A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Iquique vs. La Paz for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Iquique or La Paz?

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

Should I visit Iquique or La Paz? 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: Iquique or La Paz?

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.

La Paz

La Paz is the capital of Baja California Sur, Mexico. It has a population of about 215,000 people and is a significant commercial center for the region. The city has a good economy and a high standard of living when compared to much of Mexico. Much of the economy is focused on eco-tourism and there are many protected marine environments in the area.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile, The Best Budget Tours to Mexico, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Mexico.


Which place is cheaper, La Paz or Iquique?

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 Iquique is $121, while the average daily cost in La Paz is $132. 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 Iquique and La Paz in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Iquique $43
    La Paz $47
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Iquique $86
    La Paz $94
Compare Hotels in Iquique and La Paz

Looking for a hotel in Iquique or La Paz? 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 Iquique


Hotels in La Paz


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: La Paz Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Iquique $23
    La Paz $20

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Iquique

Also for Iquique, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Sandboard activity in Iquique with transfer: $75

Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Paz

Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Paz:

  • La Paz International Airport (LAP) to La Paz hotels -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $159
  • La Paz hotels to La Paz International Airport (LAP) - Departure Private Transfer: $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Iquique or La Paz?

Prices for flights to both La Paz and Iquique 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
    Iquique $59
    La Paz $60

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Paz

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

  • 3 Hours of Guided La Paz Street Food Tour: $77
  • 3 hrs SEAFOOD Tour in La Paz: $103

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Iquique $27
    La Paz $11

Tours and Activities in Iquique

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

  • City tour of Iquique with navigation to the Esmeralda buoy: $55
  • City Tour in Iquique: $89
  • Pintados Geoglyphs, Humberstone and Salar Crespo tour: $145
  • Red Lagoon Tour: $639

Tours and Activities in La Paz

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

  • 1 Day Espiritu Santo Island Wonders, Sea Lions and Paddleboard Adventure : $249
  • 3 Hours La Paz Whale Shark First Class Snorkeling Tour: $167
  • Adventure to Espiritu Santo Island: Snorkel with Sea Lions and Beach: $127
  • Birding La Paz Mexico 4hrs.Tour : $160
  • Birding Tour in La Paz Mexico: $177
  • City Tour & Beaches from La Paz: $95
  • Cultural and Culinary Tour of El Triunfo, Baja California Sur: $250
  • Desert Off Road Adventure Tour in La Paz: $261
  • Desert and Dunes ATV Adventure in La Paz BCS Mexico: $195
  • Espíritu Santo and Balandra Beach Combo Tour: Sea Lion Snorkeling: $250
  • Espiritu Santo Island Day Tour: $170
  • Espiritu Santo Island Snorkel & Sea Lion Adventure: $145

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Iquique $20
    La Paz $11


When comparing the travel costs between Iquique and La Paz, we can see that La Paz is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Iquique is in South America and La Paz is in North America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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


Which is Bigger, Iquique or La Paz?

Iquique has a larger population, and is about 33% larger than the population of La Paz. When comparing the sizes of Iquique and La Paz, 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.