A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Taupo vs. Lima for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Taupo or Lima?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Taupo 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: Taupo or Lima?

Taupo

Taupo is a town located in the center of the North Island, situated on the shores of Lake Taupo, which is New Zealand's largest lake. It is also the caldera of the Taupo Volcano. It has a population of 23,700 people and is visited by many people interested in fishing, boating, and other water activities. There are many hiking and biking trails that take you around the water as well.

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 G Adventures Tours to New Zealand, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Auckland, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Peru, and The Best Adventure Tours to Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Lima or Taupo?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Taupo is $127, while the average daily cost in Lima is $98. 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 Taupo and Lima in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Taupo $61
    Lima $54
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Taupo $122
    Lima $108
Compare Hotels in Taupo and Lima

Looking for a hotel in Taupo 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.

Hotels in Taupo


Hotels in Lima


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: Taupo Hotel Prices and Lima Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Taupo $25
    Lima $6.25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taupo

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Taupo:

  • Tongariro Crossing : 2 Day PRIVATE TRANSFER Leaving AUCKLAND: $1,101

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lima

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Lima are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $5.92
  • Taxi Ride
    $5.92
  • Short Taxi Ride
    $4.44

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lima

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lima:

  • 3-Day Trip to Lima, hotels & transfers: $165
  • Airport Transfer: Jorge Chavez Airport LIM to Lima by Sedan: $49
  • Deluxe Car Lima Transfer - Private Service: $29
  • Enjoy a Football Game in Lima with local guide and Transfers: $99
  • Guided Assistance -Hassle-free service -Airport -Hotel transfers: $30
  • Jorge Chavez Airport (LIM) to Lima - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $42
  • Larco Museum Complete Guided Tour with Transfers (Small Group): $55
  • Larco Museum Tour & Gastronomic Experience with rountrip transfer: $160
  • Lima Airport (LIM) to Miraflores - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $47
  • Lima Airport (LIM) to Miraflores city - Arrival Private Transfer: $24
  • Lima Airport Arrival Transfer: $23
  • Lima Airport Arrival Transfer for small groups: $189

Is it cheaper to fly into Taupo or Lima?

Prices for flights to both Lima and Taupo 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Taupo $40
    Lima $33

Typical Food Prices in Lima

Some typical examples of dining costs in Lima are as follows:


  • Lunch for Two
    $4.74
  • Ice cream
    $3.85
  • Coffee
    $3.26
  • Donut
    $1.04

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lima

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lima.

  • Food Tours on the Forbidden Side of Lima with Elite DRONE FOOTAGE: $2.50
  • Local Food Tour at an Iconic Market!!: $24
  • Private Churros Cooking Class, Miraflores & Hotel Pickup: $43
  • Lima Street Food Tour: Taste Authentic Peruvian Delights: $45
  • Miraflores Cooking Class Ceviche, Tartar & Pisco Sour: $45
  • Dinner with Folkloric Show at Casa Tambo Restaurant: $46
  • #1 Rated Lima Cooking Class: Make Ceviche, Causa & Pisco Sours!: $49
  • Lima Street Food Tour : Try the best Peruvian street food: $49
  • Lima Food Tour & Market Experience: 13 Peruvian Bites: $50
  • Food Tour and Market Experience: 12 Peruvian Snacks: $50
  • Andean Breads Cooking Class in Lima: $55
  • Limeno Bites Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $55

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Taupo $34
    Lima $9.44
Typical Entertainment Prices in Taupo

Here are a few typical costs in Taupo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Bungy Jumping
    $150
  • Jet Boating
    $56

Tours and Activities in Taupo

Here are a few actual costs in Taupo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Marvelous Circus: $23
  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Enchanted Candy Forest: $23
  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Cursed Cabin: $23
  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Hunting Lodge: $23
  • Orakei Korako Geothermal Park and Cave Entry Ticket: $28
  • Lake Taupō Māori Rock Carvings Scenic Cruise aboard Ernest Kemp: $30
  • Lake Maori Rock Carvings 8.30 AM 1.5-Hour Cruise: $34
  • Lake 1.5-Hour Maori Rock Carvings 5:00 PM Cruise: $34
  • Lake Maori Rock Carvings 10.30 AM 1.5-Hour Cruise: $34
  • Self-Guided Geothermal Tour in Orakei Korako: $34
  • Eco Sailing Tour to Maori Rock Carvings on Lake Taupo: $35
  • Kakariki Day Time Cruise to Maori Rock Carvings: $35

Typical Entertainment Prices in Lima

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lima are as follows:


  • Entrance to Museo Larco (for 2)
    $18
  • Movie Tickets
    $2.52

Tours and Activities in Lima

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lima are as follows:

  • Adventure at the Airport of Peru: $10
  • Lima Cathedral Museum Entrance Ticket: $10
  • TOP Lima : Private Guided Tour with your mobile: $12
  • Walking Tour to Miraflores and Barranco with a beer: $15
  • Miraflores Guided Walking Tour and Surquillo Market Experience: $15
  • Private Beach Guided Bike Tour in Lima: $19
  • Miraflores and Barranco Private Bike Tour: $19
  • Historic Lima & Catacombs Tour with Optional Pickup: $19
  • GABRIEL | Peruvian Coffee Tasting Experience in Lima: $20
  • Colorful Barranco Tour and Street Art: $20
  • A Journey Through Time: Lima's Historic Center & Catacombs Tour: $20
  • Skip the Line: Larco Museum Admission Ticket: $21

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Taupo $13
    Lima $6.14
Typical Alcohol Prices in Taupo

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Taupo from other travelers:


  • Wine
    $5.00

Typical Alcohol Prices in Lima

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Lima are as follows:


  • Bottle of Wine
    $7.96
  • Beer
    $4.44
  • Cocktail
    $3.55

Sample the Local Flavors in Lima

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Lima:

  • Free Pub Crawl: $5.00
  • Discover Barranco's Nightlife with Bar Crawl Lima: $20
  • Discover Miraflores nightlife with Bar Crawl Lima: $24
  • Gin and Rum Distillery Tour: $24
  • Lima Nightlife Tour & Society – Cultural Pub Crawl: $50


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taupo and Lima, we can see that Taupo is more expensive. And not only is Lima much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Taupo is in Pacific and Lima 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 Lima would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lima 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 Taupo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taupo than you might in Lima.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Taupo Expensive? and Is Lima Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Taupo or Lima?

Lima has a larger population, and is about 340 times larger than the population of Taupo. When comparing the sizes of Taupo 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.