A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Taupo vs. Antigua Guatemala for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Taupo or Antigua Guatemala?

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

Should I visit Taupo or Antigua Guatemala? 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: Taupo or Antigua Guatemala?

Taupo

Taupo is a town located in the center of the North Island, situated on the shores of Lake Taupo, which is New Zealand's largest lake. It is also the caldera of the Taupo Volcano. It has a population of 23,700 people and is visited by many people interested in fishing, boating, and other water activities. There are many hiking and biking trails that take you around the water as well.

Antigua Guatemala

Before a disastrous earthquake in 1773, Antigua was the colonial capital of Guatemala. For 200 years it had reigned as so and today shows remnants of its glorious past with Spanish colonial buildings and other architectural landmarks still standing. Due to this large amount of preserved architecture, Antigua was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is now the most touristed city of Guatemala.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to New Zealand, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Auckland, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala.


Which place is cheaper, Antigua Guatemala or Taupo?

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 Taupo is $128, while the average daily cost in Antigua Guatemala is $74. 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 Taupo and Antigua Guatemala in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Taupo $62
    Antigua Guatemala $22
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Taupo $124
    Antigua Guatemala $44
Compare Hotels in Taupo and Antigua Guatemala

Looking for a hotel in Taupo or Antigua Guatemala? 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 Taupo


Hotels in Antigua Guatemala


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: Taupo Hotel Prices and Antigua Guatemala Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Taupo $25
    Antigua Guatemala $12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taupo

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Taupo:

  • Tongariro Crossing : 2 Day PRIVATE TRANSFER Leaving AUCKLAND: $1,101

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Antigua Guatemala

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

  • Private Ground Transfer From Antigua To Guatemala City Airport: $25
  • Private Transfer From Antigua to Panajachel Atitlan: $66
  • Private Transfer from Antigua Guatemala to La Aurora Airport: $25
  • Private Transfer from Antigua Guatemala to Panajachel: $65
  • Private Transfer from Antigua Guatemala to Puerto Quetzal Port: $185
  • Private Transfer from Antigua to La Aurora Airport: $28
  • Private Transfer from Antigua to the Airport: $90
  • Shared Transfer From Antigua to Panajachel (Atitlan): $27

Is it cheaper to fly into Taupo or Antigua Guatemala?

Prices for flights to both Antigua Guatemala and Taupo 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
    Taupo $41
    Antigua Guatemala $25

Typical Food Prices in Antigua Guatemala

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Antigua Guatemala:


  • Lunch
    $3.26
  • Lunch
    $7.82

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Antigua Guatemala

For Antigua Guatemala, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Taste of Guatemala,Walking Food Tour in Antigua Guatemala : $50
  • Antigua Street Food Tour : $65
  • Private Cooking Class of Typical Guatemalan Dishes: $70
  • Local Street Food Tour of Antigua: $75
  • Street Food Tour Around Antigua: $80
  • Guatemalan Cooking Class & Market Tour: $85
  • Private Pacaya Volcano Hike & Optional Pizza Experience: $85
  • Guatemalan Cooking Class and Market Tour: $85
  • Authentic Guatemalan Cooking Class in Antigua: $90
  • Foodie & Street Food Tour in Antigua: $95
  • Guatemalan Cooking Class and Market Tour: $98
  • The Culinary Antigua Food Tour: $116

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Taupo $34
    Antigua Guatemala $15
Typical Entertainment Prices in Taupo

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


  • Bungy Jumping
    $151
  • Jet Boating
    $56

Tours and Activities in Taupo

Here are a few actual costs in Taupo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Chasing Waterfalls The Adventurer from Kinloch Marina: $161
  • Daily Scenic Maori Rock Carving Cruise Taupo: $35
  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Candy Cottage: $22
  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Cursed Cabin: $22
  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Hunting Lodge: $22
  • Escape Room Experience Taupo - The Marvelous Circus: $22
  • Great Lake Trail Lake Taupo 2-Day Mountain Biking Tour: $95
  • Lake 1.5-Hour Maori Rock Carvings 5:00 PM Cruise: $34
  • Lake Maori Rock Carvings 10.30 AM 1.5-Hour Cruise: $34
  • Lake Maori Rock Carvings 8.30 AM 1.5-Hour Cruise: $34
  • Lake Taupō Māori Rock Carvings Scenic Cruise aboard Ernest Kemp: $30
  • Maori Rock Carvings - Taupo Sailing Adventures - Kindred Spirit: $35

Tours and Activities in Antigua Guatemala

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

  • Antigua Walking Tour: $23
  • Colonial Antigua Afternoon Walking Tour: $25
  • Guided Walking Tour Legends of Antigua Guatemala: $25
  • Antigua Walking Tour: $25
  • Walking Tour of the Wonders of La Antigua Guatemala: $25
  • Antigua Guatemala Walking Tour History Architecture & Facades: $29
  • Coffee Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $30
  • Coffee Tour Adventure Antigua Guatemala: $30
  • Antigua Sightseeing: Private Walking Tour Culture and History: $30
  • Antigua Guatemala Walking Group Tour: $30
  • Walking Tour Antigua, an open Museum: $32
  • Guided Walking Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $32

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Taupo $13
    Antigua Guatemala $11
Typical Alcohol Prices in Taupo

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Taupo from other travelers:


  • Wine
    $5.03

Sample the Local Flavors in Antigua Guatemala

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Antigua Guatemala:

  • Antigua Bar Crawl: $26


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

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


Which is Bigger, Taupo or Antigua Guatemala?

Antigua Guatemala has a larger population, and is about 75% larger than the population of Taupo. When comparing the sizes of Taupo and Antigua Guatemala, 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.