A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Granada vs. Paracas for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Granada or Paracas?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Granada and Paracas. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Granada or Paracas?

Granada

Granada is Nicaragua's oldest colonial city, and arguably, the most beautiful city in the country. It sits on the northern edge of Lake Nicaragua (Lago Cocibolca) and has many beautifully colored buildings and nice churches. The city's beauty and colonial architecture, along with its relative safety and accessibility, make it one of Nicaragua's top tourist destinations. The city has long been a center for commerce, but today its economy depends heavily on tourism. The city is the sixth largest in Nicaragua and a real estate boom in the early 2000's brought a large number of expats to the town.

Paracas

Paracas, also known as El Chaco, is a resort town on the Southern coast of the country, about 150 miles south of Lima. The town in located in one of the oldest regions of Peru, with a history dating back to 900 BC and offers many pre-Inca cultural sites throughout the area. Paracas is possibly best known for being home to the Paracas National Reserve, a nature reserve boasting one of the most abundant and diverse ecosystems in the world.

Which place is cheaper, Paracas or Granada?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Granada is $40, while the average daily cost in Paracas is $63. 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 Granada and Paracas in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Granada $17
    Paracas $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Granada $34
    Paracas $44
Compare Hotels in Granada and Paracas

Looking for a hotel in Granada or Paracas? 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 Granada


Hotels in Paracas


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: Granada Hotel Prices and Paracas Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Granada $8.57
    Paracas $19

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:

  • One-Way Private Transfer From/To Airport or Hotels in Granada: $80

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Paracas

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Paracas:

  • Bus Station Private Transfer: $16
  • Paracas Bus Station Private Transfer: $16
  • Private Transfer From San Juan Airport (SJU) to /from San Juan: $44
  • Oneway Transfer from San Juan Airport, Hotel, Airbnb to Bayamon: $60
  • Private Transfer from Pisco Cruise Port to Lima City Hotels: $78
  • Private Transfer from Pisco Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $78
  • Private Transfer from Pisco Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $87
  • Private Transfer from Pisko Cruise Port to Lima City Hotels: $87
  • Private Transfer from Pisco Cruise Port to Lima hotels: $87
  • Lima: Private taxi transfer from Lima airport to Paracas: $129
  • Direct Private Transfer From Paracas to Lima, English Speaking Driver: $163
  • Private Transfer From Paracas To Lima With 2 Stops: $175

Is it cheaper to fly into Granada or Paracas?

Prices for flights to both Paracas and Granada 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
    Granada $14
    Paracas $23
Typical Food Prices in Granada

Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:


  • Pizza
    $2.29

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Paracas

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

  • From Lima:Paracas,Ica and cooking class Ceviche semi-private: $139

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Granada $10
    Paracas $25
Typical Entertainment Prices in Granada

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Granada are as follows:


  • Lago de Nicaragua Boat Tour
    $8.17

Tours and Activities in Granada

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Granada are as follows:

  • Granada Kayak Tour: $30
  • Colonial Granada Horse Carriage & Walking Tour: $35
  • Paddle Boarding and Meditation Wellness Experience in Las Isletas: $39
  • Las Isletas: Kayak Tour: $39
  • Granada City Tour: $40
  • Granada's City Tour: $40
  • Las Isletas: Boat Tour: $45
  • Masaya Night Tour Minimum 2 People from Granada: $45
  • Las Isletas 2-Hour Kayak Adventure in Granada with Pickup: $48
  • City Walking Tour and Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride: $50
  • Full-Day Tour: Masaya Volcano, Art Market and White Villages: $60
  • Experience Granadas Best Sights Carriage ride + Local Guide: $65

Tours and Activities in Paracas

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

  • From Ballestas Islands Guided Boat Tour: $20
  • 4-Hour Guided Tour Paracas National Reserve: $20
  • Ballestas Islands Morning Boat Tour: $20
  • Boat Tour of the Ballestas Islands in Paracas: $20
  • Ballestas Islands Sightseeing Boat Ride from Paracas: $24
  • Ballestas Islands Tour: $24
  • Islas Ballestas Boat Tour - The Galapagos of Peru: $25
  • Ballestas Islands Tour - Paracas: $25
  • From Scenic Boat Tour to Ballestas Island: $25
  • Ballestas Islands Group Tour from Paracas : $26
  • From Ballestas Islands Guided Tour: $26
  • Ica: Ballestas Island Adventure | Watch Sea Lions: $30

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Granada $7.50
    Paracas $11
Typical Alcohol Prices in Granada

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


  • Tequila
    $1.36


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

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


Which is Bigger, Granada or Paracas?

Granada has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Paracas. When comparing the sizes of Granada and Paracas, 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.