Which place is cheaper, Iquique or La Serena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Serena or Iquique?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between La Serena and Iquique can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: La Serena or Iquique?
La Serena
La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!
Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Serena $87Iquique $96
The average daily cost (per person) in La Serena is $87, while the average daily cost in Iquique is $96. 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 Serena and Iquique in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Serena $42Iquique $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Serena $84Iquique $86
Compare Hotels in La Serena and Iquique
Looking for a hotel in La Serena or Iquique? 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 Serena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Serena $20Iquique $23
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
Is it cheaper to fly into La Serena or Iquique?
Prices for flights to both Iquique and La Serena 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 Serena $27Iquique $34
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Serena $24Iquique $27
Tours and Activities in La Serena
For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Tour to the internationally renowned Pangue Observatory: $139
- Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $140
- Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $85
- Elqui Valley Grand-Tour: $189
- Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $120
- Elqui Valley and Vicuña Private Tour Including Lunch: $183
- Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
- Full Day History and Flavors Tour in the Elqui Valley: $50
- La Serena & Coquimbo City Tour - Short excursion for cruise ships: $128
- La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
- La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
- La Serena and Coquimbo Private City Tour Including Lunch, Shore Excursion: $194
Tours and Activities in Iquique
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Iquique.
- City Tour in Iquique: $89
- City tour of Iquique with navigation to the Esmeralda buoy: $50
- Guided City Tour with Boat Trip to Esmeralda Buoy: $60
- Pintados Geoglyphs, Humberstone and Salar Crespo tour: $145
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Serena $22Iquique $20
When comparing the travel costs between La Serena and Iquique, we can see that Iquique is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is La Serena Expensive? and Is Iquique Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Serena or Iquique?
Iquique has a larger population, and is about 47% larger than the population of La Serena. When comparing the sizes of La Serena and Iquique, 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.