Which place is cheaper, Guadalajara or Arequipa?
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 Arequipa or Guadalajara?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Arequipa or Guadalajara? 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: Arequipa or Guadalajara?
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.
Guadalajara
Guadalajara is the capital of the state of Jalisco in western Mexico, as well as one of the country's largest cities. It is best known for tequila and mariachi music, which both originate in Jalisco, as well as a thriving historic center with colonial architecture and landmarks.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, The Best Cultural Tours in Peru, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico.
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Arequipa Prices
Peru PricesGuadalajara Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayArequipa $60Guadalajara $138
The average daily cost (per person) in Arequipa is $60, while the average daily cost in Guadalajara is $138. 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 Arequipa and Guadalajara in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personArequipa $24Guadalajara $38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomArequipa $48Guadalajara $76
Compare Hotels in Arequipa and Guadalajara
Looking for a hotel in Arequipa or Guadalajara? 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 and Guadalajara Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Arequipa $6.36Guadalajara $35
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:
- Colca Canyon 2-Day Tour with Lodge Stay and Transfer to Puno: $283
- 2 Day Trek Including Transfer to Puno / Colca Canyon: $179
- Koh lanta any hotel to Phuket airport Private transfer: $172
- Colca Canyon Sightseeing Tour 2D1N and Transfer to Puno: $147
- 2-Day Colca Canyon Tour with optional transfer to Puno: $132
- Full Day Tour Including Transfer to Puno / Colca Canyon: $112
- Colca Canyon + Transfer To Puno: $103
- Koh Lanta any hotel to Krabi airport Private transfer: $81
- Colca Canyon Day Trip with Transfer to Puno: $65
- Full Day Tour to Colca including Transfer to Puno: $60
- Private Transfer from Arequipa to Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón (AQP) Airport : $38
- Transfer Between Arequipa's Airport and Hotels: $35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guadalajara
Also for Guadalajara, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Guadalajara Airport (GDL) to Guadalajara hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $107
- Guadalajara Airport Private Transfer to Ajijic & Chapala: $289
- Guadalajara Airport(GDL) to Tequila - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $202
- Guadalajara to Tequila - Private Transfer with English-speaking driver: $179
- Private Airport Transfer to Guadalajara Hotels Safe & Stress-Free: $159
- Tequila to Guadalajara - Private Transfer with English-speaking driver: $179
- Tequila to Guadalajara Airport (GDL) - Departure Private Transfer: $101
- Transfer by car to or from Guadalajara Airport: $35
- Transfer from International Airport to Tequila Jalisco: $89
Is it cheaper to fly into Arequipa or Guadalajara?
Prices for flights to both Guadalajara and Arequipa 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 dayArequipa $25Guadalajara $75
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guadalajara
For Guadalajara, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Street Food Tour and City Tour Guadalajara - Best Rated : $44
- Guadalajara Private Food Tour: $70
- Authentic Mexican Cooking & Tequila tasting experience-Casa Humo: $108
- Mexican Cooking Classes and Market Visit in Guadalajara: $195
- VIP Tequila Night Tour with Dinner and Tasting: $199
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Arequipa $19Guadalajara $25
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:
- Colca Full Day Tour: $51
- Walking tour history, legends & mysteries : $28
- 2 Day - Colca Canyon and Condor Tour from Arequipa, Peru - Group Service : $295
- 2 Days of Natural Experience in the Colca Canyon: $140
- 2 days 1 night Colca Canyon tour from Arequipa: $110
- 2-Day Group Tour to Colca Canyon from Arequipa: $230
- 2-Day Hiking Tour to the Colca Canyon: $90
- 2-Day Tour to the Magical Colca Canyon: $68
- 2-Day tour Colca Canyon ending in Puno: $95
- 3 Hour Congata Rover Biking Ride Tour in Arequipa: $45
- 3-hour guided tour in Arequipa: $65
- 8-Hours Tour in Arequipa Laguna de Salinas with Pick-up: $20
Tours and Activities in Guadalajara
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Guadalajara.
- Bar Tour of the Coolest Quarter of Guadalajara: $17
- Great Experience With A Tour Guide With Spark: $21
- Guadalajara City Center Walking Tour: $25
- Guadalajara Tour: $27
- 3 Hours Private Tour Guide in Guadalajara, you choose!: $36
- Walking Tour Historic Center Guadalajara: $39
- Lucha Libre Tour at the Arena Coliseo de Guadalajara as a local: $39
- Chapala Ajijic Area Tour from Guadalajara: $40
- Tequila Route Experience from Guadalajara: $40
- Classic Tequila Tour and CANTARITOS EL GÜERO: $41
- Guadalajara Private Walking Tour: $42
- History and Murals: Walking Tour Guadalajara: $44
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayArequipa $17Guadalajara $16
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Guadalajara
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Guadalajara:
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Guadalajara Mexico: $25
- Tequila distillery experience, Jose Cuervo & Tequila Magic Town: $65
- full day Tequila tour visiting artisanal distillery and downtown.: $95
- Guided Tour of Guachimontones and Tequila Distillery: $105
- Full-Day Tour to La Fortaleza Distillery and Cantaritos: $155
- Private Adventure Day Tour to Tequila and Cazcanes Distillery: $156
- Private Adventure to El Tequileño Distillery and visit to Tequila: $161
- Private One Day Adventure Tour in Tequila and La Fortaleza Distillery: $167
- Private Tour Cascahuin Distillery and visit to Tequila: $190
- Private Tour to El Tequileño Distillery and visit to Tequila: $190
- Private Tour one day in Guachimontones and La Fortaleza Distillery: $211
- Guachimontones and Tequila Distillery in One Day: $264
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Arequipa and Guadalajara, we can see that Guadalajara is more expensive. And not only is Arequipa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Arequipa is in South America and Guadalajara is in North 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 Guadalajara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Guadalajara 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 Arequipa Expensive? and Is Guadalajara Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Arequipa or Guadalajara?
Guadalajara has a larger population, and is about 95% larger than the population of Arequipa. When comparing the sizes of Arequipa and Guadalajara, 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.