Which place is cheaper, La Serena or Liberia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Liberia or La Serena?
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 La Serena. 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 La Serena?
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.
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.
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 $112La Serena $87
The average daily cost (per person) in Liberia is $112, while the average daily cost in La Serena is $87. 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 La Serena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLiberia $60La Serena $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLiberia $120La Serena $84
Compare Hotels in Liberia and La Serena
Looking for a hotel in Liberia or La Serena? 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 La Serena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Liberia $43La Serena $20
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:
- Transfers from Liberia Airport: $60
- Transfers Tamarindo Diria or Occidental Tamarindo, Round Trip.: $230
- Transfer from Playa Hermosa to Liberia Airport (LIR): $85
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Riu Guanacaste Hotel in Guanacaste: $85
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Planet Hollywood Beach Resort: $91
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to El Mangroove Hotel: $85
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Dreams Las Mareas Hotel: $149
- Transfer from El Mangroove Hotel to Liberia Airport (LIR): $94
- Transfer from Dreams Las Mareas Hotel to Liberia Airport (LIR): $148
- Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Dreams Las Mareas, Costa Rica: $240
- Transfer Riu Palace and Guanacaste Round-Trip: $160
- Transfer Liberia Airport to Planet Hollywood or Andaz Papagayo, ROUND TRIP.: $176
Is it cheaper to fly into Liberia or La Serena?
Prices for flights to both La Serena 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 $21La Serena $27
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 $25La Serena $24
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 La Serena
For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full Day History and Flavors Tour in the Elqui Valley: $50
- La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
- La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
- Full day Tour to Elqui Valley : $80
- Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $85
- Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $120
- La Serena & Coquimbo City Tour - Short excursion for cruise ships: $128
- Tour to the internationally renowned Pangue Observatory: $139
- Tour to Valle del Encanto Archeology, Petroglyphs, Flora, Fauna and Springs: $140
- Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $140
- Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
- Elqui Valley and Vicuña Private Tour Including Lunch: $183
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLiberia $13La Serena $22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Liberia and La Serena, we can see that Liberia is more expensive. And not only is La Serena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Liberia is in Central America and La Serena 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 La Serena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Serena 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 La Serena.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Liberia Expensive? and Is La Serena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Liberia or La Serena?
La Serena has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Liberia. When comparing the sizes of Liberia and La Serena, 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.
When is the best time to visit Liberia or La Serena?
La Serena has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Liberia experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Liberia or La Serena in the Summer?
Both La Serena and Liberia during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Liberia because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Liberia is much warmer than La Serena in the summer. The daily temperature in Liberia averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and La Serena fluctuates around 18°C (64°F)in January.
In La Serena, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Liberia often gets less sunshine than La Serenain January. Liberia gets 164 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 247 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Liberia. Liberia usually gets more rain in July than La Serenain January. Liberia gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryLiberia 28°C (82°F)La Serena 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Liberia or La Serena in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Liberia and La Serena. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Liberia year-round.
In the autumn, Liberia is much warmer than La Serena. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Liberia in October average around 27°C (81°F), and La Serena averages at about 15°C (59°F)in April.
Liberia usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as La Serena during autumn. Liberia gets 169 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 159 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Liberia gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Liberia usually receives more rain than La Serenain April. Liberia gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn. December to April in Liberia is the dry season. Also, April to December is the rainy season in Liberia.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilLiberia 27°C (81°F)La Serena 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit Liberia or La Serena in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Liberia as well as La Serena. Liberia attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In January, Liberia is generally much warmer than La Serenain July. Daily temperatures in Liberia average around 27°C (81°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Liberia this time of the year. In the winter, Liberia often gets more sunshine than La Serenain July. Liberia gets 264 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 160 hours of full sun.
Liberia usually gets more rain in January than La Serenain July. Liberia gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyLiberia 27°C (81°F)La Serena 12°C (54°F)
Should I visit Liberia or La Serena in the Spring?
Both La Serena and Liberia are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Liberia throughout the year.
Liberia is much warmer than La Serena in the spring. The daily temperature in Liberia averages around 29°C (85°F) in April, and La Serena fluctuates around 14°C (57°F)in October.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Liberia. Liberia usually receives more sunshine than La Serena during spring. Liberia gets 255 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 190 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Liberia usually receives more rain than La Serenain October. Liberia gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the spring. The dry season in Liberia is December to April. The rainy season in Liberia is April to December.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberLiberia 29°C (85°F)La Serena 14°C (57°F)
Typical Weather for La Serena and Liberia
| Liberia | La Serena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
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.