Which place is cheaper, Arequipa or Melbourne?
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 Melbourne or Arequipa?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Melbourne or Arequipa? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Melbourne or Arequipa?
Melbourne
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, after Sydney. It is also the capital city of the state of Victoria, in southeastern Australia. Melbourne is arguably the best city to experience culture and the arts in Australia. There is a friendly rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney over livability and popularity and Melbourne is definitely the city to visit for its parks, shopping, restaurants, galleries and theaters. Like Sydney, it is situated on the water, at the head of Port Phillip Bay. It's a beautiful city, and although it lacks the major sights that you'll find in Sydney such as the Sydney Opera House or the Harbour Bridge, you will never find yourself lacking for entertainment. It is also a wonderful base for exploring many of the nearby highlights, including Grampians National Park, The Great Ocean Road, and Phillip Island where you can view the penguin parade.
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 Scuba Diving Tours in Australia, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Australia, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.
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Melbourne Prices
Australia PricesArequipa Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMelbourne $215Arequipa $62
The average daily cost (per person) in Melbourne is $215, while the average daily cost in Arequipa is $62. 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 Melbourne and Arequipa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMelbourne $131Arequipa $25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMelbourne $262Arequipa $50
Compare Hotels in Melbourne and Arequipa
Looking for a hotel in Melbourne 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: Melbourne Hotel Prices and Arequipa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Melbourne $22Arequipa $6.61
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Melbourne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Melbourne:
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Airport Bus$12
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Tram Ride$2.74
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Melbourne
Also for Melbourne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport to City Private Transfers: $139
- Arrival Transfer Melbourne Airport MEL to Melbourne in Sedan: $118
- Avalon Airport Transfers: $183
- Ballarat - Melbourne Airport Transfers: $196
- CBD to Melbourne Airport Private Transfer - 11 traveler's: $129
- Express Bus Transfer to or from Melbourne City Center: $21
- Luxury Airport Transfer to Melbourne CBD: $93
- Luxury Airport Transfers & Private Car Services in Melbourne: $111
- Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport: Shared Transfer to Melbourne: $38
- Melbourne Airport (MEL) to Melbourne hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $89
- Melbourne Airport Arrival Or Departure Luxury Car Transfers: $121
- Melbourne Airport Departure Transfer | Up to 6: $106
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arequipa
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arequipa are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$1.49
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Bus Ride$0.48
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Taxi Ride$1.04
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arequipa
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Arequipa:
- Private Transfer from Arequipa to Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón (AQP) Airport: $38
- Private Transfer from Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón Airport to Hotel: $20
- Private Transfer From Arequipa To Puno With a 2 Hour Stop: $262
- Koh lanta any hotel to Phuket airport Private transfer: $168
- Koh Lanta any hotel to Krabi airport Private transfer: $80
- Colca Canyon Day Trip with Transfer to Puno: $65
- Colca Canyon 2 days from Arequipa with final transfer to Puno: $85
- Colca Canyon + Transfer To Puno: $103
- Arequipa Bus Station Arrival Transfer: $37
- Arequipa Airport Private Transfer: $38
- Arequipa Airport Departure Transfer: $22
- Arequipa Airport Arrival Transfer: $13
Is it cheaper to fly into Melbourne or Arequipa?
