A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers La Serena vs. La Paz for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit La Serena or La Paz?

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 La Paz can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: La Serena or La Paz?

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.

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.

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 Bolivia, and The Best Budget Tours to Bolivia.


Which place is cheaper, La Paz or La Serena?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in La Serena is $85, while the average daily cost in La Paz is $45. 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 La Paz in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    La Serena $41
    La Paz $16
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    La Serena $82
    La Paz $32
Compare Hotels in La Serena and La Paz

Looking for a hotel in La Serena or La Paz? 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 La Serena


Hotels in La Paz


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 and La Paz Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    La Serena $20
    La Paz $9.51

Typical Local Transportation Prices in La Paz

Some typical examples of transportation costs in La Paz are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $0.58

Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Paz

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

  • Transfer in Private Minivan from La Paz Airport (LPB) - La Paz City: $27
  • Roundtrip Transfer Private Vehicle La Paz Airport (LPB) - La Paz City: $43
  • Roundtrip Transfer Private Minivan La Paz Airport (LPB) - La Paz City: $55
  • Private transfer 24/7 El Alto Airport - Hotels La Paz: $28
  • Private Transfer from your Hotel to Airport in La Paz City : $54
  • Private Transfer from La Paz to Uyuni.: $295
  • Private Transfer from Airport to your Hotel in La Paz City : $77
  • Private Transfer from Airport to your Hotel in La Paz City : $54
  • Private Transfer La Paz Airport LPB to La Paz City by MiniVan/Bus: $28
  • Private Transfer From Hotel to Bus Station in La Paz City : $52
  • Private Transfer From Hotel to Airport in La Paz City : $68
  • Private Transfer From Bus Station to your Hotel in La Paz City : $54

Is it cheaper to fly into La Serena or La Paz?

Prices for flights to both La Paz 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    La Serena $26
    La Paz $17

Typical Food Prices in La Paz

For La Paz, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Fruit
    $0.73

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:

  • La Paz Food Tour + Cable Car Cultural City tour: $45

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    La Serena $23
    La Paz $16

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
  • Daily tour to go Whale Watching all inclusive: $130
  • Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $135
  • 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

Tours and Activities in La Paz

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

  • From Private Tour to Tiwanaku Ruins and Puma Punku.: $173
  • 2-Day Private Lake Titicaca and Sun Island Tour from La Paz: $520
  • 2-day Private Guided Tour in Uyuni and La Paz: $240
  • 3 Day Death Road + Uyuni Salt Flats Tour From La Paz City: $280
  • Be a Local - La Paz Walking Tour: $8.00
  • Bicycle Tour on Death Road: $77
  • Chacaltaya 5,435m & Valle De Luna. 2 For 1 Special Tour.: $30
  • Cholet Tour - Andean Architecture and Culture - El Alto: $26
  • City Tour plus Cable Car La Paz: $10
  • City Tour with Drone!: $204
  • City Walking Tour in La Paz: $8.00
  • Copacabana - Lake Titicaca & Isla del Sol. Full Day. PRIVATE TOUR MINIMUM 2 PPL: $120

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    La Serena $22
    La Paz $11

Sample the Local Flavors in La Paz

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in La Paz:

  • Cultural Pub Crawl La Paz Nightlife Tour : $50


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Serena and La Paz, we can see that La Serena 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 La Serena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Serena 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 Serena Expensive? and Is La Paz Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, La Serena or La Paz?

La Paz has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of La Serena. When comparing the sizes of La Serena and La Paz, 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.