Which place is cheaper, Puerto Viejo or Lima?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Lima or Puerto Viejo?
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 Puerto Viejo. 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 Puerto Viejo?
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.
Puerto Viejo
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a small coastal town in Caribbean Costa Rica in the province of Limon. There are two gorgeous National Parks nearby - Cahuita and Manzanillo, and it rains more than on the Pacific side, which is why it is so lush and green with the rainforest coming down to the sea. Clear water, coconut palms, great surf and a laid-back Caribbean atmosphere make Puerto Viejo a favorite among travelers. Located on about an hour south of Limon, Puerto Viejo is the center of activity between the smaller villages of Cahuita and Manzanillo. The relaxed, seaside town is framed by jungle, turquoise seas, banana plantations and scenic rivers. It's known for the Salsa Brava surf break and beaches like black-sand Playa Negra, but this burgeoning party town is no longer a destination only for intrepid surfers; it's bustling with tourist activity. Stylish eateries serve global fusion, and intentionally rustic bamboo bars pump dancehall and reggaeton. With its blend of Afro-Caribbean descendants, expat Europeans and indigenous Costa Ricans, Puerto Viejo charms visitors with a unique mix of people and cultures. Rastafari culture has a firm foothold in the town, and many Rastas sell handmade jewelry and other wares along the town's vibrant roadside. Nearby you'll find rainforest fruit and cacao farms and wide-open beaches. If you're looking to chill a little, party a little and eat a little, you've come to the right place.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Peru, The Best Adventure Tours to Peru, The Best 2-Week Tours in Costa Rica, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Costa Rica.
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Lima Prices
Peru PricesPuerto Viejo Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLima $95Puerto Viejo $169
The average daily cost (per person) in Lima is $95, while the average daily cost in Puerto Viejo is $169. 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 Puerto Viejo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLima $52Puerto Viejo $71
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLima $104Puerto Viejo $142
Compare Hotels in Lima and Puerto Viejo
Looking for a hotel in Lima or Puerto Viejo? 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 Puerto Viejo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lima $6.06Puerto Viejo $38
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$5.73
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Taxi Ride$5.73
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Short Taxi Ride$4.30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Lima APT-HTL (LIM) : $34
- Transfer: Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Lima City Center: $16
- Transfer from Hotel/Airbnb Miraflores/San Isidro/Barranco to Airport: $18
- Transfer To Lima Airport: $20
- Tour Magic Water Park in Lima with Small Group Transfer: $38
- Round Trip Transfer from and to the Airport in Miraflores/Barranco/Sani : $33
- QuickLlama: Transfer from Miraflores Kennedy Park to Lima Airport: $5.95
- QuickLlama: Door-to-door transfer from Miraflores to Lima Airport: $5.95
- Private Transfers from/to Lima Airport (Price per Vehicle): $29
- Private Transfer to Lima Airport (LIM): $13
- Private Transfer from Pisco Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $201
- Private Transfer from Lima hotels to Callao Cruise Port: $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Viejo
Also for Puerto Viejo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private transfer from San Jose Airport to Puerto Viejo Limon: $320
Is it cheaper to fly into Lima or Puerto Viejo?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Viejo 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 $32Puerto Viejo $58
Typical Food Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two$4.59
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Ice cream$3.73
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Coffee$3.15
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Donut$1.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.
- Lima Food Tour with Ceviche, Pisco, and Grilled Chicken: $32
- Food Tour and Market Experience: 12 Peruvian Snacks: $40
- Lima Food Tour - Prepare your Anticuchos and Pisco Sour : $48
- #1 Reviewed Lima Cooking Class: $49
- Dinner at the Huaca Pucllana Restaurant: $55
- Private Guided Walking Street Food Tour in Lima: $55
- Peru’s Most Beloved Recipes Cooking Class: $58
- Lima Market Tour & Ceviche Cooking Class with Pisco Sour: $59
- Lima Night: Cooking Experience with locals: $65
- Peruvian Cooking Class, Local Market Tour & Exotic Fruit Tasting: $65
- Vegan Peruvian Food Cooking Class | Ceviche + Pisco Sour: $69
- 4 iconic restaurants of Lima / 3-hour guided food tour: $69
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lima $9.15Puerto Viejo $78
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)$17
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Movie Tickets$2.44
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
- Ballestas Islands + Huacachina Tour From Lima (Private Group): $190
- Cycling Tour Miraflores - Barranco - Chorrillos: $30
- Lima bike and 5 Step Food Tasting Experience: $92
- Private Classic City Tour Experience of Lima: $65
- Private Stopover Tour of Lima from the Airport: $150
- Sunset in Huacachina and Tacama: Private Tour from Lima: $220
- #1 Full Day Tour From Paracas and Huacachina Oasis: $59
- 1 Day Tour to Huacachina from Lima (Dunebuggy + Vineyards): $225
- 2 Day Tour from Nazca Lines Flight, Paracas, and Huacachina: $279
- 2 Day Tour from Paracas, Ballestas Island and Huacachina: $149
- 2 Day Tour from Paracas, Huacachina, and Pisco Vineyard: $149
- 2 Days 1 Night Paracas Ica Tour from Lima: $150
Tours and Activities in Puerto Viejo
For Puerto Viejo, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Canoe Adventure & Caribbean Family Experience: $47
- Puerto Viejo Limón: Birdwatching Tour at Nativo Park: $50
- Wildlife Night Tour in the Jungle: $55
- Kayaking Tour in Gandoca Lagoon throug mangrove forest: $58
- Indigenous Experience & Chocolate Tour: $74
- Puerto Viejo Limón: Best Canopy Tour / Ziplines: $83
- Night Adventure in the Wild Talamanca: $85
- Dolphin Watching & Netflix Featured Organic Jungle Farm Tour: $88
- Epic Manzanillo Combo Tour: Snorkel, Dolphins & Farm Tour: $119
- Puerto Viejo&Cahuita: Tour of 3 Waterfalls, Talamanca, Limón: $149
- Puerto Viejo Talamanca: Quad Tour with 2 Waterfalls: $310
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLima $5.95Puerto Viejo $13
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$7.71
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Beer$4.30
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Cocktail$3.44
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
- Lima Pub Crawl - Party tour: Friday Barranco/Saturday miraflores: $19
- Bar Crawl Night Tour in Miraflores: $30
- Local Wine Tour : $55
- From Paracas & Huacachina & Wine Tasting: $135
- Full Day Paracas, Huacachina and Wine Tasting from Lima : $138
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lima and Puerto Viejo, we can see that Puerto Viejo 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 Puerto Viejo is in Central 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 Puerto Viejo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Viejo 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 Puerto Viejo Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Lima or Puerto Viejo?
