Should you visit Porto or Arequipa?
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 Porto and Arequipa can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Porto or Arequipa?
Porto
Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. It is also the capital of the Northern Region and a hub for commercial and industrial activity. The city is not as large as you might expect, with a population of only about 300,000 residents, but the metropolitan area has a population of about 2.5 million. This includes nearby cities such as Gaia, Matosinhos, Maia and Gondomar.
Arequipa
Sitting in the middle of the Misti, Chachani and PichuPichu volcanoes of Peru is the enchanting city of Arequipa. With 468 years of history, the city is full of Spanish colonial architecture. Known to locals as the "white city," the city center, Plaza de Armas, is quite the sight with buildings of sillar white stone made from the rocks of the surrounding volcanoes.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Portugal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Portugal, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.
Which place is cheaper, Arequipa or Porto?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
The average daily cost (per person) in Porto is €160, while the average daily cost in Arequipa is €54. 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 Porto and Arequipa in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Porto or Arequipa? 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:
Porto Hotel Prices and
Arequipa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Porto
Also for Porto, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Airport Private Transfer to/from Porto:
$44
-
Airport Transfer: Porto Airport OPO to Porto by Luxury Van:
$105
-
Airport Transfer: Porto to Porto Airport OPO by Luxury Van:
$104
-
Arrival Private Transfer from Porto Airport OPO to Porto by Sedan:
$42
-
Arrival Transfer: Porto Airport OPO to Porto in Business Car:
$85
-
Arrival Transfer: Porto Airport OPO to Porto in Luxury Car:
$146
-
Arrival Transfer: Porto Airport OPO to Porto in Luxury Van:
$104
-
Aveiro Private Transfer to Oporto Airport:
$140
-
Aveiro Private Transfer to Porto:
$85
-
Departure Transfer from Porto to Porto Airport OPO in Private Car/Van:
$104
-
Departure Transfer: Porto to Porto Airport OPO by Business Car:
$85
-
From Private Transfer to Lisbon with up to 3 Stops:
$262
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arequipa
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arequipa are as follows:
-
Taxi Ride
€1.29
-
Bus Ride
€0.41
-
Taxi Ride
€0.90
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arequipa
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Arequipa:
-
Private Transfer between Arequipa and Puno:
$300
-
3 Day Trek Including Transfer to Puno / Colca Canyon:
$214
-
2 Day Trek Including Transfer to Puno / Colca Canyon:
$179
-
2 Days Colca Canyon Tour with Transfer to Puno:
$115
-
Colca Canyon + Transfer To Puno:
$103
-
Colca Canyon 2 days from Arequipa with final transfer to Puno:
$85
-
Colca Canyon full day tour with transfer to Puno:
$80
-
Koh Lanta any hotel to Krabi airport Private transfer:
$78
-
Colca Canyon Day Trip with Transfer to Puno:
$65
-
Full Day Tour to Colca including Transfer to Puno:
$60
-
Arequipa Airport Private Transfer:
$38
-
Private Transfer from Arequipa to Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón (AQP) Airport:
$37
Is it cheaper to fly into Porto or Arequipa?
Prices for flights to both Arequipa and Porto 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
-
Food
Meals for one day
Porto €63
Arequipa €22
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Porto
For Porto, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Pastel de Nata Cooking Class with Porto Wine (Lapa):
$41
-
Pastel de Nata Cooking Class with Porto Wine (Sé do Porto):
$41
-
4 Hour Traditional Aveiro Portuguese Food Tour:
$66
-
Bolhão Market Guided Food Tour:
$76
-
Authentic Porto Small Group Food Tour with Local Tastings:
$78
-
Private Fabulist Food Tour:
$82
-
Taste of the Ocean Authentic Porto Seafood Tour:
$82
-
Porto Food Tour:
$87
-
Aveiro Private Cooking Experience (for vacation rental guests):
$87
-
Food Tour: Wine, Beer & Liquor - Porto’s Secret Spots:
$93
-
Porto Progressive Dinner Tour with Tastings:
$104
-
Dinner with Five Dishes and Wine Pairing:
$106
Typical Food Prices in Arequipa
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Arequipa:
-
Coke
€0.39
-
Lunch
€2.70
-
Ice Cream
€1.03
-
Fruit
€0.77
-
Ice Cream
€0.90
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arequipa
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Arequipa.
