A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Piriapolis vs. La Serena for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Piriapolis or La Serena?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Piriapolis or La Serena, 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: Piriapolis or La Serena?

Piriapolis

Piriapolis is a small beach town between Montevideo and Punta del Este in Uruguay. It is a more laid back version of Punta del Este with fewer fancy restaurants and clubs but it has perhaps more charm, with its grand old hotel and beachfront promenade backed by small mountains. The rather old-school coastal resort is vaguely reminiscent of a Mediterranean beach town.

La Serena

La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!

Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Uruguay, The Best Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Piriapolis and La Serena, we can see that La Serena is more expensive. And not only is Piriapolis much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Piriapolis would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Piriapolis 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 La Serena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Serena than you might in Piriapolis.

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

Which is Bigger, Piriapolis or La Serena?

La Serena has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Piriapolis. When comparing the sizes of Piriapolis and La Serena, 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.

When is the best time to visit Piriapolis or La Serena?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.

Should I visit Piriapolis or La Serena in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Piriapolis as well as La Serena.

In the summer, Piriapolis is a little warmer than La Serena. Typically, the summer temperatures in Piriapolis in January average around 23°C (73°F), and La Serena averages at about 18°C (64°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in La Serena. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Piriapolis this time of the year. In the summer, Piriapolis often gets more sunshine than La Serena. Piriapolis gets 296 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 247 hours of full sun.

Piriapolis usually gets more rain in January than La Serena. Piriapolis gets 75 mm (3 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Piriapolis or La Serena in the Autumn?

Both La Serena and Piriapolis are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities.

In April, Piriapolis is generally a little warmer than La Serena. Daily temperatures in Piriapolis average around 17°C (63°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).

Piriapolis usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as La Serena during autumn. Piriapolis gets 171 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 159 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In April, Piriapolis usually receives more rain than La Serena. Piriapolis gets 84 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Piriapolis or La Serena in the Winter?

Both La Serena and Piriapolis during the winter are popular places to visit.

Piriapolis is cooler than La Serena in the winter. The daily temperature in Piriapolis averages around 10°C (50°F) in July, and La Serena fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

In the winter, Piriapolis often gets less sunshine than La Serena. Piriapolis gets 135 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 160 hours of full sun.

Piriapolis usually gets more rain in July than La Serena. Piriapolis gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Piriapolis or La Serena in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Piriapolis and La Serena.

In the spring, Piriapolis is a little warmer than La Serena. Typically, the spring temperatures in Piriapolis in October average around 16°C (61°F), and La Serena averages at about 14°C (57°F).

In Piriapolis, it's very sunny this time of the year. Piriapolis usually receives more sunshine than La Serena during spring. Piriapolis gets 248 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 190 hours of full sun in the spring.

In October, Piriapolis usually receives more rain than La Serena. Piriapolis gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for La Serena and Piriapolis