Which place is cheaper, Iquique or Merida?
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 Merida or Iquique?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Merida or Iquique, 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 Iquique?
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.
Iquique
Located in a golden crescent of coastline, the beautiful beach city with an ocean that's several shades of blue and a historic centre that offers the perfect balance of culture and relaxation is counted among Chile's premier beach resorts. The city is home to the duty free zone called "Zofri" and a growing number of high rise resort hotels along its beaches. Slightly more expensive and polluted than neighboring population centers, such as Arica, Iquique and its chaotic duty-free shopping zone (zona franca) have become the perfect summer holiday destination for Chilean families.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
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Merida Prices
Mexico PricesIquique Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMerida $104Iquique $124
The average daily cost (per person) in Merida is $104, while the average daily cost in Iquique is $124. 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 Iquique in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMerida $42Iquique $44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMerida $84Iquique $88
Compare Hotels in Merida and Iquique
Looking for a hotel in Merida or Iquique? 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: Merida Hotel Prices and Iquique Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Merida $17Iquique $24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merida
Also for Merida, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer Mérida to Cancun with Flexible Sightseeing: $258
- Private Transfer Merida to Playa del Carmen with Flexible Stops: $245
- Merida Rejon Airport(MID)to Tulum hotels-Arrival Private Transfer: $211
- Private Transfer Mérida to Tulum with Flexible Stops: $198
- Private Transfer From Uxmal to Merida, English Speaking Driver: $152
- Private Transfer From Merida to Uxmal, English Speaking Driver: $152
- transfer from/to airport progress sisal telchac celestun: $147
- Private Transfer from Merida Rejon Airport (MID) to Progreso Port: $131
- Private Transfer from Merida city hotels to Progreso Cruise Port: $131
- Mexico Private Transfer from Merida airport to central Merida: $122
- From Merida Private transfer to Chichen-Izamal-Cenote: $74
- Mérida International Airport (MID) to Merida hotels - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Iquique
Also for Iquique, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sandboard activity in Iquique with transfer: $95
Is it cheaper to fly into Merida or Iquique?
Prices for flights to both Iquique 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
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Food Meals for one dayMerida $48Iquique $60
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Merida
For Merida, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Merida Food Tour: Local Markets, Street Food & Yucatecan Cuisine: $65
- Merida Walking Food Tour. Authentic & Local Cuisine: $70
- Hands On night Mexican Cooking with Masa: $82
- Merida : Between Markets and Flavors Food Tour: $86
- Uxmal, two Amazing Cenotes & Local Food Tour from Mérida: $87
- Mérida Food Tour: Markets and Street Flavors: $95
- Taste of the Yucatan: Merida Cooking Class and Market Visit: $95
- Private Mérida Cooking Class in a Local Yucatecan Home: $109
- Vanilla Cooking Class and Tasting Experience: $112
- 7-Course Yucatecan Dinner Experience: $161
- Wonders of the Mayab: Chichen Itza, Yokdzonot Cenote & Cooking Class: $237
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Merida $15Iquique $28
Typical Entertainment Prices in Merida
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Merida's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Train at the Zoo$0.11
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Uxmal Entrance (for 2)$19
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Mayan Village Entrance (for 2)$5.72
Tours and Activities in Merida
For Merida, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 3 Hour Tour in The Sotuta de Peón Live Museum: $59
- 3x1 Tour Chichen Itza Magic Town & Cenote & Izamal from Merida: $108
- 4 Cenotes Tour in Homún all inclusive from Merida: $84
- Adventure 4 cenotes: $115
- Adventure to Hacienda Mucuyche & Oxkintok, 2 cenotes from Mérida: $118
- Bar hopping tour in Merida: $69
- Bird Watching Tour North of Mérida-Half Day: $300
- Boat tour through the mangroves of Celestún and Playa from Merida: $104
- Celestun and Sisal Tour from Mérida: $88
- Chichen Itza Full Day Tour: $72
- Chichen Itza Ruins Adventure! Cenote Ikkil and Izamal from Merida: $105
- Chichen Itza Ruins-One Full-Day Tour from Merida: $280
Tours and Activities in Iquique
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Iquique.
- City Tour in Iquique: $89
- City tour of Iquique with navigation to the Esmeralda buoy: $55
- Experience sandboarding in the Iquique dunes: $52
- Guided tour of heroic Iquique: $23
- Guided City Tour with Boat Trip to Esmeralda Buoy: $85
- Red Lagoon Tour: $639
- Isluga National Park Tour: $180
- Pintados Geoglyphs, Humberstone and Salar Crespo tour: $145
- Red Lagoon Tour: $225
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMerida $15Iquique $21
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Merida and Iquique, we can see that Iquique is more expensive. And not only is Merida much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Merida is in North America and Iquique 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 Merida would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Merida 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 Iquique would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Iquique than you might in Merida.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Merida Expensive? and Is Iquique Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Merida or Iquique?
Merida has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Iquique. When comparing the sizes of Merida and Iquique, 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.