Which place is cheaper, Lima or San Cristobal de Las Casas?
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 San Cristobal de Las Casas or Lima?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit San Cristobal de Las Casas or Lima? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: San Cristobal de Las Casas or Lima?
San Cristobal de Las Casas
Far away from the luxuries of Cancun and Cabo, Mexico's San Cristobal de las Casas is a stunning colonial city located in the southern state of Chiapas. Due to its strategic location, the town is commonly used as a transfer point for travelers looking to cross the border between Guatemala and Mexico. San Cristobal also has an immensely strong appeal among budget-minded travelers as it's one of Mexico's most affordable cities.
Lima
Lima, the capital city of Peru, is likely to be your point of entry for the country. Lima was founded in 1535 and was the seat of the Spanish rule for 300 years. It's a surprisingly modern city despite its rich history, but many beautiful churches and colonial architecture remain today. There are also large slum areas that highlight the poverty that exists in the city. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area have a population of about 8.5 million people, many of whom came from the Andes Mountains in search of work. Unfortunately the work opportunities are limited and the poverty is obvious as you arrive in Lima.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Peru, and The Best Adventure Tours to Peru.
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San Cristobal de Las Casas Prices
Mexico PricesLima Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Cristobal de Las Casas $108Lima $96
The average daily cost (per person) in San Cristobal de Las Casas is $108, while the average daily cost in Lima is $96. 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 San Cristobal de Las Casas and Lima in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Cristobal de Las Casas $43Lima $52
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Cristobal de Las Casas $86Lima $104
Compare Hotels in San Cristobal de Las Casas and Lima
Looking for a hotel in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Lima? 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: San Cristobal de Las Casas Hotel Prices and Lima Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Cristobal de Las Casas $30Lima $6.11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Cristobal de Las Casas
Also for San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer Hotel in San Cristobal de las Casas to TGZ Airport: $98
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$5.78
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Taxi Ride$5.78
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Short Taxi Ride$4.34
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:
- Transfer in Private Van from the Airport to Hotels in Lima: $60
- Transfer from the Airport to the Hotel or Hotel-Airport!!: $25
- Transfer from Hotel/Airbnb Miraflores/San Isidro/Barranco to Airport: $21
- Taxi transfers from and to the Lima Airport and Paracas Ica: $15
- Roundtrip Private Transfer Lima Airport (LIM): $33
- Round Trip Transfer from and to the Airport in Miraflores/Barranco/Sani: $41
- QuickLlama: Transfer from Lima Airport to Miraflores Kennedy Park: $5.95
- QuickLlama: Door-to-door transfer from Lima Airport to Miraflores: $5.95
- Private Transfer from Lima Airport (LIM) to Callao Port: $16
- Private Transfer from Jorge Chavez Airport to Hotels in Lima: $16
- Private Transfer from Callao Cruise Port to Lima city hotels: $17
- Private Transfer Lima Airport (QuickLlama Airport Shuttle): $29
Is it cheaper to fly into San Cristobal de Las Casas or Lima?
Prices for flights to both Lima and San Cristobal de Las Casas 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 daySan Cristobal de Las Casas $37Lima $32
Typical Food Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:
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Lunch for Two$4.63
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Ice cream$3.76
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Coffee$3.18
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Donut$1.01
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.
- Andean Breads Cooking Class in Lima: $44
- Lima Street Food Tour: Taste Authentic Peruvian Delights: $45
- Dinner with Folkloric Show at Casa Tambo Restaurant: $46
- Lima Food Tour with Ceviche, Pisco, and Grilled Chicken: $55
- Food Tour and Market Experience: 12 Peruvian Snacks: $55
- #1 Rated Lima Cooking Class: Make Ceviche, Causa & Pisco Sours!: $59
- Lima Market Tour & Ceviche Cooking Class with Pisco Sour: $59
- Dinner at the Huaca Pucllana Restaurant: $67
- Peruvian Food Tour Through Local Markets: $69
- Peruvian Cooking Class, Local Market Tour & Exotic Fruit Tasting: $72
- Authentic 4-dish Peruvian Food Cooking Class in Lima + Pisco Sour: $75
- Peru Culinary Identity: 10+ Tastes with Sherpa Food Tours: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Cristobal de Las Casas $13Lima $9.23
Tours and Activities in San Cristobal de Las Casas
For San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- San Juan Chamula and Zinacantán: cultural tour from San Cristóbal: $22
- Tour of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan: $25
- San Cristóbal Walking Tour: Immersion in its Traditions: $28
- Tour to San Juan Chamula & Zinacantan Indian communities: $30
- From San Cristobal City Walking Tour: $38
- Adventure to the Sumidero Canyon Viewpoints and Chiapa de Corzo: $49
- Private Tour in San Cristobal de las Casas: $54
- Tour to the Viewpoints, Sumidero Canyon and Chiapa de Corzo: $55
- Tour to the Chiflón Waterfalls and Montebello Lagoons: $55
- Full Day Tour of Montebello Lakes and El Chiflon Waterfall: $60
- Bike Tour Chiapas Indigenous Peoples: $62
- Agua Azul & Misol-Ha Day Tour ending in Palenque: $68
Typical Entertainment Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lima are as follows:
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Entrance to Museo Larco (for 2)$17
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Movie Tickets$2.46
Tours and Activities in Lima
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:
- 1 Day Tour to Huacachina from Lima (Dunebuggy + Vineyards): $225
- 2 Day Tour from Nazca Lines Flight, Paracas, and Huacachina: $265
- 2 Day Tour from Paracas, Ballestas Island and Huacachina: $134
- 3 Day Tour From Paracas, Huacachina Oasis & Pisco Vineyard: $143
- 3 Day Tour from Nazca Lines Flight, Paracas, and Huacachina: $275
- 4-Hour Tasting Tour in Lima with Pickup: $85
- 8-Hour Private Tour Lima Viceroyalty and Gold Museum with Lunch: $120
- A Journey Through Time: Lima's Historic Center & Catacombs Tour: $20
- All-Inclusive Highlights of Lima Tour: $120
- Ballestas Islands and Huacachina Full Day Tour from Lima: $38
- Ballestas Islands, Paracas Reserve & Skulls Museum Private Tour: $270
- Barranco Bike Tour: From Pyramids to Bohemian Streets: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Cristobal de Las Casas $27Lima $6.00
Typical Alcohol Prices in Lima
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Lima are as follows:
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Bottle of Wine$7.78
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Beer$4.34
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Cocktail$3.47
Sample the Local Flavors in Lima
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:
- Free Pub Crawl: $5.00
- Lima Pub Crawl - Party tour: Friday Barranco/Saturday miraflores: $22
- Barranco Bohemian Bar Crawl: 4 Bars & Live Music: $24
- Lima Anti Pub Crawl: $60
When comparing the travel costs between San Cristobal de Las Casas and Lima, we can see that San Cristobal de Las Casas is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though San Cristobal de Las Casas is in North America and Lima is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Cristobal de Las Casas Expensive? and Is Lima Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Cristobal de Las Casas or Lima?
Lima has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of San Cristobal de Las Casas. When comparing the sizes of San Cristobal de Las Casas and Lima, 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.