Which place is cheaper, Iquique or Temuco?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Temuco or Iquique?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Temuco 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.
Where Should I go: Temuco or Iquique?
Temuco
Temuco is a large and modern city found 680 km south of Santiago. While the city is dynamic, it does not have any particular charm with the exception of being a great point of departure for many excursions around the lake region and the many national parks found in the surrounding area. Temuco is also well known for its Mapuche culture, a proud and rebellious community of around 20 000 in the area today, who has fought continuously against every invaders in the past.
Iquique
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 Food and Culinary Tours in Chile, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, The Best Luxury Tours to Chile, and The Best Budget Tours to Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTemuco $80Iquique $96
The average daily cost (per person) in Temuco is $80, 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 Temuco and Iquique in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTemuco $44Iquique $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTemuco $88Iquique $86
Compare Hotels in Temuco and Iquique
Looking for a hotel in Temuco 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Temuco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Temuco $23Iquique $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Temuco
Also for Temuco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Temuco Airport to Pucon: $140
- Temuco Airport (ZCO) to Pucon Thermal Resorts-Round-Trip Transfer: $98
- Transfer Araucanía Airport - Temuco: $50
- Temuco Airport (ZCO) to Pucon Resorts - Arrival Private Transfer: $49
- Transfers from or to Temuco - Araucanía Airport: $35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Iquique
Also for Iquique, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Sandboard activity in Iquique with transfer: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Temuco or Iquique?
Prices for flights to both Iquique and Temuco 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 dayTemuco $22Iquique $34
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Temuco $7.85Iquique $27
Tours and Activities in Temuco
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Temuco.
- Tour Mapuche Community Araucanía: $582
Tours and Activities in Iquique
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Iquique.
- City Tour in Iquique: $89
- City tour of Iquique with navigation to the Esmeralda buoy: $50
- Guided City Tour with Boat Trip to Esmeralda Buoy: $60
- Pintados Geoglyphs, Humberstone and Salar Crespo tour: $145
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTemuco $5.13Iquique $20
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Temuco and Iquique, we can see that Iquique is more expensive. And not only is Temuco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Temuco would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Temuco 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 Temuco.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Temuco Expensive? and Is Iquique Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Temuco or Iquique?
Temuco has a larger population, and is about 5% larger than the population of Iquique. When comparing the sizes of Temuco 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.
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.