Which place is cheaper, La Paz or La Serena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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 is the capital of Baja California Sur, Mexico. It has a population of about 215,000 people and is a significant commercial center for the region. The city has a good economy and a high standard of living when compared to much of Mexico. Much of the economy is focused on eco-tourism and there are many protected marine environments in the area.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, The Best Budget Tours to Mexico, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Serena $87La Paz $118
The average daily cost (per person) in La Serena is $87, while the average daily cost in La Paz is $118. 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
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Serena $42La Paz $52
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Serena $84La Paz $104
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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Serena $20La Paz $22
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Paz
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Paz:
- Private Transfer from La Paz to Cabo San Lucas: $240
- Roundtrip Transfer to La Paz International Airport: $73
- La Paz Int. Airport (LAP): Private Transfer to La Paz hotels: $174
- La Paz Airport: Private Roundtrip Transfer to La Ventan: $259
- La Paz Airport to Costa Baja Private Roundtrip Transfer: $89
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
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Food Meals for one dayLa Serena $27La Paz $38
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Paz
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Paz.
- 4 Hours of Guided La Paz Street Food Tour: $81
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Serena $24La Paz $13
Tours and Activities in La Serena
For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full Day History and Flavors Tour in the Elqui Valley: $50
- La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
- La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
- Full day Tour to Elqui Valley : $80
- Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $85
- Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $120
- La Serena & Coquimbo City Tour - Short excursion for cruise ships: $128
- Tour to the internationally renowned Pangue Observatory: $139
- Tour to Valle del Encanto Archeology, Petroglyphs, Flora, Fauna and Springs: $140
- Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $140
- Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
- Elqui Valley and Vicuña Private Tour Including Lunch: $183
Tours and Activities in La Paz
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Paz are as follows:
- 1 Day Espiritu Santo Island Wonders, Sea Lions and Paddleboard Adventure : $249
- 3 Hour La Paz Whale Shark Snorkeling Experience: $244
- Adventure to Espiritu Santo Island: Snorkel with Sea Lions and Beach: $131
- Balandra & San Rafaelito: Sightseeing & Snorkelling: $135
- Balandra Beach and City Tour: $128
- Balandra Snorkel & Sea Lion Adventure: $135
- Can-Am X3 Turbo Adventure: Cabo Desert Trails & Beach Ride: $291
- City Tour & Beaches from La Paz: $91
- Cruise Date Delight! Swim with Sea Lions! Apr-02: $186
- Espíritu Santo Island snorkel and sightseeing tour on Small Group: $167
- Espiritu Santo Island Day Tour: $170
- Espiritu Santo Island Snorkel & Sea Lion Adventure: $145
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Serena $22La Paz $12
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Serena and La Paz, we can see that La Paz is more expensive. And not only is La Serena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Serena is in South America and La Paz is in North 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 La Serena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Serena 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 Paz would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Paz than you might in La Serena.
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 11% 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.
When is the best time to visit La Serena or La Paz?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. La Serena is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but La Paz has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit La Serena or La Paz in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to La Serena as well as La Paz. Additionally, many visitors come to La Paz in the summer for the beaches, snorkeling, and the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, La Serena is much colder than La Paz. Typically, the summer temperatures in La Serena in January average around 18°C (64°F), and La Paz averages at about 30°C (86°F)in July.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in La Paz. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in La Serena this time of the year. In the summer, La Serena often gets less sunshine than La Pazin July. La Serena gets 247 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Paz receives 287 hours of full sun.
La Serena usually gets less rain in January than La Pazin July. La Serena gets 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while La Paz receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyLa Serena 18°C (64°F)La Paz 30°C (86°F)
Should I visit La Serena or La Paz in the Autumn?
Both La Paz and La Serena are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Also, most visitors come to La Paz for the shopping scene during these months.
In April, La Serena is generally much colder than La Pazin October. Daily temperatures in La Serena average around 15°C (59°F), and La Paz fluctuates around 27°C (80°F).
It's quite sunny in La Paz. La Serena usually receives less sunshine than La Paz during autumn. La Serena gets 159 hours of sunny skies, while La Paz receives 272 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In April, La Serena usually receives less rain than La Pazin October. La Serena gets 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while La Paz receives 13 mm (0.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberLa Serena 15°C (59°F)La Paz 27°C (80°F)
Should I visit La Serena or La Paz in the Winter?
Both La Paz and La Serena during the winter are popular places to visit. Also, the winter months attract visitors to La Paz because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
La Serena is much colder than La Paz in the winter. The daily temperature in La Serena averages around 12°C (54°F) in July, and La Paz fluctuates around 18°C (65°F)in January.
In La Paz, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, La Serena often gets less sunshine than La Pazin January. La Serena gets 160 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Paz receives 200 hours of full sun.
La Serena usually gets less rain in July than La Pazin January. La Serena gets 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while La Paz receives 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryLa Serena 12°C (54°F)La Paz 18°C (65°F)
Should I visit La Serena or La Paz in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both La Serena and La Paz. Also, the beaches are the main draw to La Paz this time of year.
In the spring, La Serena is much colder than La Paz. Typically, the spring temperatures in La Serena in October average around 14°C (57°F), and La Paz averages at about 23°C (73°F)in April.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in La Paz this time of the year. La Serena usually receives less sunshine than La Paz during spring. La Serena gets 190 hours of sunny skies, while La Paz receives 292 hours of full sun in the spring.
In October, La Serena usually receives more rain than La Pazin April. La Serena gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while La Paz receives 1 mm (0 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilLa Serena 14°C (57°F)La Paz 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for La Paz and La Serena
| La Serena | La Paz | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 18°C (64°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 18°C (65°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 18°C (64°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Mar | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 20°C (69°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (59°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 1 mm (0 in) |
| May | 13°C (55°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 1 mm (0 in) |
| Jun | 12°C (54°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 1 mm (0 in) |
| Jul | 12°C (54°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 30°C (86°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Aug | 12°C (54°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 30°C (87°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Sep | 13°C (55°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 30°C (85°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Oct | 14°C (57°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 13 mm (0.5 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Dec | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 20°C (67°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) |
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.