Which place is cheaper, Iquique or Liberia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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 Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLiberia $112Iquique $96
The average daily cost (per person) in Liberia is $112, while the average daily cost in Iquique is $96. 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
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLiberia $60Iquique $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLiberia $120Iquique $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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Liberia $43Iquique $23
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:
- Transfer Dreams Las Mareas from Airports ROUND TRIP: $300
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Santa Teresa: $300
- Punta Islita Hotel to/from Liberia Airport - Shuttle & Transfers Service: $279
- Liberia Airport (LIR)to Malpais / Montezuma - Raund-Trip Transfer: $272
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Nosara: $250
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport To Dreams Las Mareas: $245
- One-Way Private Transfer from Liberia Guanacaste Airport to La Fortuna (Arenal): $241
- Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Dreams Las Mareas, Costa Rica: $240
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Arenal / La Fortuna : $232
- Transfers Tamarindo Diria or Occidental Tamarindo, Round Trip.: $230
- Private Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Dreams Las Mareas - Costa Rica: $215
- Private Transfer Ato Lir - JW Marriott Standar: $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: $60
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
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Food Meals for one dayLiberia $21Iquique $34
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Liberia $25Iquique $27
Tours and Activities in Liberia
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Liberia are as follows:
- ATV Tour Guanacaste the Beach Excursion & Trail: $110
- Llanos de Cortez Safari and Waterfall Tour: $190
- Mega Combo Adventure: $195
- Nicaragua one day tour from Costa Rica, Discover it: $250
- (Private) La Leona Waterfall Adventure Hike: $41
- 2 Hour ATV Private Tour in Costa Rica: $81
- 2 In 1 Jet Sky & Buggy Private Tour: $300
- 2-Hours UTV Tour: $110
- 3 Hour ATV Adventure Tour in El Jobo: $130
- 4 Tours in 1 Action Package - Playa del Coco area: $170
- 5 in 1 sloth, Rainforest, waterfalls, hanging bridges, volcanic activity tour.: $285
- 6 Hours Guanacaste Cultural and Local Farm Experience: $77
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: $50
- Guided City Tour with Boat Trip to Esmeralda Buoy: $60
- City Tour in Iquique: $89
- Pintados Geoglyphs, Humberstone and Salar Crespo tour: $145
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLiberia $13Iquique $20
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Liberia and Iquique, we can see that Liberia is more expensive. And not only is Iquique much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Liberia is in Central America and Iquique 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 Iquique would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Iquique 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 Iquique.
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.
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.