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

Should you visit La Serena or Sucre?

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 Sucre can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: La Serena or Sucre?

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.

Sucre

Sucre is famous for its gorgeous town center and delightful climate, making it for many Bolivia's most beautiful city. Also considered the symbolic heart of the nation, 'La ciudad blanca' or the white city has preserved stunning whitewashed buildings sheltering pretty patios and other beauties of colonial architecture. The city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991 and is under strict controls on development. It offers many attractions including historic buildings and a renowned theatre, but you can also wander around prehistoric sites and discover indigenous culture in the surrounding towns and countryside.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, The Best 3-Day Tours from La Paz, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Bolivia.


Which place is cheaper, Sucre 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 Sucre is $44. 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 Sucre in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    La Serena $41
    Sucre $11
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    La Serena $82
    Sucre $22
Compare Hotels in La Serena and Sucre

Looking for a hotel in La Serena or Sucre? 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 Sucre


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 Sucre Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    La Serena $20
    Sucre $12

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Sucre

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


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.45

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sucre

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

  • Private transfer Sucre - Uyuni, stopover in Potosí Mines: $227

Is it cheaper to fly into La Serena or Sucre?

Prices for flights to both Sucre 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
    Sucre $18

Typical Food Prices in Sucre

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Sucre:


  • Dinner
    $4.51
  • Juice
    $0.87
  • Juice
    $1.02
  • Chocolate
    $1.74
  • Cappuccino
    $4.36

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sucre

For Sucre, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Traditional Bolivian Cooking Class w/ Cocktail Making by La Boca del Sapo, Sucre: $40

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    La Serena $23
    Sucre $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
  • Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $89
  • 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 Sucre

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sucre.

  • 2-Day Icla Canyon Tour from Sucre: $87
  • From Tour in English Uyuni salt flat tour 2 Days: $150
  • From Uyuni salt flat tour 2 days 1 night: $125
  • Guided Walking Tour in Sucre: $20
  • Hiking Tour in El Palmar from Sucre Bolivia: $250
  • JATUN YAMPARA - Agro-artisan Indigenous Nucleus -Full Day Tours + Lunch: $79
  • JATUN YAMPARA - Nucleo Indigena, Agroartesanal - Half Day Tours: $58
  • Private Cultural Tour in Sucre with Visit to 3 Museums: $44
  • Private Half Day Tour: Sucre Walking Tour with Hotel Pick up: $67
  • Sucre - Walking City Tour - Half Day - English Speaking guide: $64
  • City Tour & Museums - Private Service: $106
  • Uyuni Salt Flat 1 Day Tour +Sunset in the Salt Water Region with Mirror Effect: $50

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    La Serena $22
    Sucre $13


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Serena and Sucre, we can see that La Serena is more expensive. And not only is Sucre much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sucre would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sucre 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 Sucre.

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 Sucre Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, La Serena or Sucre?

Sucre has a larger population, and is about 46% larger than the population of La Serena. When comparing the sizes of La Serena and Sucre, 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.