Which place is cheaper, La Serena or Grande-Terre?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Grande-Terre or La Serena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Grande-Terre or La Serena? 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: Grande-Terre or La Serena?
Grande-Terre
Grande Terre is an island that makes up the eastern half of the Guadeloupe 'mainland.' It is divided from the other half of the main Guadeloupe island, Basse Terre, by a narrow channel called Rivière Salee (or the Salt River). The island itself is characterized by rolling hills, white sand beaches, and cliffs, and its indented coastline is surrounded by coral reefs. It is home to most of Guadeloupe's farmlands and tourist resorts.
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 Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGrande-Terre €145La Serena €81
The average daily cost (per person) in Grande-Terre is €145, while the average daily cost in La Serena is €81. 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 Grande-Terre and La Serena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGrande-Terre €82La Serena €39
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGrande-Terre €164La Serena €78
Compare Hotels in Grande-Terre and La Serena
Looking for a hotel in Grande-Terre 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.
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: Grande-Terre Hotel Prices and La Serena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Grande-Terre €9.00La Serena €19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Grande-Terre
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Grande-Terre:
- Transfer Guadeloupe Airport to Cruise Port: $38
- PrivateTransfer from Pointe-à-Pitre Cruise Port to Airport (PTP) : $26
- PrivateTransfer from Pointe-à-Pitre Airport (PTP) to Cruise Port : $26
- Private Transfers (Airport, Port, Hotels) Guadeloupe : $54
- Private Transfer in Guadeloupe: $71
- Private Transfer from Pointe-à-Pitre Cruise Port to City Hotels: $26
- Private Transfer from Pointe-à-Pitre City Hotels to Cruise Port: $26
- Private Transfer from Pointe a Pitre Airport to Deshaies or Trois Riviers by SUV: $91
- Pointe-a-Pitre to Pointe-a-Pitre Airport (PTP) - Departure Private Transfer: $23
- Pointe-a-Pitre Airport to Pointe-a-Pitre Hotels Arrival Transfer: $23
- Pointe-a-Pitre Airport (PTP) to Pointe-a-Pitre - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $46
- Pointe-a-Pitre Airport (PTP) to Guadeloupe island hotel-Arrival Private Transfer: $79
Is it cheaper to fly into Grande-Terre or La Serena?
Prices for flights to both La Serena and Grande-Terre 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 dayGrande-Terre €48La Serena €25
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Grande-Terre €45La Serena €22
Tours and Activities in Grande-Terre
Here are a few actual costs in Grande-Terre for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- *Cruise Stopover* - Tropical Forest - Sainte-Anne Beach: $60
- Cruise Stopover at Village Sainte Anne and its Beach: $31
- Cruise stopover - Plage du Gosier Round trip: $15
- Full Day Private Boat Tour to the Lagoon of Guadeloupe: $232
- Full Day Tour of Guadeloupe: $157
- Guided tour by electric tuk-tuk: $49
- Photoshoot + Drone on a Caribbean paradise beach or day tour : $100
- Private Surf Lessons Tour in Guadeloupe: $97
- Private Ultralight Seaplane Experience in Guadeloupe: $169
- Stand Up Paddle Adventure in Guadeloupe: $49
- Stopover Cruise - Valombreuse Botanical Garden + Sainte-Anne Beach: $49
Tours and Activities in La Serena
For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full Day History and Flavors Tour in the Elqui Valley: $50
- La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
- La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
- Full day Tour to Elqui Valley : $80
- Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $85
- Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $120
- La Serena & Coquimbo City Tour - Short excursion for cruise ships: $128
- Tour to the internationally renowned Pangue Observatory: $139
- Tour to Valle del Encanto Archeology, Petroglyphs, Flora, Fauna and Springs: $140
- Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $140
- Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
- Elqui Valley and Vicuña Private Tour Including Lunch: $183
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGrande-Terre €12La Serena €21
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Grande-Terre and La Serena, we can see that Grande-Terre is more expensive. And not only is La Serena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Grande-Terre is in Caribbean Islands and La Serena 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 La Serena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Serena 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 Grande-Terre would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Grande-Terre than you might in La Serena.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Grande-Terre Expensive? and Is La Serena Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Grande-Terre or La Serena?
La Serena has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Grande-Terre experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Grande-Terre or La Serena in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Grande-Terre as well as La Serena. Grande-Terre attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In July, Grande-Terre is generally much warmer than La Serenain January. Daily temperatures in Grande-Terre average around 27°C (81°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in La Serena. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Grande-Terre this time of the year. In the summer, Grande-Terre often gets around the same amount of sunshine as La Serenain January. Grande-Terre gets 245 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 247 hours of full sun.
Grande-Terre receives a lot of rain in the summer. Grande-Terre usually gets more rain in July than La Serenain January. Grande-Terre gets 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryGrande-Terre 27°C (81°F)La Serena 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Grande-Terre or La Serena in the Autumn?
Both La Serena and Grande-Terre are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Grande-Terre throughout the year.
Grande-Terre is much warmer than La Serena in the autumn. The daily temperature in Grande-Terre averages around 27°C (80°F) in October, and La Serena fluctuates around 15°C (59°F)in April.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Grande-Terre. Grande-Terre usually receives more sunshine than La Serena during autumn. Grande-Terre gets 217 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 159 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It's quite rainy in Grande-Terre. In October, Grande-Terre usually receives more rain than La Serenain April. Grande-Terre gets 228 mm (9 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilGrande-Terre 27°C (80°F)La Serena 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit Grande-Terre or La Serena in the Winter?
Both La Serena and Grande-Terre during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Grande-Terre because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the winter, Grande-Terre is much warmer than La Serena. Typically, the winter temperatures in Grande-Terre in January average around 24°C (76°F), and La Serena averages at about 12°C (54°F)in July.
It's quite sunny in Grande-Terre. In the winter, Grande-Terre often gets more sunshine than La Serenain July. Grande-Terre gets 236 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 160 hours of full sun.
Grande-Terre usually gets more rain in January than La Serenain July. Grande-Terre gets 84 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyGrande-Terre 24°C (76°F)La Serena 12°C (54°F)
Should I visit Grande-Terre or La Serena in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Grande-Terre and La Serena. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Grande-Terre year-round.
In April, Grande-Terre is generally much warmer than La Serenain October. Daily temperatures in Grande-Terre average around 26°C (78°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).
In Grande-Terre, it's very sunny this time of the year. Grande-Terre usually receives more sunshine than La Serena during spring. Grande-Terre gets 240 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 190 hours of full sun in the spring.
Grande-Terre gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Grande-Terre usually receives more rain than La Serenain October. Grande-Terre gets 123 mm (4.8 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberGrande-Terre 26°C (78°F)La Serena 14°C (57°F)
Typical Weather for La Serena and Grande-Terre
| Grande-Terre | La Serena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (76°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (76°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 25°C (76°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (78°F) | 123 mm (4.8 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| May | 27°C (80°F) | 148 mm (5.8 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 118 mm (4.6 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 198 mm (7.8 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 236 mm (9.3 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (80°F) | 228 mm (9 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 220 mm (8.7 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) | 17°C (63°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.