Which place is cheaper, La Serena or San Ignacio?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Ignacio or La Serena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Ignacio or La Serena, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: San Ignacio or La Serena?
San Ignacio
So you want a tropical getaway, but also don't want to lay around with nothing to do. You want an adventure! You want relaxation and exploration.
You want to visit the small town of San Ignacio, Belize.
This section of the Cayo region is really more of a jungle than a typical Belize beach getaway. Located close the ancient Mayan ruins on the western and inland side of Belize, this town is most popular for its many outdoor adventures including hiking, climbing, and caving!
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 Budget Tours to Belize, The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Ignacio $72La Serena $87
The average daily cost (per person) in San Ignacio is $72, 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 San Ignacio and La Serena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Ignacio $19La Serena $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Ignacio $38La Serena $84
Compare Hotels in San Ignacio and La Serena
Looking for a hotel in San Ignacio 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: San Ignacio Hotel Prices and La Serena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Ignacio $3.11La Serena $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Ignacio
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Ignacio:
- San Ignacio Hotel to Belize City Transfer: $20
- From Van Transfer To Flores Peten in Guatemala: $20
Is it cheaper to fly into San Ignacio or La Serena?
Prices for flights to both La Serena and San Ignacio 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 Ignacio $21La Serena $27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Ignacio
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Ignacio.
- Xunantunich & Food Tour with local chocolate experience: $150
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Ignacio $100La Serena $24
Tours and Activities in San Ignacio
Here are a few actual costs in San Ignacio for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- ATV Excursions in Cayo with Waterfalls Experience: $174
- Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour and Picnic: $125
- Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour from San Ignacio : $125
- Actun Tunichil Muknal with Local Tour guide & Belizean Lunch: $120
- Belize Cave Tubing Adventure from San Ignacio: $90
- Caracol Maya Ruins Tour Including Rio On Pools, Rio Frio Cave and a Picnic Lunch: $125
- Cave Canoeing with Local Tour Guide: $80
- Cave Tubing Adventure at Nohoch Che'en and Jaguar Paw : $115
- Cave Tubing and Zip line Adventure from San Ignacio: $144
- Cave Tubing with local tour Guide and Belizean Lunch: $90
- Deluxe Cave Tubing combo Adventure: $125
- Farm Ride plus Xunantunich tour: $90
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 daySan Ignacio $17La Serena $22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Ignacio and La Serena, we can see that La Serena is more expensive. And not only is San Ignacio much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Ignacio 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 San Ignacio would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Ignacio 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 San Ignacio.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Ignacio Expensive? and Is La Serena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Ignacio or La Serena?
La Serena has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of San Ignacio. When comparing the sizes of San Ignacio 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.
When is the best time to visit San Ignacio or La Serena?
La Serena has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Ignacio experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit San Ignacio or La Serena in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to San Ignacio as well as La Serena. San Ignacio attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In July, San Ignacio is generally much warmer than La Serenain January. Daily temperatures in San Ignacio average around 28°C (82°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in La Serena. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Ignacio this time of the year. In the summer, San Ignacio often gets less sunshine than La Serenain January. San Ignacio gets 226 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 247 hours of full sun.
San Ignacio receives a lot of rain in the summer. San Ignacio usually gets more rain in July than La Serenain January. San Ignacio gets 243 mm (9.6 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuarySan Ignacio 28°C (82°F)La Serena 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit San Ignacio or La Serena in the Autumn?
Both La Serena and San Ignacio are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Ignacio throughout the year.
San Ignacio is much warmer than La Serena in the autumn. The daily temperature in San Ignacio averages around 26°C (80°F) in October, and La Serena fluctuates around 15°C (59°F)in April.
San Ignacio usually receives more sunshine than La Serena during autumn. San Ignacio gets 196 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 159 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It's quite rainy in San Ignacio. In October, San Ignacio usually receives more rain than La Serenain April. San Ignacio gets 255 mm (10 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilSan Ignacio 26°C (80°F)La Serena 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit San Ignacio or La Serena in the Winter?
Both La Serena and San Ignacio during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to San Ignacio because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the winter, San Ignacio is much warmer than La Serena. Typically, the winter temperatures in San Ignacio in January average around 24°C (74°F), and La Serena averages at about 12°C (54°F)in July.
In the winter, San Ignacio often gets more sunshine than La Serenain July. San Ignacio gets 199 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 160 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in San Ignacio. San Ignacio usually gets more rain in January than La Serenain July. San Ignacio gets 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulySan Ignacio 24°C (74°F)La Serena 12°C (54°F)
Should I visit San Ignacio or La Serena in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both San Ignacio and La Serena. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Ignacio year-round.
In April, San Ignacio is generally much warmer than La Serenain October. Daily temperatures in San Ignacio average around 27°C (80°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).
In San Ignacio, it's very sunny this time of the year. San Ignacio usually receives more sunshine than La Serena during spring. San Ignacio gets 256 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 190 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, San Ignacio usually receives more rain than La Serenain October. San Ignacio gets 52 mm (2 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberSan Ignacio 27°C (80°F)La Serena 14°C (57°F)
Typical Weather for La Serena and San Ignacio
| San Ignacio | La Serena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (74°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (76°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (78°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (80°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 258 mm (10.2 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 243 mm (9.6 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 187 mm (7.4 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 287 mm (11.3 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Oct | 26°C (80°F) | 255 mm (10 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Nov | 25°C (77°F) | 183 mm (7.2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (76°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
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.