A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Merida vs. Arica for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Merida or Arica?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Merida or Arica, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Merida or Arica?

Merida

Merida is the largest city on the Yucatan Peninsula, which separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea. It is also the capital of the state of Yucatan as a whole. There is a population of 750,000 and is very rich in diversity and culture.

Arica

A mixture of coastline, desert and high Andean plateau, Arica is a seaside resort town, known for its surfing beaches located at the tip of Northern Chile. Arica boasts that it is "the land of the eternal spring," but its temperate climate and beaches are not the only reason to visit this small city. Arica's tourism is still principally geared toward domestic visitors and those from southern Peru and La Paz, who flock to its beaches mid-December through February. It is very easy to spend a few days in Arica in the sand, or seeing the sights in town, at a slow pace but the city also offers plenty of fun activities and exciting day trips.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, The Best 10-Day Tours in Chile, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Arica or Merida?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Merida is $88, while the average daily cost in Arica is $79. 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 Merida and Arica in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Merida $44
    Arica $35
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Merida $88
    Arica $70
Compare Hotels in Merida and Arica

Looking for a hotel in Merida or Arica? 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.

Hotels in Merida


Hotels in Arica


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: Merida Hotel Prices and Arica Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Merida $18
    Arica $18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merida

Also for Merida, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Airport to Hotel in Merida One Way: $47
  • Private Transfer From Uxmal to Merida, English Speaking Driver: $73
  • Mexico Private Transfer from Merida hotels to Merida airport: $41
  • Mexico Private Transfer from Merida airport to central Merida: $41
  • One-way Airport Transfers to Merida Hotels: $120
  • Merida hotels to Mérida International Airport (MID) - Private Departure Transfer: $33
  • Merida Rejon Airport (MID) to Tulum hotels - Round Trip Transfer: $227

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arica

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arica are as follows:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $2.10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arica

Also for Arica, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Arica Hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $24
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica city hotels: $22
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Hotels: $24
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $27
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $31
  • Private Transfer from Arica City hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $22
  • Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port : $27
  • Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port: $31
  • Arica Airport Private Transfer: $85

Is it cheaper to fly into Merida or Arica?

Prices for flights to both Arica and Merida 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Merida $29
    Arica $28

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Merida

For Merida, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Merida Walking Food Tour. Authentic & Local Cuisine: $62
  • Taste of the Yucatan: Merida Cooking Class and Market Visit: $89
  • Private Yucatecan Cooking Lesson in a Local Merida Home: $90
  • Private Market Tour and Authentic Mexican Cooking Class in Merida with Transfers: $126

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Merida $16
    Arica $20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Merida

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Merida's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Train at the Zoo
    $0.12
  • Uxmal Entrance (for 2)
    $20
  • Mayan Village Entrance (for 2)
    $6.01

Tours and Activities in Merida

For Merida, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • From Mérida Tour Plus: Chichen Itza Ruins and Cenote Ik-kil: $195
  • Romantic tour in Izamal: $159
  • 2-hour Temazcal experience in the Mayan world: $179
  • 3 Hour Tour in The Sotuta de Peón Live Museum: $60
  • 3 Hours Private Tour in Merida, you choose!: $125
  • 4 Cenotes Full Day Tour from Merida: $110
  • 4x1 Tour Chichen Itza Magic Towns Valladolid & Izamal from Merida: $95
  • Ancestral Mayan Private Culinary Experience in Merida: $138
  • Beach Tour in Yucalpetén from Mérida: $95
  • Celestun Biosphere Reserve Tour from Merida: $208
  • Cenotes Santa Barbara, Eknakan Church & Acanceh Ruins Tour: $110
  • Chichen Itza Adventure! Cenote and Izamal from Merida: $104

Tours and Activities in Arica

For Arica, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Archaeological Tour: $32
  • Archeological Sightseeing tour in Arica: $103
  • Arica Private Sightseeing Tour : $134
  • Half day Panoramic City Tour: $49
  • Private Tour to Tacna from Arica: $256

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Merida $16
    Arica $19


When comparing the travel costs between Merida and Arica, we can see that Merida is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Merida is in North America and Arica is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Merida Expensive? and Is Arica Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Merida or Arica?

Merida has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Arica. When comparing the sizes of Merida and Arica, 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.