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 The Best Cultural Tours in Peru, The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru, The Best Luxury Tours to Peru, and The Best Budget Tours to Peru.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLima $75Arequipa $46
The average daily cost (per person) in Lima is $75, while the average daily cost in Arequipa is $46. 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 $48Arequipa $23
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLima $96Arequipa $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 $5.58Arequipa $5.86
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$5.29
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Taxi Ride$5.29
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Short Taxi Ride$3.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
- 3-Day Trip to Lima Tour Package, hotels & transfers: $150
- Direct Private Transfer From Lima to Paracas, English Speaking Driver: $166
- From The Larco Museum Complete Tour with transfers: $50
- J.Chavez Airport to Miraflores City Hotels- Round Trip Transfer: $42
- LIMA|| Private transfers by minibus from airport to hotel: $70
- Larco Museum Tour & Gastronomic Experience with rountrip transfer: $134
- Lima : Private transfer between airport to your destination: $29
- Lima Airport (LIM) to Miraflores - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $46
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer: $20
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer: $27
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer for small groups: $79
- Lima Airport Departure Transfer: $27
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arequipa
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arequipa are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$1.32
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Bus Ride$0.42
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Taxi Ride$0.92
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arequipa
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Arequipa:
- Arequipa Airport Arrival Transfer: $13
- transfer Airport - Hotel: $21
- Arequipa Bus Station Departure Transfer: $25
- Arequipa Bus Station Arrival 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
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Arequipa Airport to Hotels: $51
- Full Day Tour to Colca including Transfer to Puno: $60
- Koh Lanta any hotel to Krabi airport Private transfer: $72
- From 2-Day Colca Canyon Tour with Transfer to Puno: $98
- From 2-Day Colca Canyon Tour with Transfer to Puno: $103
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 $17Arequipa $13
Typical Food Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two$4.23
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Ice cream$3.44
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Coffee$2.91
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Donut$0.92
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: $35
- Ceviche Cooking Class Including Pisco Sour Lesson: $40
- Lima Street Food Tour: $40
- Lima Market Food Tour: $43
- Cooking Workshop and Water Circuit Tour: $45
- Lima Street Food Tour: $45
- Lima Food Tour: $45
- Barranco Tour with Dinner: $47
- Bohemian tour of Barranco with Dinner: $47
- Lima Night Food Tour: $48
- Best Cooking Classes and Local Market Visit in Miraflores: $50
- Private Guided Walking Street Food Tour in Lima: $55
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$0.40
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Lunch$2.77
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Ice Cream$1.06
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Fruit$0.79
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Ice Cream$0.92
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arequipa
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Arequipa.
- Peruvian Cooking Experience in Arequipa: $35
- Peruvian Cooking Class: $48
- Peruvian Cooking Class: $48
- Cooking Class Typical Food in Arequipa: $48
- Private Cooking Class in Arequipa: $57
- Arequipa Ancestral Cuisine and City and Food Tour: $69
- 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
- Arequipa Food Tour Experience: $115
- Food Tour Experience: $115
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lima $8.43Arequipa $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$2.25
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
- Best of Downtown A Self-Guided Audio Tours in English: $7.98
- Lima Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Peru's Best Bike Experience since 2014 - 4 Hours Hire: $9.90
- Skip the Line: Larco Museum Admission Ticket: $13
- Skip the Line: Peruvian Regional Dances Ticket: $14
- Private City Kickstart Tour: Lima: $14
- Peruvian Craft Coffee Tasting Experience - 1 hr: $15
- Party tour Fridays Barranco / Saturdays Miraflores: $19
- Private Guided Tour in Miraflores at Night: $19
- Private Bike Tour in Lima: $19
- Guided and Private Bike Tour of Lima: $20
- Private Tour with guide in Museo de Arte de Lima - MALI: $20
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$2.64
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Salsa Class$2.64
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Movie Ticket$2.88
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Hot Springs$2.64
Tours and Activities in Arequipa
Here are a few actual costs in Arequipa for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 4 hours Tour: Route of Sillar with Trek in Culebrillas: $12
- Sillar Route Tour.: $13
- Walking Tour through the Historic Center of Arequipa: $16
- Walking Tour through the Historic Center of Arequipa: $16
- Tour por la Ruta del Sillar, el Origen de Arequipa: $16
- Countryside Tour with Volcano Views: $17
- Tour through the Countryside of Arequipa in Panoramic Bus: $18
- Countryside Tour Arequipa: $18
- Ticket for Planetarium and Star Observatory: $19
- From Panoramic Tour of Arequipa: $20
- Arequipa City tour in panoramic bus: $20
- City tour with panoramic bus: $20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLima $5.48Arequipa $15
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$7.11
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Beer$3.96
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Cocktail$3.17
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
- Gin and Rum Distillery Tour: $12
- Party Tour in Miraflores with Bar Crawl and Drinks: $20
- Pub Crawl in Lima: $25
- Local Wine Tour: $50
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$2.38
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.