Both destinations experience a warmer climate most of the year. Instead of summer and winter seasons, they usually have a rainy season and a dry season. Although in the rainy season, it doesn't necessarily rain every day.
Should I visit Lima or Puerto Viejo in the Summer?
Both Puerto Viejo and Lima during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Lima because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Puerto Viejo year-round.
September to October is the dry season in Puerto Viejo. Puerto Viejo gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Lima usually gets less rain in July than Puerto Viejo. Lima gets 12 mm (0.5 in) of rain, while Puerto Viejo receives 408 mm (16.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
In the summer, Lima often gets less sunshine than Puerto Viejo. Lima gets 36 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Viejo receives 124 hours of full sun.
In July, Lima is generally cooler than Puerto Viejo. Daily temperatures in Lima average around 18°C (64°F), and Puerto Viejo fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyLima 18°C (64°F)Puerto Viejo 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Lima or Puerto Viejo in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Lima and Puerto Viejo. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Lima year-round. Puerto Viejo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
September to October in Puerto Viejo is the dry season. Also, November to January is the rainy season in Puerto Viejo. Puerto Viejo receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Lima usually receives less rain than Puerto Viejo. Lima gets 7 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Puerto Viejo receives 198 mm (7.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
Lima usually receives less sunshine than Puerto Viejo during autumn. Lima gets 60 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Viejo receives 159 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Lima is cooler than Puerto Viejo in the autumn. The daily temperature in Lima averages around 19°C (66°F) in October, and Puerto Viejo fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberLima 19°C (66°F)Puerto Viejo 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Lima or Puerto Viejo in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Lima as well as Puerto Viejo. Lima attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate. The warm climate attracts visitors to Puerto Viejo throughout the year.
November to January in Puerto Viejo is the rainy season. It's quite rainy in Puerto Viejo. Lima usually gets less rain in January than Puerto Viejo. Lima gets 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Puerto Viejo receives 319 mm (12.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
In the winter, Lima often gets more sunshine than Puerto Viejo. Lima gets 185 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Viejo receives 159 hours of full sun.
In the winter, Lima is around the same temperature as Puerto Viejo. Typically, the winter temperatures in Lima in January average around 23°C (73°F), and Puerto Viejo averages at about 25°C (77°F).
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryLima 23°C (73°F)Puerto Viejo 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Lima or Puerto Viejo in the Spring?
Both Puerto Viejo and Lima are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Lima throughout the year. Plenty of visitors come to Puerto Viejo because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Puerto Viejo. In April, Lima usually receives less rain than Puerto Viejo. Lima gets 2 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while Puerto Viejo receives 287 mm (11.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
Lima usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Puerto Viejo during spring. Lima gets 182 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Viejo receives 172 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Lima is generally cooler than Puerto Viejo. Daily temperatures in Lima average around 22°C (72°F), and Puerto Viejo fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilLima 22°C (72°F)Puerto Viejo 26°C (79°F)
Typical Weather for Puerto Viejo and Lima
| Lima | Puerto Viejo | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 23°C (73°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 319 mm (12.6 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (75°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 201 mm (7.9 in) |
| Mar | 23°C (73°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 193 mm (7.6 in) |
| Apr | 22°C (72°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 287 mm (11.3 in) |
| May | 20°C (68°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 281 mm (11.1 in) |
| Jun | 19°C (66°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 276 mm (10.9 in) |
| Jul | 18°C (64°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 408 mm (16.1 in) |
| Aug | 17°C (63°F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 255 mm (10 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (64°F) | 13 mm (0.5 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 163 mm (6.4 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 7 mm (0.3 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 198 mm (7.8 in) |
| Nov | 20°C (68°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 367 mm (14.4 in) |
| Dec | 22°C (72°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 402 mm (15.8 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.