-
Peruvian Cooking Experience in Arequipa:
$35
-
Cooking Class at La Plantation:
$36
-
Peruvian Cooking Class in arequipa:
$50
-
Peruvian Cooking Class:
$63
-
Arequipa Food Tour: Ancestral Cuisine & City Tour:
$79
-
Arequipa Food Tour Experience:
$115
-
Food Tour Gastronomic Guided:
$119
Entertainment
Tours and Activities in Porto
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Porto.
-
Self-Guided Tour Adventure Discovering Porto:
$1.14
-
The Unvanquished Tour in Porto City Center:
$1.75
-
Porto History and Culture Walking Tour with Local Guides:
$2.80
-
Porto Scavenger Hunt & Highlights Self-Guided Walking Tour:
$3.49
-
Self-Guided Tapas Tour of Porto:
$3.49
-
Porto's Old Town Tour & Ribeira:
$3.50
-
Porto Gaia Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt:
$3.50
-
Porto's #1 Walking Tour:
$3.50
-
Tour of Vila Nova de Gaia:
$3.50
-
Porto Highlights the Original Walking Tour:
$4.66
-
Porto Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt:
$5.13
-
TOP Aveiro : Private Guided Tour with your mobile:
$5.83
Typical Entertainment Prices in Arequipa
Here are a few typical costs in Arequipa for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
-
Monastery Entry
€2.58
-
Salsa Class
€2.58
-
Movie Ticket
€2.81
-
Hot Springs
€2.58
Tours and Activities in Arequipa
Here are a few actual costs in Arequipa for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
2 Day Tour to Colca Canyon:
$43
-
2 Days Colca Living Experience Nature Culture and Tradition:
$173
-
2 days 1 night Colca Canyon tour ending in Puno:
$145
-
2 days and 1 night tour in the Colca Canyon:
$205
-
2-Day Group Tour to Colca Canyon from Arequipa:
$230
-
2-Day Hiking Tour to the Colca Canyon:
$120
-
2-Day Tour to the Magical Colca Canyon:
$68
-
3-day Colca Canyon Trek Tour Adventure:
$90
-
3-hour guided tour in Arequipa:
$65
-
8-Hours Tour in Arequipa Laguna de Salinas with Pick-up:
$30
-
Añashuayco Quarries and Sillar Route Tour from Arequipa:
$25
-
Afternoon : Arequipa Walking tour:
$55
Alcohol
Sample the Local Flavors in Porto
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Porto:
-
Porto:Pub Crawl 4Bars,8Drinks,Games & VIP Club Entry:
$21
-
4-hour Guided Porto Pub Crawl with 6 drinks and VIP CLUBentry:
$21
-
Chocolate and Wine Tasting Activity in Matosinhos Portugal:
$24
-
Pub Crawl Porto:
$25
-
Poças Guided Visit and Port Wine Tasting with Pastel de Nata:
$27
-
Premium wine tasting at Quinta das Arcas:
$28
-
Classic Wine Tasting with GUIDED TOUR:
$29
-
Wine tasting of 5 Port Wines with a Sommelier:
$29
-
Taylor's Port Cellars Visit & Port Wine Tasting:
$29
-
Fado Concert with Port Wine Tasting at Quinta da Boeira:
$29
-
Wine Experience Museum with 3 Wine Tastings:
$29
-
Porto Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour with Wine tasting & Night tour:
$31
Typical Alcohol Prices in Arequipa
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Arequipa are as follows:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Porto and Arequipa, we can see that Porto is more expensive. And not only is Arequipa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Porto is in Europe and Arequipa 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 Arequipa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Arequipa 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 Porto would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Porto than you might in Arequipa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Porto Expensive? and Is Arequipa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Porto or Arequipa?
Arequipa has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Porto. When comparing the sizes of Porto and Arequipa, 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.
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