Should you visit Piriapolis or Tilcara?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Piriapolis or Tilcara, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
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.
Tilcara
Tilcara signifies shooting star in Quechua. At 2465m of altitude, the little town of Tilcara is one of the most animated place of the area of the quebrada de humahuaca. Many South American backpackers and tourists from all around the world come to visit Tilcara and its pucara, the forteresse built by the Incas at the top of the hill, providing a stunning walk around the town. Tilcara hosts many festivals for different occasions such as the celebration of the Pachamama in August, the semana santa (Holy Week) in April, and the Enero Tilcareno, held in January as its name indicates, which is probably the busiest month of the year for the little town. If you enjoy concerts, parades and folklorique parties then definitely try to visit Tilcara during a festival month and avoid them if you prefer a calm and more relaxed holiday. There are many available activities around Tilcara including horseback riding, VTT, and you could also even try a ride in a caravan pulled by llamas.
Which city is cheaper, Tilcara or Piriapolis?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Piriapolis is $48, while the average daily cost in Tilcara is $58. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Piriapolis and Tilcara in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Piriapolis is about $38 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $46 in Tilcara For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
While meal prices in Piriapolis can vary, the average travelers spends about $17 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Piriapolis should cost around $6.80 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Piriapolis is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
On average, meal and food prices in Tilcara cost around $24 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $9.60.
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Food
Meals for one day
Piriapolis $17
Tilcara $24
Typical Food prices in Tilcara
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Tilcara:
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Sandwich
$0.05
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Burger
$0.10
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Fruit
$0.08
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Sandwich
$0.10
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $23 per day to get around in Piriapolis.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Tilcara than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $15 on transportation in Tilcara on average per day.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Tilcara
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Tilcara:
Is it cheaper to fly into Piriapolis or Tilcara?
Prices for flights to both Tilcara and Piriapolis 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.
Entertainment
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $4.25 per person, per day in Piriapolis. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Sightseeing expenses in Tilcara, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $14 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Tilcara
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tilcara.
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Half-Day Mountain Bike Tour to Juella from Tilcara:
$58
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Full-Day Tour to Laguna de los Pozuelos from Tilcara:
$135
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Piriapolis may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $5.86 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Tilcara, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $7.52.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Piriapolis and Tilcara, we can see that Tilcara 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 Tilcara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tilcara than you might in Piriapolis.
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