Prices for flights to both Arequipa and Melbourne 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 dayMelbourne $58Arequipa $26
Typical Food Prices in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Coffee$2.88
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Pizza$5.04
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Melbourne Flavors: Queen Victoria Market Food Tour: $40
- Queen Victoria Market: 'Flavours of Australia' Food Tour: $52
- Multicultural Markets Food Tour – Melbourne’s Global Tastes: $56
- Inner North Street Food Tour: $72
- Sunset Kayak Tour with Dinner: $79
- Melbourne Sunset Kayaking Experience with Dinner: $88
- Melbourne Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $89
- Best of Little Italy Dinner Tour: $92
- Chinese Dumpling Cooking Class with a Drink: $99
- Melbourne Food Tour through Chinatown and Laneways with Drink: $102
- Evening Progressive Dinner Tour - Chinatown & Laneways: $102
- Secret Food Tour: $109
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$0.45
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Lunch$3.13
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Ice Cream$1.19
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Fruit$0.89
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Ice Cream$1.04
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
- Cooking Class at La Plantation: $36
- Arequipa Nights Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Almuerzo Arequipa Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Peruvian Cooking Class: $63
- Arequipa Food Tour: Ancestral Cuisine & City Tour: $79
- Arequipa : Food Tour and History (3 Restaurants and Market): $80
- Arequipa Food Tour Experience: $115
- Food Tour Gastronomic Guided: $119
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Melbourne $30Arequipa $20
Tours and Activities in Melbourne
For Melbourne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self Guided Tour of Melbourne's Best Kept Secrets: $3.54
- Melbourne Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self Guided Walking Tour: $3.54
- Melbourne Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $3.66
- Melbourne St Kilda Self-Guided Walking City Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.13
- Fitzroy & Treasury Gardens Melbourne Walking Tour: $6.58
- Melbourne Vampire Quest: Self-Guided Gothic Adventure: $8.28
- Melbourne Gardens Explorer Minibus Tour: $9.92
- Scienceworks Entry Ticket: $9.92
- Immigration Museum Entry Ticket: $9.92
- Self Guided Walking Tour in Melbourne St Kilda Penguins: $9.99
- Marvellous A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
- Como House: Guided House Tour: $11
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$2.98
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Salsa Class$2.98
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Movie Ticket$3.25
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Hot Springs$2.98
Tours and Activities in Arequipa
Here are a few actual costs in Arequipa for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Day Tour to Colca Canyon: $43
- 2 Days Climbing Volcano Chachani Tour, Conquer Your First 6,070m: $200
- 2 Days Colca Living Experience Nature Culture and Tradition: $173
- 2 days 1 night Colca Canyon tour ending in Puno: $145
- 2-Day Group Tour to Colca Canyon from Arequipa: $230
- 2-Day Hiking Tour to the Colca Canyon: $120
- 2-Day Tour to the Magical Colca Canyon: $68
- 3 Hour Congata Rover Biking Ride Tour in Arequipa: $45
- 3-day Colca Canyon Trek Tour Adventure: $90
- 3-hour guided tour in Arequipa: $65
- 8-Hours Tour in Arequipa Laguna de Salinas with Pick-up: $30
- Añashuayco Quarries and Sillar Route Tour from Arequipa: $25
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMelbourne $18Arequipa $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Melbourne
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Melbourne from other travelers:
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Bottle of Wine$5.58
Sample the Local Flavors in Melbourne
Also in Melbourne, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Weekly Bar Crawl: 5 Free shots, Club Entry: $20
- Yarra Valley Wine Tour - Self-Guided GPS Audio Guide: $25
- Tuesday Melbourne Bar Crawl: $26
- Saturday Melbourne Bar Crawl: $26
- Spirits and Ales Haunted Pub Walking Tour: $26
- Melbourne Music Venue Pub Crawl with History + 2 Free Drinks: $26
- Rock'n'roll venues pub crawl including 2 free drinks and history: $59
- Relaxed Half Day Yarra Valley Wine Tasting Tour from Melbourne: $80
- New Chocolate and wine tasting tour in the Yarra Valley: $89
- Yarra Valley Wine Tour w Exclusive Gin, Cider & Chocolate Tasting: $94
- Yarra Valley: Bus Wine Tour with Lunch and a Glass of Wine: $116
- Discover Hidden Wineries in Melbourne Boutique Wine Tour Series: $121
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$2.68
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Melbourne and Arequipa, we can see that Melbourne is more expensive. And not only is Arequipa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Melbourne is in Pacific and Arequipa 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 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 Melbourne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Melbourne 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 Melbourne Expensive? and Is Arequipa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Melbourne or Arequipa?
Melbourne has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Arequipa. When comparing the sizes of Melbourne 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.