Which place is cheaper, Lima or Cologne?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cologne or Lima?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cologne or Lima? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Cologne or Lima?
Cologne
Spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, the city of Cologne dates back 2,000 years, once existing as the largest city of the Holy Roman Empire in medieval times. Today, it is the region's cultural hub - a center of museums, galleries, and towering Gothic cathedrals.
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 Luxury Tours to Germany, The Best Budget Tours to Germany, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Peru, and The Best Adventure Tours to Peru.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCologne €161Lima €71
The average daily cost (per person) in Cologne is €161, while the average daily cost in Lima is €71. 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 Cologne and Lima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCologne €91Lima €45
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCologne €182Lima €90
Compare Hotels in Cologne and Lima
Looking for a hotel in Cologne 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: Cologne Hotel Prices and Lima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cologne €19Lima €5.27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cologne
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cologne:
- Cologne hotels to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Superior Private Transfer from Cologne City to Dortmund City: $64
- Transfer from Cologne Airport CGN to Cologne City by Luxury Car: $83
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Cologne hotels - Round-trip Private Transfer : $98
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride€4.99
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Taxi Ride€4.99
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Short Taxi Ride€3.74
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
- Airport Transfer Service in Lima: $95
- Assistance /Transfer Hotel - Airport Lima Airport : $40
- Deluxe Car Lima Transfer - Private Service: $29
- From The Larco Museum Complete Tour with transfers: $56
- J.Chavez Airport to Miraflores City Hotels- Round Trip Transfer: $41
- Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Lima - Arrival Private Transfer : $31
- Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Lima - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $61
- Jorge Chavez International Airport: Private Transfer: $25
- LIMA AIRPORT SHUTTLE - Shared Transfer: $13
- 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
Is it cheaper to fly into Cologne or Lima?
Prices for flights to both Lima and Cologne 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 dayCologne €50Lima €16
Typical Food Prices in Cologne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cologne:
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Dinner€14
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Donner Kebab€4.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cologne
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cologne.
- Hard Rock Café with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
- Hard Rock Cafe Cologne With Set Lunch or Dinner: $29
- Köln Südstadt kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $48
- 3-Hour Südstadt Food Tour: $484
Typical Food Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two€3.99
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Ice cream€3.24
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Coffee€2.74
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Donut€0.87
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: $33
- Lima Market Food Tour: $34
- Peruvian Food Tour Through Local Markets: $40
- Ceviche Cooking Class Including Pisco Sour Lesson: $40
- Lima Street Food Tour: $40
- Lima Street Food Tour: $45
- Lima Food Tour: $45
- Street Food Tour in Miraflores District: $45
- Cooking Workshop and Water Circuit Tour: $45
- Barranco Tour with Dinner: $47
- Bohemian tour of Barranco with Dinner: $47
- Private Cooking Class With a Local Family in Lima: $48
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cologne €20Lima €7.96
Tours and Activities in Cologne
Here are a few actual costs in Cologne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cologne Walking Tour: The essential and unmissable one: $3.22
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Original funky-fun Free Tour of Cologne: $3.23
- Germany eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.31
- Smartphone Scavenger Hunt Sightseeing Tour: $5.92
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.00
- Horrors of World War II Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.52
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Self Guided Walking Tour on your Phone: $7.63
- Cologne Self Guided Walking Tour Discovering the Horrors of WWII: $7.63
- Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $8.07
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)€15
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Movie Tickets€2.12
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
- Free Walking Tour of Lima: $2.00
- Peru's Best Bike Experience since 2014 - 4 Hours Hire: $9.90
- Customize your trip to Peru with Lima Experience: $12
- bike tour: $12
- Skip the Line: Larco Museum Admission Ticket: $13
- Beach tour and surfboards for rent in Lima, Peru: $14
- Barranco Street Art Tour: $17
- Party tour Fridays Barranco / Saturdays Miraflores: $18
- Private Beach Guided Bike Tour in Lima : $19
- Private Tour with guide in Museo de Arte de Lima - MALI: $20
- Guided Walking Tour in Barranco: $20
- Lima Downtown Tour from Miraflores in 3 hrs: $21
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCologne €23Lima €5.17
Sample the Local Flavors in Cologne
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cologne:
- Public brewery tour in German in Cologne: $18
- Old Town Walking Tour with Brewery and Kölsch Beer: $18
- Guided tour of the old town with a visit to the brewery in Cologne: $19
- Old Town Walking Tour inkl Brewery Visit: $24
- Entertaining Brewery Tour: Feel Good Package including local beer: $27
