Which place is cheaper, Arequipa or Lima?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Lima 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 Lima 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: Lima or Arequipa?
Lima
Lima, the capital city of Peru, is likely to be your point of entry for the country. Lima was founded in 1535 and was the seat of the Spanish rule for 300 years. It's a surprisingly modern city despite its rich history, but many beautiful churches and colonial architecture remain today. There are also large slum areas that highlight the poverty that exists in the city. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area have a population of about 8.5 million people, many of whom came from the Andes Mountains in search of work. Unfortunately the work opportunities are limited and the poverty is obvious as you arrive in Lima.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Peru, The Best Adventure Tours to Peru, The Best Eco Tours in Peru, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLima $77Arequipa $47
The average daily cost (per person) in Lima is $77, 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 Lima and Arequipa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLima $49Arequipa $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLima $98Arequipa $46
Compare Hotels in Lima and Arequipa
Looking for a hotel in Lima 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: Lima Hotel Prices and Arequipa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lima $5.73Arequipa $6.02
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$5.43
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Taxi Ride$5.43
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Short Taxi Ride$4.07
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
- Airport Transfer Service in Lima: $95
- Assistance /Transfer Hotel - Airport Lima Airport : $40
- From The Larco Museum Complete Tour with transfers: $52
- J.Chavez Airport to Miraflores City Hotels- Round Trip Transfer: $41
- Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Lima - Arrival Private Transfer : $31
- Jorge Chavez International Airport: Private Transfer: $25
- Lima : Private transfer between airport to your destination: $29
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer for small groups: $79
- Lima Airport Transfers: Jorge Chavez Airport LIM to Lima City in Standard Van: $31
- Lima Airport Transfers: Lima City to Jorge Chavez Airport LIM in Standard Van: $31
- Lima Airport: BUS Transfer to/from Lima city center: $6.00
- Lima Airport: Bus Transfer to/from Miraflores: $5.63
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 Lima or Arequipa?
Prices for flights to both Arequipa and Lima 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 dayLima $18Arequipa $14
Typical Food Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two$4.34
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Ice cream$3.53
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Coffee$2.99
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Donut$0.95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.
- Lima Market Food Tour: $33
- Lima Market Food Tour: $34
- Lima Street Food Tour: $40
- Lima Food Tour: $45
- Cooking Workshop and Water Circuit Tour: $45
- Lima Street Food Tour: $45
- Street Food Tour in Miraflores District: $45
- Barranco Tour with Dinner: $47
- Bohemian tour of Barranco with Dinner: $47
- Private Cooking Class With a Local Family in Lima: $48
- Lima Night Food Tour: $48
- Lima Market Food Tour: $52
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.Lima $8.66Arequipa $18
Typical Entertainment Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lima are as follows:
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Entrance to Museo Larco (for 2)$16
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Movie Tickets$2.31
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
- Free Walking Tour of Lima: $2.00
- Customize your trip to Peru with Lima Experience: $12
- Skip the Line: Larco Museum Admission Ticket: $13
- Skip the Line: Peruvian Regional Dances Ticket: $14
- Barranco Street Art Tour: $17
- Party tour Fridays Barranco / Saturdays Miraflores: $18
- Guided and Private Bike Tour of Lima: $20
- Private Tour with guide in Museo de Arte de Lima - MALI: $20
- Guided Walking Tour in Barranco: $20
- Lima Downtown Tour from Miraflores in 3 hrs: $21
- City Sightseeing Panoramic Bus Tour: $25
- Costa Verde Express Tour: $25
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
- 4-hour tour to the Sillar Route in Arequipa: $10
- Campiña Tour in Arequipa and Quick View to the Viewpoints 4 hours: $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 dayLima $5.63Arequipa $16
Typical Alcohol Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Lima are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$7.30
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Beer$4.07
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Cocktail$3.26
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
- Gin and Rum Distillery Tour: $12
- Pub Crawl in Lima: $17
- Exclusive Pub Crawl with 10+ benefits: $18
- Party Tour in Miraflores with Bar Crawl and Drinks: $18
- Party tour in Miraflores with Bar Crawl Lima: $20
- Local Wine Tour: $50
- Ballestas Islands + Huacachina Oasis + Wine Tour !! The best price: $226
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 Lima and Arequipa, we can see that Lima is more expensive. And not only is Arequipa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Lima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lima 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 Lima Expensive? and Is Arequipa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Lima or Arequipa?
Lima has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Arequipa. When comparing the sizes of Lima 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.