Which place is cheaper, Lima or Paracas?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Paracas or Lima?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Paracas and Lima can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Paracas or Lima?
Paracas
Paracas, also known as El Chaco, is a resort town on the Southern coast of the country, about 150 miles south of Lima. The town in located in one of the oldest regions of Peru, with a history dating back to 900 BC and offers many pre-Inca cultural sites throughout the area. Paracas is possibly best known for being home to the Paracas National Reserve, a nature reserve boasting one of the most abundant and diverse ecosystems in the world.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Peru, The Best 2-Week Tours in Peru, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Peru, and The Best Adventure Tours to Peru.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayParacas $61Lima $75
The average daily cost (per person) in Paracas is $61, while the average daily cost in Lima is $75. 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 Paracas and Lima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personParacas $22Lima $48
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomParacas $44Lima $96
Compare Hotels in Paracas and Lima
Looking for a hotel in Paracas or Lima? 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: Paracas Hotel Prices and Lima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Paracas $18Lima $5.58
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Paracas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Paracas:
- Bus Station Private Transfer: $16
- Private Transfer From San Juan Airport (SJU) to /from San Juan: $44
- Oneway Transfer from San Juan Airport, Hotel, Airbnb to Bayamon: $60
- Private Transfer from Pisco Cruise Port to Lima City Hotels: $80
- Private Transfer from Pisco Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $80
- Private Transfer from Pisco Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $89
- Private Transfer from Pisko Cruise Port to Lima City Hotels: $89
- Private Transfer from Pisco Cruise Port to Lima hotels: $89
- Lima: Private taxi transfer from Lima airport to Paracas: $129
- Direct Private Transfer From Paracas to Lima, English Speaking Driver: $166
- Private Transfer From Paracas To Lima With 2 Stops: $179
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$5.29
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Taxi Ride$5.29
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Short Taxi Ride$3.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
- Direct Private Transfer From Lima to Paracas, English Speaking Driver: $166
- From The Larco Museum Complete Tour with transfers: $50
- LIMA|| Private transfers by minibus from airport to hotel: $70
- Larco Museum Tour & Gastronomic Experience with rountrip transfer: $134
- Lima : Private transfer between airport to your destination: $29
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer: $20
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer: $27
- Lima Airport Arrival Transfer for small groups: $79
- Lima Airport Departure Transfer: $27
- Lima Airport Departure Transfer: $20
- Lima Airport Round Trip Transfer: $53
- Lima Airport Transfers: Jorge Chavez Airport LIM to Lima City in Standard Van: $31
Is it cheaper to fly into Paracas or Lima?
Prices for flights to both Lima and Paracas 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 dayParacas $22Lima $17
Typical Food Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two$4.23
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Ice cream$3.44
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Coffee$2.91
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Donut$0.92
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: $35
- Ceviche Cooking Class Including Pisco Sour Lesson: $40
- Lima Street Food Tour: $40
- Lima Market Food Tour: $43
- Lima Street Food Tour: $45
- Lima Food Tour: $45
- Cooking Workshop and Water Circuit Tour: $45
- Barranco Tour with Dinner: $47
- Bohemian tour of Barranco with Dinner: $47
- Lima Night Food Tour: $48
- Private Guided Walking Street Food Tour in Lima: $55
- Bohemian tour of Barranco with dinner: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Paracas $24Lima $8.43
Tours and Activities in Paracas
Here are a few actual costs in Paracas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Ballestas Islands Tour: Discover the Magic: $17
- From Ballestas Islands Guided Boat Tour: $18
- From Scenic Boat Tour to Ballestas Island: $20
- Paracas National Reserve by Tourist Bus: $20
- 4-Hour Guided Tour Paracas National Reserve: $20
- Ballestas Islands Morning Boat Tour: $20
- Ballestas Islands Guided Boat Tour: $20
- Boat Tour of the Ballestas Islands in Paracas: $20
- Ballestas Islands Tour: $24
- Ballestas Islands Sightseeing Boat Ride from Paracas: $24
- Ballestas Islands Tour - Paracas: $25
- Paracas Boat Tour at Islas Ballestas The Galapagos of Peru: $25
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$2.25
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
- Best of Downtown A Self-Guided Audio Tours in English: $7.98
- Lima Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Skip the Line: Larco Museum Admission Ticket: $13
- Skip the Line: Peruvian Regional Dances Ticket: $14
- Private City Kickstart Tour: Lima: $14
- Peruvian Coffee Tasting Experience in Lima: $15
- Peruvian Craft Coffee Tasting Experience - 1 hr: $15
- 3-Hour Walking Tour Discovering the History of Lima : $16
- Party tour Fridays Barranco / Saturdays Miraflores: $19
- Private Bike Tour in Lima: $19
- Private Tour with guide in Museo de Arte de Lima - MALI: $20
- Guided and Private Bike Tour of Lima: $20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayParacas $11Lima $5.48
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$7.11
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Beer$3.96
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Cocktail$3.17
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
- Gin and Rum Distillery Tour: $12
- Party Tour in Miraflores with Bar Crawl and Drinks: $20
- Pub Crawl in Lima: $25
- Local Wine Tour: $50
- Local Wine Tour : $65
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Paracas and Lima, we can see that Lima is more expensive. And not only is Paracas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Paracas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Paracas 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 Lima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lima than you might in Paracas.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Paracas Expensive? and Is Lima Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Paracas or Lima?
Lima has a larger population, and is about 6470 times larger than the population of Paracas. When comparing the sizes of Paracas and Lima, 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.