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

Should you visit Guayaquil or Arequipa?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Guayaquil or Arequipa, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Guayaquil or Arequipa?

Guayaquil

Guayaquil is Ecuador's largest city and seaport. From a tourist perspective, the city acts primarily as a transportation gateway to the country and the Galapagos Islands. While the city can be skipped altogether, should you have a free day to spend here, there are a few noteworthy things to do, as well as some terrific dining and nightlife options. Guayaquil’s main tourist attraction is Las Penas, a hill with old, colorfully painted buildings at the north end of the Malecon, where you can walk the 400 steps to the lighthouse at the top for good views of the city. The neighborhood is filled with cafes, bars, restaurants, and art galleries and is relatively safe. Other important sights include the Malecon 2000, a massive urban development project that has brought new life to the riverside in the city center and the Parque Seminario, filled with fountains, trees and iguanas, located at 10 de Agosto Ave and Chile Ave.

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 G Adventures Tours to Ecuador, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ecuador, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Arequipa or Guayaquil?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Guayaquil is $95, 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 Guayaquil and Arequipa in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Guayaquil $32
    Arequipa $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Guayaquil $64
    Arequipa $46
Compare Hotels in Guayaquil and Arequipa

Looking for a hotel in Guayaquil 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 Guayaquil


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: Guayaquil Hotel Prices and Arequipa Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Guayaquil $15
    Arequipa $6.04

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guayaquil

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

  • Guayaquil Airport (GYE) to Guayaquil hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $53
  • Guayaquil Airport (GYE): Transfer to Guayaquil hotels: $131
  • Guayaquil Airport Private Transfer Service: $80
  • Guayaquil Airport(GYE) to Guayaquil - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $59
  • Guayaquil PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $17
  • Guayaquil PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $17
  • Guayaquil PRIVATE Departure Transfer from Hotels to the Airport.: $17
  • Private Transfer In From Guayaquil Airport to Hotel: $25
  • Private Transfer Out From Hotel to Guayaquil Airport: $25
  • Private Transfer from Guayaquil Airport to Hotels: $20
  • Private Transfer from Guayaquil Airport(GYE) to Manta Cruise Port: $89
  • Private Transfer from Guayaquil Airport(GYE) to Manta Cruise Port: $99

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.36
  • Bus Ride
    $0.44
  • Taxi Ride
    $0.95

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arequipa

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Arequipa:

  • Transfer Between Arequipa's Airport and Hotels: $35
  • Sihanouk Ville Airport Pickup or Transfer Private Car: $32
  • Private Transfer from Arequipa to Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón (AQP) Airport : $35
  • Private Transfer from Arequipa Airport to hotels: $25
  • Private Transfer from Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón Airport to Hotel: $20
  • Private Transfer from Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón (AQP) Airport to Arequipa: $35
  • Private Transfer From Arequipa to Puno, English Speaking Driver: $264
  • Koh Lanta any hotel to Krabi airport Private transfer: $72
  • Full Day Tour Including Transfer to Puno / Colca Canyon: $112
  • 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

Is it cheaper to fly into Guayaquil or Arequipa?

Prices for flights to both Arequipa and Guayaquil 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
    Guayaquil $29
    Arequipa $14

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guayaquil

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

  • Half Day Guayaquil Culinary Adventure, Cacao Cooking Class: $185

Typical Food Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Coke
    $0.41
  • Lunch
    $2.86
  • Ice Cream
    $1.09
  • Fruit
    $0.82
  • 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.

  • Skip the Line: Dinner and Typical Dances Show Ticket: $25
  • Peruvian Cooking Experience in Arequipa: $34
  • Peruvian Cooking Class: $48
  • 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
  • A 3-hour Guided Food Tour with 4 Iconic Restaurants of Arequipa: $79
  • Arequipa Food Tour: Ancestral Cuisine & City Tour: $85
  • Peruvian cooking class + Pisco Sour class + Visit to the local market: $91
  • Peruvian cooking class + PiscoSour class + visit the local market: $91
  • Peruse The Market With A Cooking Class Before Dinner: $97

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Guayaquil $21
    Arequipa $18

Tours and Activities in Guayaquil

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

  • Shared Walking Tour in Guayaquil City: $35
  • City Tour Guayaquil: $40
  • Guayaquil City Tour: $40
  • Self-guided walking tour of Guayaquil's landmarks.: $45
  • Private Experience of Flavors and Wine Pairing in Guayaquil: $50
  • From Montañita: Paragliding Experience: $55
  • City Tour with Hotel Pickup and Drop-off: $63
  • Guayaquil to Cuenca one-way tour with Cajas Park and a Cacao Farm visit: $74
  • City Tour around Guayaquil: $75
  • Guayaquil City Tour Including the Light House of Cerro Santa Ana: $80
  • Private Guayaquil City Tour and Parque Historico: $80
  • Guayaquil Layover Sightseeing Tour with Round-Trip Airport Transport: $82

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
    $2.72
  • Salsa Class
    $2.72
  • Movie Ticket
    $2.97
  • Hot Springs
    $2.72

Tours and Activities in Arequipa

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

  • Colca Full Day Tour: $51
  • 2 Day - Colca Canyon and Condor Tour from Arequipa, Peru - Group Service : $288
  • 2 Day Shared Tour to Colca Canyon: $45
  • 2-Day Group Tour to Colca Canyon from Arequipa: $230
  • 2-Day Hiking Tour to the Colca Canyon: $100
  • 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
  • 4-hour tour to the Sillar Route in Arequipa: $12
  • 8-Hours Tour in Arequipa Laguna de Salinas with Pick-up: $23
  • Afternoon : Arequipa Walking tour: $55
  • Afternoon : Arequipa city tour with Santa Catalina Monastery: $75

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Guayaquil $17
    Arequipa $16

Sample the Local Flavors in Guayaquil

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Guayaquil:

  • Taste and discover the factory of a craft brewery: $65

Typical Alcohol Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Beer
    $2.45

Sample the Local Flavors in Arequipa

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Arequipa:

  • Pub Crawl Tour in Arequipa with VIP Access.: $25
  • Pub Crawl Tour in Arequipa with Drinks and VIP Access.: $60


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Guayaquil and Arequipa, we can see that Guayaquil 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 Guayaquil would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Guayaquil 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 Guayaquil Expensive? and Is Arequipa Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Guayaquil or Arequipa?

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