Should you visit Castro 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 Castro and La Paz can help you decide which place is right for you.
Castro
The capital of Chiloe, modern and dynamic, has succeeded in keeping its authenticity even though it now has many gigantic supermarkets, hotels and other touristic infrastructures. It is located on the island's eastern coast, halfway between Ancud in the north and Quellon in the south, and is a convenient base for exploring the stunning sites in the region of Chiloe Island. The tourist information is located on the town square in front of the church.
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 Castro?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Castro is $93, 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 Castro and La Paz in more detail.
Accommodation
Castro's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $78. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $39.
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
Food in Castro costs travelers about $38 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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
Castro $38
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 Castro is $21 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.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Castro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Castro:
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Chiloe Airport Private Transfer:
$83
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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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 In_day:
$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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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 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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La Paz Airport Transfer One Way:
$373
Entertainment
Castro's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $22 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 Castro
Here are a few actual costs in Castro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Bosque Piedra Reserve Tour:
$100
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Castro Sightseeing Tour in Chiloe:
$63
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Chaiguen Adventure Park in Chiloe:
$139
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Chiloé National Park Private Tour from Castro:
$222
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Coastal Villages Tour of Chiloé from Castro:
$99
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Full Day Private Chiloe National Park Tour Following "The Darwin´s Route":
$155
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Highlights of Chiloe Island Self-guided Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.34
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Lemuy Island Tour from Castro:
$178
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Pier of Light Full Day Tour in Chiloe:
$170
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Quinchao Island Full Day Tour in Chiloe:
$124
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
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Castro may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $18 per day on alcoholic beverages.
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 Castro and La Paz, we can see that Castro 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 Castro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Castro than you might in La Paz.
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