Which place is cheaper, La Serena or Roatan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Roatan or La Serena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Roatan and La Serena. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Roatan or La Serena?
Roatan
Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.
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 Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile.
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Roatan Prices
Honduras PricesLa Serena Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRoatan $42La Serena $106
The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $42, while the average daily cost in La Serena is $106. 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 Roatan and La Serena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRoatan $11La Serena $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRoatan $22La Serena $84
Compare Hotels in Roatan and La Serena
Looking for a hotel in Roatan 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Roatan Hotel Prices and La Serena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Roatan $18La Serena $20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$4.00
Is it cheaper to fly into Roatan or La Serena?
Prices for flights to both La Serena and Roatan 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 dayRoatan $15La Serena $46
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Roatan $26La Serena $24
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- Monkeys and sloths, private tour , and beach: $89
Tours and Activities in La Serena
For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Elqui Valley Tour: Full Day History and Flavors : $42
- Astronomy and Astrophotography Tour: $55
- Astronomical Tour Collowara Observatory: $64
- La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
- La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
- Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $85
- Full day Tour to Elqui Valley : $110
- Grand Tour Valley of Elqui Mystic Mountains and Cultural Treasures: $115
- Spas and Beaches Tour: La Herradura -Totoralillo - Guanaqueros -Tongoy: $118
- Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $165
- Private La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour: $170
- Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRoatan $6.64La Serena $22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Roatan and La Serena, we can see that La Serena is more expensive. And not only is Roatan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Roatan 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 Roatan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Roatan 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 Roatan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Roatan Expensive? and Is La Serena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Roatan or La Serena?
La Serena has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Roatan 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.
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.