Which place is cheaper, Arequipa or Liberia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Liberia or Arequipa?
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 Liberia and Arequipa. 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: Liberia or Arequipa?
Liberia
Liberia is a town in northwestern Costa Rica. It is the capital of the Guanacaste province, which is about 140 miles away from Costa Rica's capital, San Jose. The town has a population of about 56,000 and is one of the tourism centers of the country.
Arequipa
Sitting in the middle of the Misti, Chachani and PichuPichu volcanoes of Peru is the enchanting city of Arequipa. With 468 years of history, the city is full of Spanish colonial architecture. Known to locals as the "white city," the city center, Plaza de Armas, is quite the sight with buildings of sillar white stone made from the rocks of the surrounding volcanoes.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLiberia $112Arequipa $47
The average daily cost (per person) in Liberia is $112, while the average daily cost in Arequipa is $47. 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 Liberia and Arequipa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLiberia $60Arequipa $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLiberia $120Arequipa $46
Compare Hotels in Liberia and Arequipa
Looking for a hotel in Liberia or Arequipa? 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: Liberia Hotel Prices and Arequipa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Liberia $43Arequipa $6.02
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Liberia
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Liberia are as follows:
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Bike Rental$25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Liberia
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Liberia:
- Airport transfer Liberia from and to Tamarindo (One way) : $113
- Costa Rica Private Airport Transfer : $6.00
- Departure Private Transfer Arenal to San Jose Airport by Minivan: $177
- Direct Transfer Liberia Airport to Guanacaste Hotels: $35
- GUANACASTE COSTA RICA Airport Transfers | Shuttle Service: $62
- Guanacaste Airport Transfer to Playa Tamarindo: $105
- Guanacaste Airport: Transfer to/from Papagayo Hyatt Hotel: $76
- Liberia Airport (LIR) Peñas Blancas - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $76
- Liberia Airport (LIR) to Flamingo/Tamarindo - Round-Trip Transfer: $76
- Liberia Airport (LIR) to Jaco / Monteverde - Round-Trip Transfer : $179
- Liberia Airport (LIR) to Jaco/Monteverde Arrival Private Transfer: $89
- Liberia Airport (LIR) to Peñas Blancas - Arrival Private Transfer: $38
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arequipa
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arequipa are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$1.36
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Bus Ride$0.43
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Taxi Ride$0.95
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arequipa
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Arequipa:
- Arequipa Airport Departure Transfer: $13
- Arequipa Airport Arrival Transfer: $13
- Private Transfer from Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón Airport to Hotel: $20
- Arequipa Bus Station Arrival Transfer : $25
- Arequipa Airport Private Transfer: $25
- Airport private transfer to/from the city center: $26
- 1-Way Airport Private Transfer: $31
- Sihanouk Ville Airport Pickup or Transfer Private Car: $32
- Private Transfer from Arequipa to Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón (AQP) Airport : $35
- Transfer Between Arequipa's Airport and Hotels: $35
- Koh Lanta any hotel to Krabi airport Private transfer: $71
- From 2-Day Colca Canyon Tour with Transfer to Puno: $98
Is it cheaper to fly into Liberia or Arequipa?
Prices for flights to both Arequipa and Liberia 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 dayLiberia $21Arequipa $14
Typical Food Prices in Liberia
Some typical examples of dining costs in Liberia are as follows:
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Snacks$1.97
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Lunch at The Shack (for 1)$4.95
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Lunch$11
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Coffee & Tres Leches (for 2)$14
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Ginger Ale$1.28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Liberia
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Liberia.
- 2-Hour Cooking Class in Nosara : $65
- Private Local Cooking Class in Nosara: $85
- Private Sunset Dinner at the Beach with Chef : $190
Typical Food Prices in Arequipa
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Arequipa:
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Coke$0.41
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Lunch$2.85
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Ice Cream$1.09
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Fruit$0.81
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Ice Cream$0.95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arequipa
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Arequipa.
- Skip the Line: Dinner and Typical Dances Show Ticket: $25
- Peruvian Cooking Experience in Arequipa: $34
- Peruvian Cooking Class: $48
- Peruvian Cooking Class: $48
- Peruvian Cooking Class in arequipa: $50
- Guided Food Tour in Arequipa City: $69
- 3-hour guided food tour / 5 iconic restaurants of Arequipa: $72
- A 3-hour Guided Food Tour with 4 Iconic Restaurants of Arequipa: $79
- Arequipa Food Tour: Ancestral Cuisine & City Tour: $85
- Peruvian cooking experience, pisco sour and visit local market: $95
- Peruvian cooking class + PiscoSour class + visit the local market: $95
- Food Tour Experience: $115
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Liberia $25Arequipa $18
Tours and Activities in Liberia
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Liberia are as follows:
- (Private) La Leona Waterfall Adventure Hike: $41
- La Leona Waterfall: Private tour in Rincon de la Vieja!: $43
- Night Tour in Nuevo Arenal: $43
- Bird-Watching and Wildlife Tour: $43
- La Leona waterfall adventure hike half day : $45
- La Leona Waterfall Adventure Hike (Private Tour): $45
- Skip the Line: Diamante Eco Adventure Park: Animal Sanctuary Discovery Ticket: $49
- Zip-line Adventure: $53
- Horseback Riding Tour: $59
- Rincón de la Vieja Bird-Watching Tour: $62
- Zipline at Skyline Canopy Tour Guanacaste Costa Rica: $65
- From Tubing Adventure at Rio Negro: $65
Typical Entertainment Prices in Arequipa
Here are a few typical costs in Arequipa for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Monastery Entry$2.71
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Salsa Class$2.71
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Movie Ticket$2.96
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Hot Springs$2.71
Tours and Activities in Arequipa
Here are a few actual costs in Arequipa for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Arequipa Tasting Tour: $8.00
- Campiña Tour in Arequipa and Quick View to the Viewpoints 4 hours: $10
- 4-hour tour to the Sillar Route in Arequipa: $10
- Small-Group Arequipa Countryside Tour Including La Mansion del Fundador -Mirabus: $15
- Tour por la Ruta del Sillar, el Origen de Arequipa: $16
- Countryside Tour Arequipa: $18
- From Panoramic Tour of Arequipa: $20
- From Sillar Route Tour || Half Day ||: $20
- From Sillar Route - Half Day Tour: $20
- City tour with panoramic bus: $20
- The Sillar Route Day Tour: $22
- Tour Colca Full Day Promotional Price: $22
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLiberia $13Arequipa $16
Typical Alcohol Prices in Arequipa
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Arequipa are as follows:
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Beer$2.44
Sample the Local Flavors in Arequipa
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Arequipa:
- Pub Crawl Tour in Arequipa with VIP Access.: $25
- From Pisco and wine tour through the Majes Valley: $50
- Pub Crawl Tour in Arequipa with Drinks and VIP Access.: $60
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Liberia and Arequipa, we can see that Liberia is more expensive. And not only is Arequipa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Liberia is in Central America and Arequipa is in South 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 Arequipa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Arequipa 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 Liberia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Liberia than you might in Arequipa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Liberia Expensive? and Is Arequipa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Liberia or Arequipa?
Arequipa has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Liberia. When comparing the sizes of Liberia and Arequipa, 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.