Which place is cheaper, La Serena or Roatan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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 Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRoatan $38La Serena $87
The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $38, 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 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 $19La 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$4.26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:
- West Bay Beach, Chocolate, & Rum Factory & Transfer: $67
- Transfers, Zip Line and Monkey Park: $110
- Transfers to West End by night from hotels in West Bay or Sandy Bay: $15
- South Side Horseback Riding, Beach Break & Roundway Transfer: $120
- Round trip transfers from airport or ferry to hotel: $40
- Roatan Sun & Fun, Sloths & Monkeys, Beach & Private Transfer: $63
- Roatan Special Catamaran for Cruise Ship Passengers plus Transfer: $113
- Roatan Private Sloths, Monkeys, Birds Encounters, City Tour and Transfer: $60
- Roatan Private Catamaran Shipwreck, Blue Channel and Starfish with Transfer: $90
- Roatan Island hotels to Mahogany Bay Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Roatan East End Cultural Experience, Island Lunch & Private Transfer: $99
- Roatan Buggy Adventure, Snorkeling, Beach Pass plus Private Transfer: $207
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 $9.43La Serena $27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.
- Tiki Boat Sunset Cruise in Roatan with Snorkeling and Dinner : $100
- Cooking classes from a Local!: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Roatan $27La Serena $24
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- Mangrove cruise garífuna Culture sightseeing and Lunch : $89
- Shore Excursion: VIP Island City Tour and Drift Snorkel : $60
- Shore Excursion: Zip & Dip Adventure: $69
- Sloths Sanctuary/Monkeys Play + Dune Buggy/ATV Adventure & Private Beach Resort: $139
- 2 Hour Zip Lining Private Tour in Mahogany Bay: $65
- 4-Hour East Side Roatan Private Guided Tour with Canoe Ride: $120
- ATV Safari and Horseback Adventure at Mahogany Bay: $110
- Adventures of Roatan ATV Pineapple beach break: $120
- Animal Sightings and Walking Tour at Gumbalimba Park with Addons: $90
- Atv Island Tour: $85
- Cruise Excursion – 2 Scuba Dives with transport (for certified divers): $175
- Cruise Ship Family Sloth & Monkeys, West Tour, Beach plus Private Vehicle: $75
Tours and Activities in La Serena
For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full Day History and Flavors Tour in the Elqui Valley: $50
- La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
- La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
- Full day Tour to Elqui Valley : $80
- Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $85
- Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $120
- La Serena & Coquimbo City Tour - Short excursion for cruise ships: $128
- Tour to the internationally renowned Pangue Observatory: $139
- Tour to Valle del Encanto Archeology, Petroglyphs, Flora, Fauna and Springs: $140
- Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $140
- Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
- Elqui Valley and Vicuña Private Tour Including Lunch: $183
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRoatan $7.07La Serena $22
Sample the Local Flavors in Roatan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Roatan:
- Half-Day Tour in Roatan With Brewery, Rum and Chocolate Factories visit: $46
- Bar Crawl Tour in West End Village by Pedibike- Let the Good Times Roll: $80
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.