A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Ilha Grande vs. Arica for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Ilha Grande or Arica?

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

Should I visit Ilha Grande or Arica? 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: Ilha Grande or Arica?

Ilha Grande

Ilha Grande is a large, beautiful, island located off the southeast coast of Brazil. The island has few inhabitants, resulting in mostly unadulterated beaches and landscapes. There are over a dozen trails and beaches to explore, some of which have been called the best beaches in Brazil. Due to the limited number of inhabitants, ATMs are sparse on the island, so be sure to have cash with you before getting there.

Arica

A mixture of coastline, desert and high Andean plateau, Arica is a seaside resort town, known for its surfing beaches located at the tip of Northern Chile. Arica boasts that it is "the land of the eternal spring," but its temperate climate and beaches are not the only reason to visit this small city. Arica's tourism is still principally geared toward domestic visitors and those from southern Peru and La Paz, who flock to its beaches mid-December through February. It is very easy to spend a few days in Arica in the sand, or seeing the sights in town, at a slow pace but the city also offers plenty of fun activities and exciting day trips.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Brazil, The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best 10-Day Tours in Chile, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Arica or Ilha Grande?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Ilha Grande is $68, while the average daily cost in Arica is $79. 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 Ilha Grande and Arica in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ilha Grande $37
    Arica $35
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ilha Grande $74
    Arica $70
Compare Hotels in Ilha Grande and Arica

Looking for a hotel in Ilha Grande or Arica? 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 Ilha Grande


Hotels in Arica


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: Arica Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ilha Grande $18
    Arica $18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ilha Grande

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

  • Regular Transfer Angra dos Reis x Rio de Janeiro and Airports: $37
  • Private Transfer from GIG to anywhere in the City Angra dos Reis: $187
  • Private Transfer from Angra dos Reis to Airport GIG in Rio : $187
  • Private Transfer Angra dos Reis to Rio de Janeiro: $91
  • From Rio de Janeiro:Shared Roundtrip Transfer to Araçatiba: $104
  • From Speedboat Transfer to Angra dos Reis: $27
  • From Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $46
  • From Araçatiba: Speedboat Transfer to Angra dos Reis: $27
  • From Angra dos Reis: Speedboat Transfer to Araçatiba: $27
  • From Angra dos Reis: Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $56
  • Departure Transfer: Angra dos Reis to GIG or SDU Airport by Van: $246
  • Departure Private Transfer: Angra dos Reis to GIG or SDU Airport by Sedan Car: $116

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arica

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


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $2.10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arica

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

  • Private Transfer from Arica Hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $24
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica city hotels: $22
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Hotels: $24
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $27
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $30
  • Private Transfer from Arica City hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $22
  • Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port : $27
  • Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port: $30
  • Arica Airport Private Transfer: $85

Is it cheaper to fly into Ilha Grande or Arica?

Prices for flights to both Arica and Ilha Grande 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
    Ilha Grande $21
    Arica $28

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ilha Grande $6.61
    Arica $20

Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande

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

  • 360 Tour of Ilha Grande - Speed Boat Tour: $74
  • Angra Dos Reis Daily Tour To Paradise. Boat Trip Lunch And Fruits Included: $69
  • Angra dos Reis Island Hopping Speedboat Tour from Ilha Grande: $79
  • Angra dos Reis with Speedboat Tour and Paradise Islands: $58
  • Boat Tour To The Beaches Of Angra Dos Reis: $21
  • From Abraão, Lopes Mendes Beach Tour & Trekking: $21
  • From Ilha Grande - Paradise Island 7 h - Speedboat tour: $55
  • From Rio: Full-Day Angra dos Reis Cruise & Island Tour: $76
  • Full-Day Ilha Grande Northern Coast Speedboat Tour: $67
  • Half-Day Blue Lagoon Schooner Tour: $40
  • Half-Day Ilha Grande Schooner Tour: $40
  • Ilha Grande - From Abrãao: Lopes Mendes beach tour & trekking: $25

Tours and Activities in Arica

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

  • Archaeological Tour: $32
  • Archeological Sightseeing tour in Arica: $103
  • Arica Private Sightseeing Tour : $134
  • Half day Panoramic City Tour: $49
  • Private Tour to Tacna from Arica: $256

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ilha Grande $11
    Arica $19


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

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