Should you visit Colonia del Sacramento or Lima?
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 Colonia del Sacramento and Lima can help you decide which place is right for you.
Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento is in the Rio de la Plata region of Uruguay. It is filled with old colonial buildings and cobbled streets, and is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Colonia del Sacramento was founded in 1680 by the Portuguese, sandwiched in between the Portuguese colony of Brazil and the Spanish Viceroyalty of the River Plate, later Argentina, Uruguay and Southern Brazil. Its strategic position and use as a smuggling port meant that its sovereignty was constantly contested and the city changed hands several times between Spain and Portugal. The irresistibly picturesque town's charm and its proximity to Buenos Aires draw thousands of Argentine and other visitors on weekends and in summer. Prices rise in these periods and it can be difficult to find a room so make sure to book your trip well in advance.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Lima or Colonia del Sacramento?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Colonia del Sacramento is $48, while the average daily cost in Lima is $60. 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 Colonia del Sacramento and Lima in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $48 in Colonia del Sacramento For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $76 for a double occupancy room in Lima.
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Accommodation
Hotel or hostel for one person
Colonia del Sacramento $24
Lima $38
-
Accommodation
Typical double-occupancy room
Colonia del Sacramento
$48
Lima
$76
Food
While meal prices in Colonia del Sacramento can vary, the average travelers spends about $13 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Colonia del Sacramento should cost around $5.20 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Colonia del Sacramento is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
On average, meal and food prices in Lima cost around $14 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $5.60.
Typical Food prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two
$4.20
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Ice cream
$3.41
-
Coffee
$2.88
-
Donut
$0.92
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.
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Virtual Peruvian Cooking Class "Lomo Saltado":
$18
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Dancing Horse Show & Dinner Buffet & Barranco Night Tour:
$46
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#1 Lima Food Tour and Local Markets (Small Group):
$46
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#1 Dancing Horse Show & Dinner Buffet & Barranco Night Tour:
$46
-
Delicious Food Tour through Local Markets:
$46
-
#1 Peruvian Food Tour through Local Markets (Small Group):
$46
-
Dinner at the Huaca Pucllana Restaurant:
$49
-
Private Cooking Class With a Local Family in Lima:
$52
-
3–Hour Restaurant Dinner and Show Experience:
$55
-
Dinner Show and Exhibition of Peruvian Horse including Pick up & drop off:
$55
-
Peruvian Food Tour Through Local Markets:
$55
-
Magic Water Circuit, Dinner & Show in Lima:
$56
Local Transportation
To get around in Colonia del Sacramento, the average visitor spends $12 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.
The cost of a taxi ride in Lima is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $4.66 per person, per day, on local transportation in Lima.
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Local Transportation
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
Colonia del Sacramento $12
Lima $4.66
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Colonia del Sacramento
Also for Colonia del Sacramento, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Colonia Port Terminal Private Transfer:
$15
-
Colonia Bus Terminal Private Transfer:
$15
Typical Local Transportation prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
-
Taxi Ride
$5.25
-
Taxi Ride
$5.25
-
Short Taxi Ride
$3.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
-
Transfer from the Airport to Hotel/Airbnb Miraflores/San Isidro/Barranco:
$13
-
Transfer from lima airport:
$20
-
Transfer from Lima city to the airport:
$20
-
Transfer from Hotel/Airbnb Miraflores/San Isidro/Barranco to Airport:
$13
-
Round trip private transfer to Lima Airport:
$80
-
Round Trip Transfer from and to the Airport in Miraflores/Barranco/Sani:
$25
-
QuickLlama: Door-to-door transfer from Miraflores to Lima Airport:
$6.00
-
Private transfer in medium van to Lima Airport (QuickLlama Airport Shuttle):
$40
-
Private transfer in medium van from Lima Airport (QuickLlama Airport Shuttle):
$40
-
Private transfer in large van from Lima Airport (QuickLlama Airport Shuttle):
$60
-
Private transfer from Lima city to Paracas (price per vehicle):
$480
-
Private transfer from Lima Airport to Paracas (price per vehicle):
$490
Entertainment
In Colonia del Sacramento, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $17 per person, per day.
Entertainment and activities in Lima typically cost an average of $6.69 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
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Entertainment
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
Colonia del Sacramento $17
Lima $6.69
Tours and Activities in Colonia del Sacramento
For Colonia del Sacramento, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Colonia Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour:
$26
-
Half day city tour in Montevideo:
$52
-
Colonia del Sacramento City Tour:
$63
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Half day city tour in Colonia de Sacramento, Uruguay:
$65
-
Full Day Birdwatching and Nature Tour:
$200
Typical Entertainment prices in Lima
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lima are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
-
#1 Artsy & Cultural Barranco Walking tour (Small Group):
$30
-
#1 Artsy Barranco & Lima City Tour (Small Group):
$60
-
#1 Beautiful Fountains Park & Light Show - Night Tour (Small Group):
$30
-
#1 City Tour by Night & Magic Fountains Park - Light Show (Small Group):
$34
-
#1 City Tour in Lima from the Airport (private service):
$46
-
#1 Lima City Tour - Lunch & Pachacamac Archaeological site (Small Group):
$80
-
#1 Lima Walking City Tour (Small Group):
$30
-
#1 Lunahuana Valley & Rafting Experience - from Lima (Small Group):
$140
-
#1 Miraflores, Barranco & San Isidro Tour (Small Group):
$34
-
#1 Sandboarding - Buggy Tour & Huacachina Oasis - from Lima (Small Group):
$146
-
#1 The Gold Museum of Peru & Lima City tour (Small Group):
$80
-
#1 The Gold Museum of Peru Tour (Small Group):
$40
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Colonia del Sacramento spend on average $4.12 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about $3.79 on alcoholic beverages in Lima per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Lima
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Lima are as follows:
-
Bottle of Wine
$7.05
-
Beer
$3.93
-
Cocktail
$3.15
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
-
Lima 3.5-Hour Pisco Pub Crawl:
$25
-
Ballestas Islands + Huacachina Oasis + Wine Tour (Unique Experience):
$226
-
Mysterious Nazca Lines, Overflight from Ica, Huacachina Oasis & Wine Tour!:
$490
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Colonia del Sacramento and Lima, we can see that Lima is more expensive. And not only is Colonia del Sacramento much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Colonia del Sacramento would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Colonia del Sacramento 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 Colonia del Sacramento.
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