Which place is cheaper, Iquique or San Juan del Sur?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for San Juan del Sur and Iquique. 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.
San Juan del Sur is a popular port destination on the Pacific coast of southwest Nicaragua. The town was once a quaint fishing village but has grown into a tourist town with activities for visitors that include surfing, fishing, and, of course, partying. The town has a population of just over 15,000, most of whom are either fishermen or involved in the tourism industry. There is also a large expat community from the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Located in a golden crescent of coastline, the beautiful beach city with an ocean that's several shades of blue and a historic centre that offers the perfect balance of culture and relaxation is counted among Chile's premier beach resorts. The city is home to the duty free zone called "Zofri" and a growing number of high rise resort hotels along its beaches. Slightly more expensive and polluted than neighboring population centers, such as Arica, Iquique and its chaotic duty-free shopping zone (zona franca) have become the perfect summer holiday destination for Chilean families.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, 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 San Juan del Sur is $53, while the average daily cost in Iquique 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 Juan del Sur and Iquique in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in San Juan del Sur or Iquique? 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 Iquique, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Iquique and San Juan del Sur 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.
Here are a few actual costs in San Juan del Sur for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Iquique.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Juan del Sur and Iquique, we can see that Iquique is more expensive. And not only is San Juan del Sur much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Juan del Sur is in Central America and Iquique 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 Juan del Sur would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Juan del Sur 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 Iquique would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Iquique than you might in San Juan del Sur.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Juan del Sur Expensive? and Is Iquique Expensive?.
Iquique has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of San Juan del Sur. When comparing the sizes of San Juan del Sur and Iquique, 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.