Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Tamarindo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Lake Titicaca (Puno) and Tamarindo. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Tamarindo?
Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Lake Titicaca, which directly translates to "puma stone" in Quechua, is located high in the Andes Mountains straddling Peru and Bolivia, with about 60% of the lake in Peru and 40% in Bolivia. Among the lake are three main islands, the most popular of which are the Uros Islands, also known as the floating islands, where the Uros people live on totora reeds that grow in the lake.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is a small beach town in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica on the Pacific Coast. This town is usually sought out by surfers, fishers, couples, and families. There are delicious restaurants, beautiful beaches, and friendly Tico's and Tica's (local Costa Rican nicknames) everywhere.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Photography Tours in Peru, The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru, The Best Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLake Titicaca (Puno) $55Tamarindo $121
The average daily cost (per person) in Lake Titicaca (Puno) is $55, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $121. 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) and Tamarindo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLake Titicaca (Puno) $26Tamarindo $50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLake Titicaca (Puno) $52Tamarindo $100
Compare Hotels in Lake Titicaca (Puno) and Tamarindo
Looking for a hotel in Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Tamarindo? 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: Lake Titicaca (Puno) Hotel Prices and Tamarindo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lake Titicaca (Puno) $11Tamarindo $69
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno):
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Taxi$0.81
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno):
- Puno Airport Shared Transfer: $20
- Private Transfer from Hotel Puno to Puerto de Puno: $21
- Private Transfer from Puerto de Puno to Hotel Puno: $21
- Puno Airport Private Transfer: $44
- Private Transfer from Puno to Desaguadero: $193
- Private Transfer from Puno to Frontera Kasani: $202
- Direct Private Transfer From Puno to Cusco, English Local Speaking Driver: $205
- Private Transfer From Puno to Chivay, English Speaking Driver: $209
- Private Transfer From Puno to Cusco With 2 Stops: $249
- Private Transfer From Puno to Oruro With a Stop in Lake Titicaca: $285
- Private Transfer From Puno to Chivay With a 2 Hour Stop: $296
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport to Hotel Riu Guanacaste: $15
- Private Transfer from Liberia/Tamarindo Guanacaste Airport: $20
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Luna Llena Hotel Tamarindo: $20
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Tamarindo Beach: $20
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport to Selina Tamarindo: $21
- Private or VIP Transfer: Liberia Airport to Westin/Tamarindo: $22
- Playa Grande to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $31
- Flamingo/Tamarindo to Liberia Airport(LIR)- Departure Transfer: $38
- Liberia Airport To Tamarindo Private Transfer: $55
- From Hotel Transfer to Liberia Guanacaste Airport: $62
- Monteverde: Transfer to Tamarindo: $65
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to RIU Guanacaste Hotel: $70
Is it cheaper to fly into Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Tamarindo?
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo and Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 dayLake Titicaca (Puno) $15Tamarindo $32
Typical Food Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:
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Tamales$1.49
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tamarindo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tamarindo.
- Online Class on Zoom: Cooking Costa Rica Homemade Food: $35
- Traditional Cooking Class In Tamarindo: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lake Titicaca (Puno) $29Tamarindo $17
Tours and Activities in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:
- Half Day Tour to Sillustani from Puno : $22
- Sillustani / 4-hour tour from Puno: $25
- Morning: Uros Floating Islands Tour from Puno: $25
- Half Day Tour in Sillustani: $26
- 3h Boat Tour to Uros Island from Puno: $38
- Full Day Tour Uros and Taquile (Speed Boat): $40
- Full Day Guided Tour of the Aymara Route from Puno: $40
- Tour to Uros and Taquile Islands in a Fast Boat: $40
- Lake Titicaca Day Tour from Puno: $44
- Uros and Taquile Islands Full Day Tour with lunch: $49
- Full Day Tour Of Lake Titicaca And Uros & Taquile - A.m: $50
- Full Day Lake Titicaca Tour to Uros and Taquile Islands: $52
Tours and Activities in Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
- Costa Rica: tour in electric car (only best view locations): $2.00
- Sea turtle watching tour near playa grande: $44
- Tamarindo Estuary Tour: $44
- Night Turtle Nesting Tour from Tamarindo: $46
- Tamarindo Birdwatching Crocodiles and Monkey Tour: $50
- ATV Beach and Mountain Tour!: $62
- Tamarindo Estuary: Howler Monkey Mangrove Kayaking Tour: $65
- Hiking Tour of La Leona Waterfall with Lunch: $65
- ATV and UTV Beach Tour from Tamarindo, Flamingo and Conchal Beach: $67
- ATV Tour through the Flamingo Potrero and Brasilito Area: $70
- Zipline Canopy Tour from Guanacaste: $70
- Tamarindo Kayaking Tour with Snorkeling at Captain Island: $75
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLake Titicaca (Puno) $13Tamarindo $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lake Titicaca (Puno) and Tamarindo, we can see that Tamarindo is more expensive. And not only is Lake Titicaca (Puno) much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Lake Titicaca (Puno) is in South America and Tamarindo is in Central 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 Tamarindo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tamarindo than you might in Lake Titicaca (Puno).
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lake Titicaca (Puno) Expensive? and Is Tamarindo Expensive?.
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.