A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Florianopolis vs. Arequipa for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Florianopolis or Arequipa?

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

Should I visit Florianopolis or Arequipa? 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: Florianopolis or Arequipa?

Florianopolis

With a population of almost 500,000, Florianopolis is the capital city of the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. The city is split between mainland Brazil and Santa Catarina Island.

Florianopolis has grown in popularity with tourists recently because of its wonderful scenery, beautiful beaches, and fascinating culture. Many Brazilians have also moved here, leaving behind the big cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Florianopolis has a warm humid subtropical climate. There are summer, winter, spring and fall seasons. Frosts are rare but do occur occasionally. Highs during the warmest months are usually in the high 70s Fahrenheit. Rain is evenly distributed throughout the year and there is no distinct dry season.

Arequipa

Sitting in the middle of the Misti, Chachani and PichuPichu volcanoes of Peru is the enchanting city of Arequipa. With 468 years of history, the city is full of Spanish colonial architecture. Known to locals as the "white city," the city center, Plaza de Armas, is quite the sight with buildings of sillar white stone made from the rocks of the surrounding volcanoes.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Brazil, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Arequipa or Florianopolis?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Florianopolis is $62, while the average daily cost in Arequipa is $47. 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 Florianopolis and Arequipa in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Florianopolis $26
    Arequipa $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Florianopolis $52
    Arequipa $46
Compare Hotels in Florianopolis and Arequipa

Looking for a hotel in Florianopolis or Arequipa? 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 Florianopolis


Hotels in Arequipa


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: Florianopolis Hotel Prices and Arequipa Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Florianopolis $13
    Arequipa $6.02

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Florianopolis

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

  • Florianópolis Airport Transfer anywhere on the island by Floripa Nativa: $40
  • Hercilio Luz Airport - North Island Transfer: $14
  • One Way Transfer : Florianopolis Airport to or from Florianopolis: $64
  • Private Transfer Florianópolis Airport to City Center: $32
  • Private Transfer Florianopolis Airport to Bal. Camboriu: $96
  • Private Transfer from FLN Airport to the City Balneario Camboriú : $84
  • Private Transfer from Florianópolis Airport to Bombinhas: $97
  • Roundtrip transfer from Florianópolis Airport to Bombinhas: $168
  • Shared transfer from Florianópolis airport to Balneário Camboriú: $35
  • Transfer Florianópolis Airport / Costão do Santinho: $78

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arequipa

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arequipa are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.36
  • Bus Ride
    $0.43
  • Taxi Ride
    $0.95

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arequipa

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Arequipa:

  • transfer Airport - Hotel: $21
  • Transfer Between Arequipa's Airport and Hotels: $35
  • Sihanouk Ville Airport Pickup or Transfer Private Car: $32
  • Private Transfer from Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón Airport to Hotel: $20
  • Private Transfer From Arequipa to Puno, English Speaking Driver: $260
  • Koh Lanta any hotel to Krabi airport Private transfer: $72
  • From 2-Day Colca Canyon Tour with Transfer to Puno: $98
  • From 2-Day Colca Canyon Tour with Transfer to Puno: $103
  • Colca Canyon Sightseeing Tour 2D1N and Transfer to Puno: $120
  • Colca Canyon 2 days from Arequipa with final transfer to Puno: $110
  • Colca Canyon + Transfer To Puno: $103
  • Airport private transfer to/from the city center: $26

Is it cheaper to fly into Florianopolis or Arequipa?

Prices for flights to both Arequipa and Florianopolis 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
    Florianopolis $22
    Arequipa $14
Typical Food Prices in Florianopolis

For Florianopolis, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • A Quick Snack
    $0.44

Typical Food Prices in Arequipa

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Arequipa:


  • Coke
    $0.41
  • Lunch
    $2.85
  • Ice Cream
    $1.09
  • Fruit
    $0.81
  • Ice Cream
    $0.95

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arequipa

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Arequipa.

