Should you visit Porto or Arequipa?
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 Porto and Arequipa can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Porto or Arequipa?
Porto
Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. It is also the capital of the Northern Region and a hub for commercial and industrial activity. The city is not as large as you might expect, with a population of only about 300,000 residents, but the metropolitan area has a population of about 2.5 million. This includes nearby cities such as Gaia, Matosinhos, Maia and Gondomar.
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 Portugal, The Best 10-Day Tours in Portugal, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.
Which place is cheaper, Arequipa or Porto?
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 Porto is €160, 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 Porto and Arequipa in more detail.
Accommodation
Looking for a hotel in Porto 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.
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:
Porto Hotel Prices and
Arequipa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Porto
Also for Porto, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Airport Transfer: Porto Airport OPO to Porto by Luxury Van :
$108
-
Airport Transfers:
$30
-
Arrival Transfer from Porto Airport OPO to Porto in Private Car/Van:
$106
-
Departure Transfer: Porto to Porto Airport OPO in Luxury Car:
$149
-
Departure Transfer: Porto to Porto Airport OPO in Luxury Van:
$106
-
Douro Valley Private One-Way Transfer (Régua, Pinhão, Lamego):
$191
-
From Private transfer to Lisbon with up to 3 Stops:
$269
-
From Transfer to Lisbon with up to 3 City Stops:
$269
-
Funchal to Porto Moniz: Volcanic Pools Day Transfer:
$70
-
Gaia Private Transfer to Oporto Airport:
$17
-
Gaia Private Transfer to Porto:
$20
-
Madeira: Porto da Cruz to Machico Hiking Tour with Transfer:
$39
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:
-
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Porto or Arequipa?
Prices for flights to both Arequipa and Porto 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
Porto €63
Arequipa €21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Porto
For Porto, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Pastel de Nata Cooking Class Antero de Quental:
$42
-
Porto Walking Food Tour:
$66
-
Bolhão Market Guided Food Tour:
$78
-
Semi - Private Oporto Food Tour :
$83
-
Craft Beer & Food Tour in Porto:
$83
-
Traditional Portuguese Cooking Class in Porto with Chef Maria:
$89
-
Semi Private Oporto Fado Show with Dinner:
$90
-
Porto Heritage Night Tour With Fado Show And Dinner Included:
$94
-
Porto Food & Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch or Dinner Option:
$94
-
Porto Food Tour of 8 Tastings: Custard Tart, Bifana & Hidden Gems:
$95
-
Private Walking Food Tour with Tastings:
$96
-
Fado Show with Dinner in a Traditional Fado House:
$102
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
Tours and Activities in Porto
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Porto.
-
Self-Guided Tour Adventure Discovering Porto:
$1.17
-
Porto Walking Tour - The Perfect Introduction to the City:
$1.20
-
Self Guided Tour in Porto with 100 Captivating Audio Stories:
$3.58
-
Porto - Origin & Present - Guided Tour:
$3.59
-
Tour of Vila Nova de Gaia :
$3.59
-
Porto's Old Town Tour & Ribeira:
$3.59
-
Porto Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour:
$3.59
-
Porto Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour:
$4.49
-
Porto Highlights the Original Walking Tour:
$4.78
-
Porto by the Ocean: Self-Guided Puzzle Adventure:
$7.16
-
Amazing Secrets of Self-Guided Puzzle Adventure:
$7.16
-
Love in Romantic Exploration Game and Tour:
$7.16
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:
-
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
Alcohol
Sample the Local Flavors in Porto
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Porto:
-
Wine Experience Museum with 3 Wine Tastings:
$24
-
Private visit with wine tasting in Alijó Douro:
$24
-
Pub Crawl Porto:
$26
-
Flavours of Portugal – Wine Tastings at WOW Wine School:
$30
-
Taylor's Port Cellars Visit & Port Wine Tasting:
$30
-
Halloween Pub Crawl 4 bars, 1 club, Scary Games & 7 Drinks:
$30
-
Authentic Oporto Walking Tour with Wine Tasting:
$33
-
Porto Wine Tasting with GUIDED TOUR:
$36
-
Porto City Tour with Wine Tasting:
$41
-
5 Port Wine Tasting with pairings:
$42
-
Luxury Yacht Cruise with Wine Tasting & Snacks:
$54
-
Port and Douro Wine Walking Tour With 10 Wine Tastings:
$54
Typical Alcohol Prices in Arequipa
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Arequipa are as follows:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Porto and Arequipa, we can see that Porto is more expensive. And not only is Arequipa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Porto 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 Porto would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Porto 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 Porto Expensive? and Is Arequipa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Porto or Arequipa?
Arequipa has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Porto. When comparing the sizes of Porto 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.
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