A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Utrecht vs. Arequipa for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Utrecht or Arequipa?

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

Should I visit Utrecht or Arequipa? 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: Utrecht or Arequipa?

Utrecht

Utrecht is both a province and a city in the Netherlands. The city is a unique university city with a lively atmosphere. Imagine Amsterdam but smaller, and with fewer tourists. Utrecht has the same underlying historical/magical feel as Amsterdam, but is full of locals rather than crowds of tourists. It has a population of about 300,000 making it the fourth largest city in the Netherlands.

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 Family-Friendly Tours to Netherlands, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Netherlands, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Arequipa or Utrecht?

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 Utrecht is €231, while the average daily cost in Arequipa is €51. 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 Utrecht and Arequipa in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Utrecht 106
    Arequipa 21
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Utrecht 212
    Arequipa 42
Compare Hotels in Utrecht and Arequipa

Looking for a hotel in Utrecht 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.

Hotels in Utrecht


Hotels in Arequipa


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: Utrecht Hotel Prices and Arequipa Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Utrecht 23
    Arequipa 5.42

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Utrecht

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Utrecht:

  • Private transfer from Utrecht to AMS Schiphol Airport: $131
  • Private taxi transfer from Utrecht to Amsterdam: $111
  • Train Transfer Utrecht from/to Rotterdam: $17

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Taxi Ride
    1.22
  • Bus Ride
    0.39
  • Taxi Ride
    0.85

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 Utrecht or Arequipa?

Prices for flights to both Arequipa and Utrecht 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
    Utrecht 100
    Arequipa 21

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Utrecht

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

  • Utrecht Food Tour on a Bicycle with local guide: $81
  • Utrecht Food Tour with local guide: $83

Typical Food Prices in Arequipa

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Arequipa:


  • Coke
    0.37
  • Lunch
    2.56
  • Ice Cream
    0.98
  • Fruit
    0.73
  • Ice Cream
    0.85

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Utrecht 44
    Arequipa 16

Tours and Activities in Utrecht

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

  • Utrecht 2-Hour Walking Tour | Discover The City With A Local: $3.58
  • A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Utrecht's Charming City Centre: $5.99
  • Discover Utrecht's Highlights: Your Self-Guided GPS Tour: $8.29
  • Castles, Canals and Good Folk: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Utrecht: $8.99
  • Utrecht Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $9.53
  • Utrecht Historic City: a Self-Guided Augmented Reality Tour: $12
  • Pub Trail an adventure full of surprises: $13
  • Pub Trail Utrecht An Adventure Full of Surprises: $13
  • Cultural and Historical Audio Guided Walking Tour of Utrecht: $16
  • Utrecht Guided Highlights Walking Tour: $19
  • Utrecht Walking Tour with a local comedian as guide: $23
  • Escape Tours Utrecht; find the secret exit and win! : $24

Typical Entertainment Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Monastery Entry
    2.44
  • Salsa Class
    2.44
  • Movie Ticket
    2.66
  • Hot Springs
    2.44

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
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Utrecht 24
    Arequipa 14

Typical Alcohol Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Beer
    2.20


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Utrecht and Arequipa, we can see that Utrecht is more expensive. And not only is Arequipa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Utrecht is in Europe 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 Utrecht would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Utrecht 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 Utrecht Expensive? and Is Arequipa Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Utrecht or Arequipa?

Arequipa has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Utrecht. When comparing the sizes of Utrecht 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.