Which place is cheaper, Lima or Castro?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Castro or Lima?
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 Castro and Lima can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Castro or Lima?
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.
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 Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile, The Best Cultural Tours in Peru, and The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCastro $90Lima $75
The average daily cost (per person) in Castro is $90, while the average daily cost in Lima is $75. 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 Castro and Lima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCastro $38Lima $48
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCastro $76Lima $96
Compare Hotels in Castro and Lima
Looking for a hotel in Castro 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: Castro Hotel Prices and Lima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Castro $21Lima $5.58
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Castro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Castro:
- Castro Airport Private Transfer in Chiloe: $49
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$5.29
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Taxi Ride$5.29
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Short Taxi Ride$3.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
- 3-Day Trip to Lima Tour Package, hotels & transfers: $150
- Direct Private Transfer From Lima to Paracas, English Speaking Driver: $166
- From The Larco Museum Complete Tour with transfers: $50
- J.Chavez Airport to Miraflores City Hotels- Round Trip Transfer: $42
- LIMA|| Private transfers by minibus from airport to hotel: $70
- Larco Museum Tour & Gastronomic Experience with rountrip transfer: $134
- Lima : Private transfer between airport to your destination: $29
- Lima Airport (LIM) to Miraflores - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $46
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer: $20
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer: $27
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer for small groups: $79
- Lima Airport Departure Transfer: $27
Is it cheaper to fly into Castro or Lima?
Prices for flights to both Lima and Castro 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 dayCastro $37Lima $17
Typical Food Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two$4.23
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Ice cream$3.44
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Coffee$2.91
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Donut$0.92
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.
- Lima Market Food Tour: $35
- Ceviche Cooking Class Including Pisco Sour Lesson: $40
- Lima Street Food Tour: $40
- Lima Market Food Tour: $43
- Cooking Workshop and Water Circuit Tour: $45
- Lima Street Food Tour: $45
- Lima Food Tour: $45
- Barranco Tour with Dinner: $47
- Bohemian tour of Barranco with Dinner: $47
- Lima Night Food Tour: $48
- Best Cooking Classes and Local Market Visit in Miraflores: $50
- Private Guided Walking Street Food Tour in Lima: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Castro $21Lima $8.43
Tours and Activities in Castro
Here are a few actual costs in Castro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Private Half Day Tour in Patrimonial Castro: $30
- Castro Sightseeing Tour in Chiloe: $60
- From Puerto Varas: Chiloe Island Full-day Tour: $65
- Bosque Piedra Reserve Tour: $106
- Dalcahue and Quinchao Island Full Day Tour in Chiloe: $129
- Pier of Light Full Day Tour in Chiloe: $151
- Lemuy Island Tour from Castro: $178
- Full Day Private Chiloe National Park Tour Following "The Darwin´s Route" : $179
- Lemuy Island in Chiloe Full Day Private Tour: $198
- Dock of Souls Trekking in Chiloe Private Tour: $206
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)$16
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Movie Tickets$2.25
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
- Best of Downtown A Self-Guided Audio Tours in English: $7.98
- Lima Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Peru's Best Bike Experience since 2014 - 4 Hours Hire: $9.90
- Skip the Line: Larco Museum Admission Ticket: $13
- Skip the Line: Peruvian Regional Dances Ticket: $14
- Private City Kickstart Tour: Lima: $14
- Peruvian Craft Coffee Tasting Experience - 1 hr: $15
- Party tour Fridays Barranco / Saturdays Miraflores: $19
- Private Guided Tour in Miraflores at Night: $19
- Private Bike Tour in Lima: $19
- Guided and Private Bike Tour of Lima: $20
- Private Tour with guide in Museo de Arte de Lima - MALI: $20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCastro $18Lima $5.48
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$7.11
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Beer$3.96
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Cocktail$3.17
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
- Gin and Rum Distillery Tour: $12
- Party Tour in Miraflores with Bar Crawl and Drinks: $20
- Pub Crawl in Lima: $25
- Local Wine Tour: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Castro and Lima, we can see that Castro is more expensive. And not only is Lima much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Lima would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lima 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 Lima.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Castro Expensive? and Is Lima Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Castro or Lima?
Lima has a larger population, and is about 260 times larger than the population of Castro. When comparing the sizes of Castro 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.