Which place is cheaper, Ensenada or Lima?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Lima or Ensenada?
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 Ensenada. 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 Ensenada?
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.
Ensenada
Ensenada is on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, south of Tijuana. It's the only deep water port in the state of Baja California and as such, it is an important commerical fishing port as well as a cruise ship destination. The city has a population of almost 500,000 and is located just 78 miles south of San Diego. The city sits between the ocean and a small mountain range. The surrounding area is known for its wine production, which produces some of the best wine in Mexico.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Peru, The Best Adventure Tours to Peru, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Mexico, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLima $77Ensenada $99
The average daily cost (per person) in Lima is $77, while the average daily cost in Ensenada is $99. 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 Ensenada in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLima $49Ensenada $47
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLima $98Ensenada $94
Compare Hotels in Lima and Ensenada
Looking for a hotel in Lima or Ensenada? 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 Ensenada Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lima $5.73Ensenada $21
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ensenada
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ensenada:
- Border and Tijuana Airport Transfers to Ensenada or Valle de Guadalupe: $120
- Transfer: From Tijuana to Valle de Guadalupe & Ensenada: $408
Is it cheaper to fly into Lima or Ensenada?
Prices for flights to both Ensenada 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 $18Ensenada $39
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lima $8.66Ensenada $11
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
- Private Tour with guide in Museo de Arte de Lima - MALI: $20
- Guided and Private Bike Tour of Lima: $20
- Guided Walking Tour in Barranco: $20
- Lima Downtown Tour from Miraflores in 3 hrs: $21
- Historic Center Walking Tour with Pisco Sour Tasting: $25
- Costa Verde Express Tour: $25
Tours and Activities in Ensenada
Here are a few actual costs in Ensenada for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Rondo del Valley Winery Tour with 5 Tastings: $26
- Lavender Field Guided Tour: $34
- Lavender Field Guided Tour: $37
- From La Bufadora Geyser Tour: $39
- Ensenada : The unique bufadora private tour: $39
- Tacos, Brews and Views Tour : $40
- La Bufadora Punta Banda Tour: $41
- Private La Bufadora Tour (blowhole): $41
- La Bufadora Tour in Baja California: $42
- Horseback Riding Experience in Las Cañadas Campamento: $44
- The Bufadora private Tour: $44
- Las Cañadas Canopy Tour in Ensenada: $52
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLima $5.63Ensenada $11
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
- 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
- Pub Crawl in Lima: $25
- Local Wine Tour: $50
- Ballestas Islands + Huacachina Oasis + Wine Tour !! The best price: $226
Sample the Local Flavors in Ensenada
Also in Ensenada, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Private Wine Tasting Experience in Maglén: $29
- Xecue Wine Tasting in the Guadalupe Valley: $39
- Wine tour valley of guadalupe: $60
- Valle de Guadalupe Wine Tasting Tour: $78
- From Wine Tasting at Guadalupe Valley Ensenada: $87
- From Ojos Negros Valley Cheese & Wine Tasting Tour: $97
- Wine Tasting Tour in Valle de Guadalupe: $115
- Private Wine Tour at Valle de Guadalupe (A wine tasting included).: $119
- wine tours and driver service through valle de guadalupe, Ensenada B.C. Mexico: $135
- Wine tasting tour for Cruise Ship Visitors. All Inclusive!: $199
- Private and custom group Wine tour Valle de Guadalupe : $220
- Valle Experience by Ansell Wine Tours: $269
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lima and Ensenada, we can see that Ensenada is more expensive. And not only is Lima much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Lima is in South America and Ensenada is in North 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 Lima would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lima 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 Ensenada would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ensenada than you might in Lima.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lima Expensive? and Is Ensenada Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Lima or Ensenada?
Lima has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Ensenada. When comparing the sizes of Lima and Ensenada, 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.