A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Tilcara vs. Easter Island for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Tilcara or Easter Island?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Tilcara and Easter Island can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Tilcara or Easter Island?

Tilcara

Tilcara signifies shooting star in Quechua. At 2465m of altitude, the little town of Tilcara is one of the most animated place of the area of the quebrada de humahuaca. Many South American backpackers and tourists from all around the world come to visit Tilcara and its pucara, the forteresse built by the Incas at the top of the hill, providing a stunning walk around the town. Tilcara hosts many festivals for different occasions such as the celebration of the Pachamama in August, the semana santa (Holy Week) in April, and the Enero Tilcareno, held in January as its name indicates, which is probably the busiest month of the year for the little town. If you enjoy concerts, parades and folklorique parties then definitely try to visit Tilcara during a festival month and avoid them if you prefer a calm and more relaxed holiday. There are many available activities around Tilcara including horseback riding, VTT, and you could also even try a ride in a caravan pulled by llamas.

Easter Island

Although Easter Island is considered a territory of Chile, it is actually located far out in the Pacific, almost halfway to Tahiti. Easter Island is well known, despite being one of the most isolated islands on Earth, because of the mysterious giant stone busts which date back centuries. There are 887 monumental statues, called moai, that were built by the Rapa Nui people. There remains much mystery around the historic Polynesian culture which created the stones, as well as the specific meaning for them.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Argentina, The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Easter Island or Tilcara?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Tilcara is $8.25, while the average daily cost in Easter Island is $80. 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 Tilcara and Easter Island in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Tilcara $3.25
    Easter Island $44
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Tilcara $6.50
    Easter Island $88
Compare Hotels in Tilcara and Easter Island

Looking for a hotel in Tilcara or Easter Island? 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 Tilcara


Hotels in Easter Island


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: Tilcara Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Tilcara $2.19
    Easter Island $2.59
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tilcara

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Tilcara:


  • Taxi Ride
    $0.01

Is it cheaper to fly into Tilcara or Easter Island?

Prices for flights to both Easter Island and Tilcara 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
    Tilcara $3.41
    Easter Island $25
Typical Food Prices in Tilcara

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Tilcara:


  • Sandwich
    $0.01
  • Burger
    $0.01
  • Fruit
    $0.01
  • Sandwich
    $0.01

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tilcara

For Tilcara, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Northern Argentine cooking experience: $70

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Easter Island

For Easter Island, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Dinner, Show and Traditional Curanto Te Ra'ai Cultural Experience: $120
  • Rapa Nui Dinner Show on Easter Island: $153

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Tilcara $1.95
    Easter Island $40

Tours and Activities in Tilcara

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tilcara.

  • Bike Adventure through Juella with lunch: $35
  • Full-Day Tour to Laguna de los Pozuelos from Tilcara: $162
  • Private Full Day Tour to Salinas de Grandes and Barrancas: $130
  • Purmamarca Night Experience: $30
  • Serranías del Hornocal + Citytour Humahuaca: $30
  • 2 hours cycling tour trough the rural area: $20
  • Half day mountain bike tour with lunch: $35

Typical Entertainment Prices in Easter Island

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Easter Island's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Bike Rental
    $8.38

Tours and Activities in Easter Island

For Easter Island, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 2-Day Tour Touring the Highlights of Rapa Nui: $300
  • Half Day Private Tour: Caves and Volcanic Refuges: $170
  • 2 Day Private Tour: Rapa Nui's Cultural Heritage: $300
  • 2 Days Highlights Tour in Easter Island Moai and Nature: $210
  • Easter Island Full-Day Tour: Ahu Tongariki, Rano Raraku and Anakena Beach: $171
  • Easter Island Moai Archaeology Tour: Ahu Akivi, Ahu Tahai and Puna Pauâ Quarry.: $91
  • Easter Island Moai Dining Experience: $90
  • Poike Volcano Private Hiking Tour with Guide: $280
  • Experience Easter Island Shared Tour for Cruise Ship Passengers : $290
  • Full Day Hotu Matua Tour from Vaihu to Anakena: $70
  • Full Day Private Tour: Factory of the Moai the stone giants: $219
  • Full Day Tour - The Land of Hotu Matu´a: $177

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Tilcara $1.07
    Easter Island $5.34


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

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


Which is Bigger, Tilcara or Easter Island?

Tilcara has a larger population, and is about 41% larger than the population of Easter Island. When comparing the sizes of Tilcara and Easter Island, 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.