A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Curitiba vs. La Serena for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Curitiba or La Serena?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Curitiba and La Serena 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: Curitiba or La Serena?

Curitiba

Curitiba is a relatively large city that is convenient to visit if you're traveling to Iguazu Falls from either Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo. It is worth a day or two stop over because it has a great old city that has been restored. It's also the capital of Parana, Brazil. Curitiba is one of the more wealthy cities in the southern region of Brazil. It has a diverse population with many immigrants and some interesting cultural events.

La Serena

La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!

Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best 10-Day Tours in Brazil, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, La Serena or Curitiba?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Curitiba is $74, while the average daily cost in La Serena is $85. 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 Curitiba and La Serena in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Curitiba $31
    La Serena $41
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Curitiba $62
    La Serena $82
Compare Hotels in Curitiba and La Serena

Looking for a hotel in Curitiba or La Serena? 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.

Hotels in Curitiba


Hotels in La Serena


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: Curitiba Hotel Prices and La Serena Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Curitiba $16
    La Serena $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Curitiba

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Curitiba:


  • Taxi Ride
    $2.00

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Curitiba

Also for Curitiba, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Shared transfer between Curitiba Airport and Hotels: $76
  • Shared Transfer: Curitiba International Airport: $39
  • Private Transfer from Curitiba City to Curitiba Airport (CWB): $35
  • Private Transfer from Curitiba City Hotels to Porto Belo Port: $76
  • Private Transfer from Curitiba Airport (CWB) to Porto Belo Port : $76
  • Private Transfer from Curitiba Airport: $106
  • Curitiba to Curitiba Airport (CWB) - Departure Private Transfer: $17
  • Curitiba to Afonso Pena Airport (CWB)- Departure Private Transfer: $18
  • Curitiba Airport PrivateTransfers Round Trip or One Way: $113
  • Curitiba Airport CWB to Downtown hotels- Arrival Private Transfer: $17
  • Curitiba Airport (CWB) to Downtown - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $33
  • Afonso Pena Airport CWB to Beach Resorts : Arrival Transfer: $44

Is it cheaper to fly into Curitiba or La Serena?

Prices for flights to both La Serena and Curitiba 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Curitiba $29
    La Serena $26
Typical Food Prices in Curitiba

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Curitiba:


  • Chips
    $0.90

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Curitiba

For Curitiba, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Bar-hopping and Food Tour in Curitiba: $32
  • Curitiba's History Food Tour: $70
  • Curitiba's History Food Tour: $76
  • Curitiba Tour by Night with Dinner: $94

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Curitiba $20
    La Serena $23

Tours and Activities in Curitiba

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Curitiba.

  • Full Day Tour to Vila Velha and Buraco do Padre: $161
  • 2-Day Rafting and Rappelling Adventure in Tibagi: $195
  • 4-Hour Private Tour of Curitiba City: $72
  • Arte Bike Tour - Bike Tour with Kuritbike: $25
  • CRAFT BREWERS TOUR By Jens Tours: $74
  • Complete Tour to Ilha do Mel: $152
  • Curitiba City Tour: $58
  • A complete city tour: $108
  • A private city tour: $73
  • Walking tour from past to present: $12
  • Full-day tour in Curitiba: $81
  • Gastronomic Tour in Curitiba with Jens Tours: $82

Tours and Activities in La Serena

For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Tour to the internationally renowned Pangue Observatory: $139
  • Daily tour to go Whale Watching all inclusive: $130
  • Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $89
  • Elqui Valley Grand-Tour: $189
  • Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $120
  • Elqui Valley and Vicuña Private Tour Including Lunch: $183
  • Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
  • Full Day History and Flavors Tour in the Elqui Valley: $50
  • La Serena & Coquimbo City Tour - Short excursion for cruise ships: $128
  • La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
  • La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
  • La Serena and Coquimbo Private City Tour Including Lunch, Shore Excursion: $194

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Curitiba $14
    La Serena $22
Typical Alcohol Prices in Curitiba

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Curitiba:


  • Beer
    $0.45


When comparing the travel costs between Curitiba and La Serena, we can see that La Serena is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Curitiba Expensive? and Is La Serena Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Curitiba or La Serena?

Curitiba has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of La Serena. When comparing the sizes of Curitiba and La Serena, 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.