Tour from Paracas, Ballestas Island and Huacachina: $149
- 2 Day Tour from Paracas, Huacachina, Tunnels & Vineyard: $149
- 2D Tour from Lima Paracas and Huacachina with Night in Huacachina: $230
- 3 Day Tour From Paracas, Huacachina Oasis & Pisco Vineyard: $159
- 3 Day Tour from Nazca Lines Flight, Paracas, and Huacachina: $289
- 3 Hour Private Electric Scooter Tour of Lima: $75
- 4 Day Tour from Nazca Lines Flight, Paracas, and Huacachina: $299
- 8-Hour Private Tour Lima Viceroyalty and Gold Museum with Lunch: $120
- A Half Day Lima City Tour: $45
- A Journey Through Time: Lima's Historic Center & Catacombs Tour: $20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCali $11Lima $6.18
Sample the Local Flavors in Cali
Also in Cali, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Salsa Friday in Calle del Sabor + Bar Crawl in Cali: $32
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Cali, Colombia: $34
- Friday Night Street Salsa and Bar Crawl in Cali, Colombia: $35
- Paragliding + Wine tasting + Hacienda El Paraiso + Saint Helena: $210
Typical Alcohol Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Lima are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$8.01
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Beer$4.47
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Cocktail$3.58
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
- Discover Barranco's Nightlife with Bar Crawl Lima: $24
- Lima Nightlife Tour & Society – Cultural Pub Crawl: $50
- Local Wine Tour: $77
- From Lima Paracas and Huacachina Oasis Dunes and Wine Tour: $89
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cali and Lima, we can see that Lima is more expensive. And not only is Cali much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cali would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cali 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 Lima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lima than you might in Cali.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cali Expensive? and Is Lima Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cali or Lima?
Lima has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Cali. When comparing the sizes of Cali and Lima, 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.