  • Peruvian Cooking Experience in Arequipa: $34
  • Peruvian Cooking Class: $48
  • Peruvian Cooking Class in arequipa: $50
  • Guided Food Tour in Arequipa City: $69
  • 3-hour guided food tour / 5 iconic restaurants of Arequipa: $72
  • Arequipa Ancestral Cuisine and City and Food Tour: $79
  • A 3-hour Guided Food Tour with 4 Iconic Restaurants of Arequipa: $79
  • Arequipa Food Tour: Ancestral Cuisine & City Tour: $85
  • Peruvian cooking experience, pisco sour and visit local market: $95
  • Peruvian cooking class + PiscoSour class + visit the local market: $95
  • Peruse The Market With A Cooking Class Before Dinner: $97
  • Arequipa Food Tour Experience: $115

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Florianopolis $26
    Arequipa $18
Typical Entertainment Prices in Florianopolis

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Florianopolis's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Internet
    $0.59

Tours and Activities in Florianopolis

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

  • Walking Tour Historic Center of Florianópolis: $12
  • Historic Center Walking Tour in Florianopolis with Local Bar Hop: $14
  • Bombinhas Beach and 4 Islands Tour: $22
  • Shared Shuttle between Florianópolis Airport and Hotel with optional City Tour: $23
  • Florianópolis Full Day City Tour: $25
  • Rafting Adventure in Apuama - Rio Cubatão in Greater Florianópolis: $30
  • Floripa City Tour by Bus - Whole Island - The Most Complete City Tour: $32
  • Balneário Camboriú City Tour from Florianópolis: $35
  • Blumenau City Tour - departing from Florianópolis: $37
  • Tour Balneario Camboriu and Laranjeiras Beach TELEFERICO INCLUDED: $37
  • Blumenau City Tour from Florianópolis: $38
  • Lagoinha do Leste Hiking and Photography Adventure : $42

Typical Entertainment Prices in Arequipa

Here are a few typical costs in Arequipa for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Monastery Entry
    $2.71
  • Salsa Class
    $2.71
  • Movie Ticket
    $2.96
  • Hot Springs
    $2.71

Tours and Activities in Arequipa

Here are a few actual costs in Arequipa for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 2 Day - Colca Canyon and Condor Tour from Arequipa, Peru - Group Service : $288
  • 2 Day Shared Tour to Colca Canyon: $45
  • 2 Days of Natural Experience in the Colca Canyon: $140
  • 2-Day Group Tour to Colca Canyon from Arequipa: $230
  • 2-Day Hiking Tour to the Colca Canyon: $100
  • 2-Day Misti Volcano Tour: $117
  • 2-Day Tour to the Magical Colca Canyon: $68
  • 2-day tour to the Colca Valley and the Cruz del Condor: $99
  • 3 Hour Congata Rover Biking Ride Tour in Arequipa: $45
  • 3-Day Cotahuasi Canyon Tour: $350
  • 3-day tour of the Valley of the Volcanoes: $350
  • 4-hour tour to the Sillar Route in Arequipa: $10

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Florianopolis $8.68
    Arequipa $16
Typical Alcohol Prices in Florianopolis

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Florianopolis from other travelers:


  • Beer
    $0.59

Typical Alcohol Prices in Arequipa

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Arequipa are as follows:


  • Beer
    $2.44

Sample the Local Flavors in Arequipa

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Arequipa:

  • Pub Crawl Tour in Arequipa with VIP Access.: $25
  • From Pisco and wine tour through the Majes Valley: $50
  • Pub Crawl Tour in Arequipa with Drinks and VIP Access.: $60


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Florianopolis and Arequipa, we can see that Florianopolis is more expensive. And not only is Arequipa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Arequipa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Arequipa 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 Florianopolis would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Florianopolis than you might in Arequipa.

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


Which is Bigger, Florianopolis or Arequipa?

Arequipa has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Florianopolis. When comparing the sizes of Florianopolis and Arequipa, 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.