A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Liberia vs. Iquique for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Liberia or Iquique?

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 Iquique. 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 Iquique?

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.

Iquique

Located in a golden crescent of coastline, the beautiful beach city with an ocean that's several shades of blue and a historic centre that offers the perfect balance of culture and relaxation is counted among Chile's premier beach resorts. The city is home to the duty free zone called "Zofri" and a growing number of high rise resort hotels along its beaches. Slightly more expensive and polluted than neighboring population centers, such as Arica, Iquique and its chaotic duty-free shopping zone (zona franca) have become the perfect summer holiday destination for Chilean families.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Iquique or Liberia?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Liberia is $128, while the average daily cost in Iquique 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 Liberia and Iquique in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Liberia $60
    Iquique $43
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Liberia $120
    Iquique $86
Compare Hotels in Liberia and Iquique

Looking for a hotel in Liberia or Iquique? 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 Liberia


Hotels in Iquique


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.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Liberia $43
    Iquique $23
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Liberia

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


  • Bike Rental
    $25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Liberia

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Liberia:

  • Round Trip Transfer Liberia Airport (LIR) to Dreams Las Mareas Hotel: $295
  • Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Dreams Las Mareas: $285
  • Private Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Monteverde / Jaco: $268
  • Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Playas del Coco and Playa Hermosa: $265
  • Private Transfer from Liberia Int Airport (LIR) to Quepos Port: $258
  • Private Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Arenal / La Fortuna : $253
  • Private Transfer Int. Airport Liberia To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $249
  • Private Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Samara: $232
  • Private Transfer from Liberia Int Airport LIR to La Fortuna area: $220
  • Liberia Airport to Hotels Round Trip Private Transfers: $220
  • Liberia Airport (LIR) to Playa Grande Round-Trip Private Transfer: $214
  • Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Rio Perdido Resort: $210

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Iquique

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

  • Sandboard activity in Iquique with transfer: $75

Is it cheaper to fly into Liberia or Iquique?

Prices for flights to both Iquique 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Liberia $36
    Iquique $59
Typical Food Prices in Liberia

Some typical examples of dining costs in Liberia are as follows:


  • Snacks
    $1.97
  • Lunch at The Shack (for 1)
    $4.94
  • Lunch
    $11
  • Coffee & Tres Leches (for 2)
    $14
  • Ginger Ale
    $1.28

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Liberia $25
    Iquique $27

Tours and Activities in Liberia

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Liberia are as follows:

  • Birdwatching Experience private tour : $300
  • 2 Hour ATV Experience From Guanacaste: $189
  • 2 Hour ATV Private Tour in Costa Rica: $81
  • 2 Hour Coffee & Chocolate Tour in Playas del Coco: $40
  • 3 Hour ATV Adventure Tour in El Jobo: $140
  • 3 In 1 Volcano Hot Springs & Mud Baths And River Floating Tour: $235
  • 4-Hour Private Guided ATV Tour in Costa Rica: $122
  • 5 Tours in 1 – The Ultimate Volcano Adventure!: $159
  • 7 Hour Private Tour in Palo Verde National Park with Pickup: $120
  • 8 Essential Guanacaste Experiences: culture, nature & wellness : $78
  • ATV Beach Tour: $125
  • ATV Tour 2hrs - Dreams Las Mareas: $135

Tours and Activities in Iquique

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

  • City tour of Iquique with navigation to the Esmeralda buoy: $55
  • City Tour in Iquique: $89
  • Pintados Geoglyphs, Humberstone and Salar Crespo tour: $145
  • Red Lagoon Tour: $639

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Liberia $13
    Iquique $20


When comparing the travel costs between Liberia and Iquique, we can see that Liberia is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Liberia is in Central America and Iquique is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Liberia Expensive? and Is Iquique Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Liberia or Iquique?

Iquique has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Liberia. When comparing the sizes of Liberia and Iquique, 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.