Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or Iquique?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Iquique or Tamarindo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Iquique or Tamarindo? 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: Iquique or Tamarindo?
Iquique
Located in a golden crescent of coastline, the beautiful beach city with an ocean that's several shades of blue and a historic centre that offers the perfect balance of culture and relaxation is counted among Chile's premier beach resorts. The city is home to the duty free zone called "Zofri" and a growing number of high rise resort hotels along its beaches. Slightly more expensive and polluted than neighboring population centers, such as Arica, Iquique and its chaotic duty-free shopping zone (zona franca) have become the perfect summer holiday destination for Chilean families.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is a small beach town in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica on the Pacific Coast. This town is usually sought out by surfers, fishers, couples, and families. There are delicious restaurants, beautiful beaches, and friendly Tico's and Tica's (local Costa Rican nicknames) everywhere.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, The Best Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIquique $96Tamarindo $121
The average daily cost (per person) in Iquique is $96, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $121. 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 Iquique and Tamarindo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIquique $43Tamarindo $50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIquique $86Tamarindo $100
Compare Hotels in Iquique and Tamarindo
Looking for a hotel in Iquique or Tamarindo? 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: Tamarindo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Iquique $23Tamarindo $69
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Iquique
Also for Iquique, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sandboard activity in Iquique with transfer: $60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
- Transfer to La Fortuna de Arenal: $307
- Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to JW Marriott Guanacaste: $280
- Round Trip Transfer From Liberia Airport To Secrets Papagayo: $250
- Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to Andaz Papagayo Resort: $201
- Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to Four Seasons Resort: $200
- Private Liberia airport transfer: $200
- Transfer To/From Liberia Airport To/ From JW Marriott Guanacaste: $195
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To JW Marriott Guanacaste: $185
- Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to Riu Guanacaste Hotel: $181
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Hacienda Pinilla Guanacaste: $175
- Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to Planet Hollywood Beach Resort: $171
- Private Transfer from Intl Liberia (LIR) Airport to Papagayo beaches areas: $170
Is it cheaper to fly into Iquique or Tamarindo?
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo and Iquique 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 dayIquique $34Tamarindo $32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tamarindo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tamarindo.
- Online Class on Zoom: Cooking Costa Rica Homemade Food: $35
- Traditional Cooking Class In Tamarindo: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Iquique $27Tamarindo $17
Tours and Activities in Iquique
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Iquique.
- City tour of Iquique with navigation to the Esmeralda buoy: $50
- Guided City Tour with Boat Trip to Esmeralda Buoy: $60
- City Tour in Iquique: $89
- Pintados Geoglyphs, Humberstone and Salar Crespo tour: $145
Tours and Activities in Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
- Ecologic farming Sloth tour Hiking & Chocolate -Coffee tour: $260
- Premium Tour: Rincón de la Vieja Volcano Adventure Combo Tour: $220
- Premium Tour: Rincón de la Vieja Volcano and Waterfall Hiking: $170
- Premium Tour:Sloths and Río Celeste y Cortez Waterfalls (Tenorio Volcano Park): $220
- Private ATV or Buggy Tour from Riu Hotels: $85
- Sloth Farm Watching Tour & Amazimg Waterfall: $185
- Wildlife Tour at Palo Verde National Park: $199
- 1,5 Hours Private Horseback Riding Tour in Playa Conchal: $80
- 2-Hour Guided Tour by ATV near Playa Conchal: $130
- 3 Hour ATV Secluded Beach Tour from Tamarindo, Flamingo, Conchal & Grande: $125
- 3-in-1 Rincon de la Vieja National Park Nature Day Tour: $300
- 5-Hour Guided Sunset Boat Tour in Tamarindo Costa Rica: $95
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIquique $20Tamarindo $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Iquique and Tamarindo, we can see that Tamarindo is more expensive. And not only is Iquique much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Iquique is in South America and Tamarindo is in Central 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 Iquique would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Iquique 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 Tamarindo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tamarindo than you might in Iquique.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Iquique Expensive? and Is Tamarindo Expensive?.
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.