Which place is cheaper, Arequipa or San Pedro?
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 Pedro or Arequipa?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Pedro or Arequipa, 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 Pedro or Arequipa?
San Pedro
San Pedro is the largest town on Ambergris Caye, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Belize. Here you can find a tropical paradise with warm weather, clear blue waters, plenty of activities such as snorkeling and scuba diving, and a host of hotels, restaurants, and other amenities.
Arequipa
Sitting in the middle of the Misti, Chachani and PichuPichu volcanoes of Peru is the enchanting city of Arequipa. With 468 years of history, the city is full of Spanish colonial architecture. Known to locals as the "white city," the city center, Plaza de Armas, is quite the sight with buildings of sillar white stone made from the rocks of the surrounding volcanoes.
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 Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.
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San Pedro Prices
Belize PricesArequipa Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Pedro $163Arequipa $60
The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro is $163, while the average daily cost in Arequipa is $60. 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 Pedro and Arequipa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Pedro $66Arequipa $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Pedro $132Arequipa $48
Compare Hotels in San Pedro and Arequipa
Looking for a hotel in San Pedro or Arequipa? 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: Arequipa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Pedro $34Arequipa $6.36
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Pedro:
- Cave Tubing and Zipline Adventure (Boat Transfer): $210
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arequipa
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arequipa are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$1.43
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Bus Ride$0.46
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Taxi Ride$1.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arequipa
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Arequipa:
- Arequipa Airport Arrival Transfer: $13
- Private Transfer from Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón Airport to Hotel: $20
- Arequipa Airport (AQP) Private Transfer to Arequipa City: $23
- Arequipa Bus Station Arrival Transfer : $25
- Transfer Between Arequipa's Airport and Hotels: $35
- Private Transfer from Arequipa to Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón (AQP) Airport : $38
- Full Day Tour to Colca including Transfer to Puno: $60
- Colca Canyon Day Trip with Transfer to Puno: $65
- Koh Lanta any hotel to Krabi airport Private transfer: $81
- Colca Canyon + Transfer To Puno: $103
- Full Day Tour Including Transfer to Puno / Colca Canyon: $112
- 2-Day Colca Canyon Tour with optional transfer to Puno: $132
Is it cheaper to fly into San Pedro or Arequipa?
Prices for flights to both Arequipa and San Pedro 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 Pedro $69Arequipa $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Pedro.
- Maya Sunset Dinner Feast: $49
- The Maya Dinner Experience: Season 2: $111
- The Garifuna Dinner Experience: Season I: $111
Typical Food Prices in Arequipa
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Arequipa:
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Coke$0.43
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Lunch$3.01
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Ice Cream$1.15
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Fruit$0.86
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Ice Cream$1.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arequipa
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Arequipa.
- Cooking Class at La Plantation: $35
- Peruvian Cooking Experience in Arequipa: $35
- Peruvian Cooking Class in arequipa: $50
- Peruvian Cooking Class: $53
- Private Cooking Class in Arequipa: $57
- Food Tour Gastronomic Guided : $113
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Pedro $33Arequipa $19
Tours and Activities in San Pedro
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Pedro are as follows:
- The Maya Brunch Experience: $44
- 3 Hours Barrier Reef Tour in Caye Caulker, Belize: $59
- Haunted Tales of the Maya: Cocktail | Dessert Experience: $66
- Ambergris Caye Food and History Tour: $75
- Half Day Snorkeling Tour Caye Caulker: $80
- Ambergris Caye Sunset Sail Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $85
- Belizean Food Experience: $87
- San Pedro Local Diving Experience : $97
- Hol Chan Full-Day Bucket List Snorkeling and Marine Life Tour: $99
- Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $99
- Caye Caulker Private Camping Adventure: $100
- Belize Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley Snorkel Tour - Ambergris Caye: $113
Typical Entertainment Prices in Arequipa
Here are a few typical costs in Arequipa for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Monastery Entry$2.87
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Salsa Class$2.87
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Movie Ticket$3.13
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Hot Springs$2.87
Tours and Activities in Arequipa
Here are a few actual costs in Arequipa for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Countryside Tour Arequipa: $18
- 8-Hours Tour in Arequipa Laguna de Salinas with Pick-up: $20
- Chili River White Water Rafting Adventure with Pickup: $20
- From Salinas Lagoon Half Day Tour: $21
- Tour Colca Full Day Promotional Price: $22
- Full Day Tour Sillar Route and Culebrillas Canyon Arequipa: $23
- Arequipa City Tour and food and drinks experience: $25
- Half day Sillar Stone Tour from Arequipa: $25
- Ticket for Planetarium and Star Observatory: $27
- Pillones Waterfall Tour | Stone Forest | Arequipa: $27
- Full Day Tour to Colca Canyon from Arequipa: $28
- Walking tour history, legends & mysteries : $28
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Pedro $16Arequipa $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Arequipa
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Arequipa are as follows:
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Beer$2.58
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Pedro and Arequipa, we can see that San Pedro is more expensive. And not only is Arequipa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Pedro is in Central America and Arequipa 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 Arequipa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Arequipa 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 San Pedro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Pedro than you might in Arequipa.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Pedro Expensive? and Is Arequipa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Pedro or Arequipa?
Arequipa has a larger population, and is about 100 times larger than the population of San Pedro. When comparing the sizes of San Pedro and Arequipa, 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.