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

Should you visit Roatan or Arequipa?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Roatan and Arequipa. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Roatan or Arequipa?

Roatan

Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.

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 Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Arequipa or Roatan?

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 Roatan is $42, while the average daily cost in Arequipa is $60. 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 Roatan and Arequipa in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Roatan $11
    Arequipa $24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Roatan $22
    Arequipa $48
Compare Hotels in Roatan and Arequipa

Looking for a hotel in Roatan 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 Roatan


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: Roatan Hotel Prices and Arequipa Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Roatan $18
    Arequipa $6.36
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan

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


  • Water Taxi
    $4.00

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Taxi Ride
    $1.43
  • Bus Ride
    $0.46
  • Taxi Ride
    $1.00

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 Roatan or Arequipa?

Prices for flights to both Arequipa and Roatan 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
    Roatan $15
    Arequipa $25

Typical Food Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Coke
    $0.43
  • Lunch
    $3.01
  • Ice Cream
    $1.15
  • Fruit
    $0.86
  • 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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Roatan $26
    Arequipa $19

Tours and Activities in Roatan

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

  • Monkeys and sloths, private tour , and beach: $89

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
    $2.87
  • Salsa Class
    $2.87
  • Movie Ticket
    $3.13
  • Hot Springs
    $2.87

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
    Roatan $6.64
    Arequipa $17

Typical Alcohol Prices in Arequipa

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


  • Beer
    $2.58


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

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


Which is Bigger, Roatan or Arequipa?

Arequipa has a larger population, and is about 110 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Roatan 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.