Which place is cheaper, Tamarindo or Paracas?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Paracas or Tamarindo?
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 Tamarindo can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Paracas or Tamarindo?
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.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is a small beach town in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica on the Pacific Coast. This town is usually sought out by surfers, fishers, couples, and families. There are delicious restaurants, beautiful beaches, and friendly Tico's and Tica's (local Costa Rican nicknames) everywhere.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Peru, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, The Best Luxury Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayParacas $63Tamarindo $121
The average daily cost (per person) in Paracas is $63, while the average daily cost in Tamarindo is $121. 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 Tamarindo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personParacas $22Tamarindo $50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomParacas $44Tamarindo $100
Compare Hotels in Paracas and Tamarindo
Looking for a hotel in Paracas or Tamarindo? 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 Tamarindo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Paracas $19Tamarindo $69
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Paracas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Paracas:
- Bus Station Private Transfer: $16
- 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: $78
- Private Transfer from Pisco Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $78
- Private Transfer from Pisco Port to Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM): $87
- Private Transfer from Pisko Cruise Port to Lima City Hotels: $87
- Private Transfer from Pisco Cruise Port to Lima hotels: $87
- Lima: Private taxi transfer from Lima airport to Paracas: $129
- Direct Private Transfer From Paracas to Lima, English Speaking Driver: $163
- Private Transfer From Paracas To Lima With 2 Stops: $175
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tamarindo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tamarindo:
- Airport Transfer from Liberia Airport to Andaz Papagayo Hyatt (Round Trip): $163
- Flamingo/Tamarindo to Liberia Airport(LIR)- Departure Transfer: $38
- From Hotel Transfer to Liberia Guanacaste Airport: $62
- Guanacaste Airport transfer to Jw Marriott Guanacaste: $130
- Liberia Airport Private Transfer To Gulf of Papagayo Costa Rica: $125
- Liberia Airport To Tamarindo Private Transfer: $55
- Monteverde: Transfer to Tamarindo: $65
- Playa Conchal & Flamingo From Liberia Airport, Transfer Service: $168
- Playa Grande to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $31
- Private Airport Transfer from Liberia to Tamarindo beaches Areas & surrounding : $140
- Private Liberia airport transfer: $200
- Private Transfer - Liberia Airport & Riu Hotel: $120
Is it cheaper to fly into Paracas or Tamarindo?
Prices for flights to both Tamarindo 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 $23Tamarindo $32
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Paracas
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Paracas.
- From Lima:Paracas,Ica and cooking class Ceviche semi-private: $139
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tamarindo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tamarindo.
- Online Class on Zoom: Cooking Costa Rica Homemade Food: $35
- Traditional Cooking Class In Tamarindo: $95
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Paracas $25Tamarindo $17
Tours and Activities in Paracas
Here are a few actual costs in Paracas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- From Ballestas Islands Guided Boat Tour: $20
- 4-Hour Guided Tour Paracas National Reserve: $20
- Ballestas Islands Morning Boat Tour: $20
- Boat Tour of the Ballestas Islands in Paracas: $20
- Ballestas Islands Sightseeing Boat Ride from Paracas: $24
- Ballestas Islands Tour: $24
- Islas Ballestas Boat Tour - The Galapagos of Peru: $25
- Ballestas Islands Tour - Paracas: $25
- From Scenic Boat Tour to Ballestas Island: $25
- Ballestas Islands Group Tour from Paracas : $26
- From Ballestas Islands Guided Tour: $26
- Ica: Ballestas Island Adventure | Watch Sea Lions: $30
Tours and Activities in Tamarindo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tamarindo are as follows:
- Costa Rica: tour in electric car (only best view locations): $2.00
- Sea turtle watching tour near playa grande: $44
- Tamarindo Estuary Tour: $44
- Night Turtle Nesting Tour from Tamarindo: $46
- Tamarindo Birdwatching Crocodiles and Monkey Tour: $50
- ATV Beach and Mountain Tour!: $62
- Tamarindo Estuary: Howler Monkey Mangrove Kayaking Tour: $65
- Hiking Tour of La Leona Waterfall with Lunch: $65
- ATV and UTV Beach Tour from Tamarindo, Flamingo and Conchal Beach: $67
- ATV Tour through the Flamingo Potrero and Brasilito Area: $70
- Zipline Canopy Tour from Guanacaste: $70
- Tamarindo Kayaking Tour with Snorkeling at Captain Island: $75
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayParacas $11Tamarindo $14
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Paracas and Tamarindo, we can see that Tamarindo is more expensive. And not only is Paracas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Paracas is in South America and Tamarindo 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 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 Tamarindo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tamarindo 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 Tamarindo Expensive?.
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.