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

Should you visit Isla Mujeres or Arequipa?

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 Isla Mujeres and Arequipa. 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: Isla Mujeres or Arequipa?

Isla Mujeres

About eight miles from the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Isla Mujeres is an island in the Mexican Caribbean Sea. The town, of the same name, has a population of about 13,000. Tourism has grown in the area since the 1970s and today it is a significant part of the island's economy. As such, there are plenty of amenities that cater specifically to visitors. The island's proximity to Cuba make it a common transit point for Cubans in route to the United States.

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 Historical Tours in Mexico, The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Arequipa or Isla Mujeres?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Isla Mujeres is $148, 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 Isla Mujeres and Arequipa in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Isla Mujeres $78
    Arequipa $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Isla Mujeres $156
    Arequipa $46
Compare Hotels in Isla Mujeres and Arequipa

Looking for a hotel in Isla Mujeres 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 Isla Mujeres


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: Isla Mujeres Hotel Prices and Arequipa Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Isla Mujeres $35
    Arequipa $6.02

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Isla Mujeres

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Isla Mujeres:

  • Private Transfer: Playa Mujeres to Cancun Airport CUN in SUV: $123

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.36
  • Bus Ride
    $0.43
  • Taxi Ride
    $0.95

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arequipa

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Arequipa:

  • Arequipa Airport Departure Transfer: $13
  • Arequipa Airport Arrival Transfer: $13
  • Private Transfer from Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón Airport to Hotel: $20
  • Arequipa Bus Station Arrival Transfer : $25
  • Arequipa Airport Private Transfer: $25
  • Airport private transfer to/from the city center: $26
  • 1-Way Airport Private Transfer: $31
  • Sihanouk Ville Airport Pickup or Transfer Private Car: $32
  • Private Transfer from Arequipa to Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón (AQP) Airport : $35
  • Transfer Between Arequipa's Airport and Hotels: $35
  • Koh Lanta any hotel to Krabi airport Private transfer: $71
  • From 2-Day Colca Canyon Tour with Transfer to Puno: $98

Is it cheaper to fly into Isla Mujeres or Arequipa?

Prices for flights to both Arequipa and Isla Mujeres 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
    Isla Mujeres $46
    Arequipa $14

Typical Food Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Coke
    $0.41
  • Lunch
    $2.85
  • Ice Cream
    $1.09
  • Fruit
    $0.81
  • 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 experience, pisco sour and visit local market: $95
  • Peruvian cooking class + PiscoSour class + visit the local market: $95
  • Food Tour Experience: $115

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

Tours and Activities in Isla Mujeres

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

  • Excursion Crystal Boat Tour at the Caribbean: $35
  • Tour Isla Mujeres excursion in Collective Transparent Boat: $37
  • Crystal Boat Tour to Isla Mujeres and Reefs: $43
  • Snorkel Tour at Musa and Manchones Reef: $45
  • Clear Boat Tour "La Isla": $47
  • Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Adventure at the Underwater Museum: $47
  • Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Tour Adventure: $49
  • Snorkel Experience in Underwater Museum: $52
  • Cancun: Isla Mujeres 12 pm Catamaran Tour with Snorkeling: $59
  • UNDER WATER MUSEUM CANCUN SNORKEL ISLA MUJERES - Experience with Ticket: $65
  • Cancun Jungle Kingdom Adventure ATV, Zipline and Cenote : $70
  • Sunrise Snorkeling Experience in Cancun: $70

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
    $2.71
  • Salsa Class
    $2.71
  • Movie Ticket
    $2.96
  • Hot Springs
    $2.71

Tours and Activities in Arequipa

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

  • Arequipa Tasting Tour: $8.00
  • Campiña Tour in Arequipa and Quick View to the Viewpoints 4 hours: $10
  • 4-hour tour to the Sillar Route in Arequipa: $10
  • Small-Group Arequipa Countryside Tour Including La Mansion del Fundador -Mirabus: $15
  • Tour por la Ruta del Sillar, el Origen de Arequipa: $16
  • Countryside Tour Arequipa: $18
  • From Panoramic Tour of Arequipa: $20
  • From Sillar Route Tour || Half Day ||: $20
  • From Sillar Route - Half Day Tour: $20
  • City tour with panoramic bus: $20
  • The Sillar Route Day Tour: $22
  • Tour Colca Full Day Promotional Price: $22

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Isla Mujeres $25
    Arequipa $16

Sample the Local Flavors in Isla Mujeres

Also in Isla Mujeres, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Isla Mujeres Golf Cart Bar Crawl : $175

Typical Alcohol Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Beer
    $2.44

Sample the Local Flavors in Arequipa

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Arequipa:

  • Pub Crawl Tour in Arequipa with VIP Access.: $25
  • From Pisco and wine tour through the Majes Valley: $50
  • Pub Crawl Tour in Arequipa with Drinks and VIP Access.: $60


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Isla Mujeres and Arequipa, we can see that Isla Mujeres is more expensive. And not only is Arequipa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Isla Mujeres is in North America and Arequipa 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 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 Isla Mujeres would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Isla Mujeres 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 Isla Mujeres Expensive? and Is Arequipa Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Isla Mujeres or Arequipa?

Arequipa has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Isla Mujeres. When comparing the sizes of Isla Mujeres 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.