Which place is cheaper, Lima or La Paz?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit La Paz or Lima?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between La Paz and Lima can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: La Paz or Lima?
La Paz
La Paz, the administrative capital of Bolivia, has a breathtaking setting. The city is the highest national capital in the world, with an altitude ranging from about 4,058 m (13,313 ft) above sea level in El Alto, where the airport is located, to 3,100 m (10,170 ft) in the lower residential area. The dynamic and chaotic city was built in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River. La Paz is now a fusion of architectural styles, cultures and beliefs, welcoming everyday new boutique hotels, modern shops, delicious restaurants and reinventing standing establishments. However, generally speaking, Bolivia remains more a backpacker hit than a mainstream tourist destination.
Lima
Lima, the capital city of Peru, is likely to be your point of entry for the country. Lima was founded in 1535 and was the seat of the Spanish rule for 300 years. It's a surprisingly modern city despite its rich history, but many beautiful churches and colonial architecture remain today. There are also large slum areas that highlight the poverty that exists in the city. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area have a population of about 8.5 million people, many of whom came from the Andes Mountains in search of work. Unfortunately the work opportunities are limited and the poverty is obvious as you arrive in Lima.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Bolivia, The Best Budget Tours to Bolivia, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Peru, and The Best Adventure Tours to Peru.
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La Paz Prices
Bolivia PricesLima Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Paz $57Lima $97
The average daily cost (per person) in La Paz is $57, while the average daily cost in Lima is $97. 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 La Paz and Lima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Paz $16Lima $53
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Paz $32Lima $106
Compare Hotels in La Paz and Lima
Looking for a hotel in La Paz or Lima? 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: La Paz Hotel Prices and Lima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Paz $9.46Lima $6.21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in La Paz
Some typical examples of transportation costs in La Paz are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$0.58
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Paz
Also for La Paz, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transfer Out_day: $25
- Bus Station Transfer Out_night: $25
- Bus Station Transfer In_day: $25
- One-Way Private Transfer from La Paz Hotels to Airport: $27
- Private Transfer from El Alto Airport to La Paz, Bolivia Hotels: $28
- Private Transfer From Airport to Hotel in La Paz City: $30
- Private Departure Transfer: La Paz Hotels to El Alto International Airport: $37
- Private Transfer La Paz Airport LPB to La Paz City By Van or Suv: $38
- Private Transfer from your Hotel to Airport in La Paz City: $54
- Private Transfer From Bus Station to your Hotel in La Paz City: $54
- Private Transfer From Bus Station to Hotel in La Paz City: $68
- Private Transfer from Airport to your Hotel in La Paz City: $77
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$5.88
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Taxi Ride$5.88
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Short Taxi Ride$4.41
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Lima HTL-APT (LIM): $34
- Transfer: Lima City Center to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $14
- Transfer: Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Lima City Center: $15
- Transfer in Private Van from the Airport to Hotels in Lima: $60
- Transfer from the Airport to the Hotel or Hotel-Airport!!: $15
- Transfer from the Airport to hotels in Lima: $30
- Transfer by official taxi from Jorge Chávez Lima Airport: $35
- Transfer To Lima Airport: $20
- Tour Night Magic Water Park and Ravine with Transfer: $49
- Tour Magic Water Park in Lima with Small Group Transfer: $38
- Taxi transfers from and to the Lima Airport and Paracas Ica: $15
- Round Trip Transfer from and to the Airport in Miraflores/Barranco/Sani: $41
Is it cheaper to fly into La Paz or Lima?
Prices for flights to both Lima and La Paz 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 dayLa Paz $29Lima $33
Typical Food Prices in La Paz
For La Paz, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Fruit$0.72
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Paz
For La Paz, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bolivian Cooking Class: $28
- Learn Bolivian Cuisine/Cooking Class: $40
- La Paz : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $76
- Real Street Food Tour La Paz: $100
- Sabor Clandestino Sensory Dinner Experience in La Paz: $170
Typical Food Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two$4.71
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Ice cream$3.82
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Coffee$3.24
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Donut$1.03
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.
- Lima Street Food Tour: Taste Authentic Peruvian Delights: $45
- Dinner at Mangos Larcomar Restaurant: $48
- Lima Street Food Tour: Markets & Local Life: $50
- Peruvian Cooking Class with Chef Lucia Dabdoub: $50
- Private Cooking Class in Causa & Lomo Saltado: $50
- Food Tour and Market Experience: 12 Peruvian Snacks: $50
- Private Guided Walking Street Food Tour in Lima: $55
- Lima Market Tour & Ceviche Cooking Class with Pisco Sour: $59
- #1 Rated Lima Cooking Class: Make Ceviche, Causa & Pisco Sours!: $59
- Lima Market Food Tour: $65
- Dinner at the Huaca Pucllana Restaurant: $67
- Lima Food Tour - Prepare your Anticuchos and Pisco Sour: $69
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Paz $16Lima $9.39
Tours and Activities in La Paz
For La Paz, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- La Paz City Walking Tour Including Historical Streets: $5.00
- Be a Local - La Paz Walking Tour: $8.00
- City Walking Tour in La Paz: $8.00
- La Paz Walking City tour plus Cable cars: $10
- City Tour plus Cable Car La Paz: $10
- Walking and Cable Car City Tour; Urban Experience: $14
- Walking tour La Paz city: $14
- Private Sunset Tour in La Paz: $15
- Half Day Guided Tour in El Alto City: $19
- El Alto Tour: Andean Spirituality, the Chola, and Cable Car Views: $20
- Live Virtual City Tour - La Paz: $20
- Cable Car, Cementery, Shaman and El Alto Adventure in La Paz: $22
Typical Entertainment Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lima are as follows:
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Entrance to Museo Larco (for 2)$18
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Movie Tickets$2.50
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
- 1 day tour in Ica Peru: $200
- 2 Day Tour from Nazca Lines Flight, Paracas, and Huacachina: $265
- 2 Day Tour from Paracas, Ballestas Island and Huacachina: $149
- 2 Day Tour from Paracas, Huacachina, and Pisco Vineyard: $149
- 2 Days 1 Night Paracas Ica Tour from Lima: $150
- 2 Days 1 Night Tour of Paracas Huacachina & flight to Nazca Lines: $272
- 3 Day Tour from Nazca Lines Flight, Paracas, and Huacachina: $289
- 3 Days Tour of Paracas Huacachina and Nazca: $275
- 3 Days Tour: Paracas and Huacachina: $155
- 3 Hours Walking Tour of Lima Old Town and Catacumbs: $59
- 4 Day Tour from Nazca Lines Flight, Paracas, and Huacachina: $299
- 8-Hour Private Tour Lima Viceroyalty and Gold Museum with Lunch: $120
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Paz $11Lima $6.10
Typical Alcohol Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Lima are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$7.91
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Beer$4.41
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Cocktail$3.53
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
- Free Pub Crawl: $5.00
- Lima Pub Crawl - Party tour: Friday Barranco/Saturday miraflores: $22
- Bar Crawl Night Tour in Miraflores: $38
- Lima Nightlife Tour & Society – Cultural Pub Crawl: $50
- From Paracas & Huacachina & Wine Tasting: $135
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Paz and Lima, we can see that Lima is more expensive. And not only is La Paz much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to La Paz would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Paz 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 Lima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lima than you might in La Paz.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is La Paz Expensive? and Is Lima Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Paz or Lima?
Lima has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of La Paz. When comparing the sizes of La Paz and Lima, 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.
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.