- South Cologne Walking Tour with brewery visit: $27
- Pub Crawl Cologne Including Admission Fee for Bars and Shots: $27
- Brewery Tour with 3 Kölsch Beer Tastings: $30
- Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting and Halven Hahn: $31
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $32
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
- Cologne-Nippes: Gourmet wine tasting with cheese platter: $64
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€6.71
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Beer€3.74
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Cocktail€2.99
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
- Gin and Rum Distillery Tour: $12
- Lima Pub Crawl - Party tour: Friday Barranco/Saturday miraflores: $18
- Exclusive Pub Crawl with 10+ benefits: $18
- Party Tour in Miraflores with Bar Crawl and Drinks: $18
- Pub Crawl in Lima: $25
- Local Wine Tour : $39
- Local Wine Tour: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cologne and Lima, we can see that Cologne is more expensive. And not only is Lima much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cologne is in Europe and Lima is in South America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Cologne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cologne 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 Cologne Expensive? and Is Lima Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cologne or Lima?
Lima has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Cologne. When comparing the sizes of Cologne 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.
When is the best time to visit Cologne or Lima?
Cologne has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Lima experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Cologne or Lima in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Cologne and Lima. Most visitors come to Cologne for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months. Lima attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the summer, Cologne is around the same temperature as Lima. Typically, the summer temperatures in Cologne in July average around 19°C (66°F), and Lima averages at about 18°C (64°F).
Cologne usually receives more sunshine than Lima during summer. Cologne gets 184 hours of sunny skies, while Lima receives 36 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Cologne usually receives more rain than Lima. Cologne gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Lima receives 12 mm (0.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyCologne 19°C (66°F)Lima 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Cologne or Lima in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Cologne as well as Lima. The autumn months attract visitors to Cologne because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area. The warm climate attracts visitors to Lima throughout the year.
In October, Cologne is generally much colder than Lima. Daily temperatures in Cologne average around 12°C (54°F), and Lima fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).
In the autumn, Cologne often gets more sunshine than Lima. Cologne gets 104 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Lima receives 60 hours of full sun.
Cologne usually gets more rain in October than Lima. Cologne gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Lima receives 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberCologne 12°C (54°F)Lima 19°C (66°F)
Should I visit Cologne or Lima in the Winter?
Both Lima and Cologne are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Cologne this time of year. Plenty of visitors come to Lima because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
It's quite cold in Cologne in the winter. Cologne is much colder than Lima in the winter. The daily temperature in Cologne averages around 3°C (37°F) in January, and Lima fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
Cologne usually receives less sunshine than Lima during winter. Cologne gets 43 hours of sunny skies, while Lima receives 185 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Cologne usually receives more rain than Lima. Cologne gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Lima receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryCologne 3°C (37°F)Lima 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Cologne or Lima in the Spring?
Both Lima and Cologne during the spring are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Cologne for the activities around the city and the natural beauty. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Lima year-round.
In the spring, Cologne is much colder than Lima. Typically, the spring temperatures in Cologne in April average around 10°C (50°F), and Lima averages at about 22°C (72°F).
In the spring, Cologne often gets less sunshine than Lima. Cologne gets 152 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Lima receives 182 hours of full sun.
Cologne usually gets more rain in April than Lima. Cologne gets 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Lima receives 2 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilCologne 10°C (50°F)Lima 22°C (72°F)
Typical Weather for Lima and Cologne
| Cologne | Lima | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 3°C (37°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Feb | 4°C (39°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 7°C (44°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Apr | 10°C (50°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| May | 14°C (58°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Jun | 17°C (63°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) |
| Jul | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) |
| Aug | 19°C (66°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) |
| Sep | 16°C (61°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 13 mm (0.5 in) |
| Oct | 12°C (54°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 7 mm (0.3 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (45°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Dec | 4°C (39°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
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.