Which place is cheaper, La Serena or Quepos?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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 Quepos and La Serena can help you decide which place is right for you.
Quepos is both a district and the capital of Aguirre canton in the Puntareanas Province of Costa Rica. The town is quite small, and the district has a population of about 22,000 people. Quepos is a popular tourist destination in Costa Rica due to its close proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific Coast. The town's economy is centered around tourism and there is no shortage of bars and restaurants in the area. The town also has a lively nightlife for such a small community.
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 Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Quepos is $117, while the average daily cost in La Serena is $87. 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 Quepos and La Serena in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Quepos or La Serena? 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.
Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both La Serena and Quepos 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.
For Quepos, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
For Quepos, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quepos and La Serena, we can see that Quepos is more expensive. And not only is La Serena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Quepos is in Central America and La Serena 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 La Serena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Serena 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 Quepos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quepos than you might in La Serena.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Quepos Expensive? and Is La Serena Expensive?.
La Serena has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Quepos. When comparing the sizes of Quepos 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.
La Serena has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Quepos experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Both La Serena and Quepos are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Quepos throughout the year.
In the summer, Quepos is much warmer than La Serena. Typically, the summer temperatures in Quepos in July average around 28°C (82°F), and La Serena averages at about 18°C (64°F)in January.
It's quite sunny in La Serena. Quepos usually receives less sunshine than La Serena during summer. Quepos gets 164 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 247 hours of full sun in the summer.
It's quite rainy in Quepos. In July, Quepos usually receives more rain than La Serenain January. Quepos gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the summer.
Both La Serena and Quepos during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Quepos because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In October, Quepos is generally much warmer than La Serenain April. Daily temperatures in Quepos average around 27°C (81°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).
In the autumn, Quepos often gets around the same amount of sunshine as La Serenain April. Quepos gets 169 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 159 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Quepos. Quepos usually gets more rain in October than La Serenain April. Quepos gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Quepos and La Serena. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Quepos year-round.
Quepos is much warmer than La Serena in the winter. The daily temperature in Quepos averages around 27°C (81°F) in January, and La Serena fluctuates around 12°C (54°F)in July.
In Quepos, it's very sunny this time of the year. Quepos usually receives more sunshine than La Serena during winter. Quepos gets 264 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 160 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Quepos usually receives more rain than La Serenain July. Quepos gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain each month for the winter.
The spring brings many poeple to Quepos as well as La Serena. Quepos attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the spring, Quepos is much warmer than La Serena. Typically, the spring temperatures in Quepos in April average around 29°C (85°F), and La Serena averages at about 14°C (57°F)in October.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Quepos this time of the year. In the spring, Quepos often gets more sunshine than La Serenain October. Quepos gets 255 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 190 hours of full sun.
Quepos usually gets more rain in April than La Serenain October. Quepos gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
Quepos | La Serena | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
Feb | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
May | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |