A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Buzios vs. San Pedro for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Buzios or San Pedro?

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

Should I visit Buzios or San Pedro? 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: Buzios or San Pedro?

Buzios

Initially a fishing village, Armação dos Buzios is a small beach resort town about three hours from Rio de Janeiro by bus. Buzios is a common weekend getaway destination for Cariocas. With 23 beaches, visitors from all over come to swim, snorkel, surf and enjoy sun and sand.

San Pedro

San Pedro is the largest town on Ambergris Caye, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Belize. Here you can find a tropical paradise with warm weather, clear blue waters, plenty of activities such as snorkeling and scuba diving, and a host of hotels, restaurants, and other amenities.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best 10-Day Tours in Brazil, The Best Budget Tours to Belize, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize.


Which place is cheaper, San Pedro or Buzios?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Buzios is $77, while the average daily cost in San Pedro is $135. 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 Buzios and San Pedro in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Buzios $37
    San Pedro $66
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Buzios $74
    San Pedro $132
Compare Hotels in Buzios and San Pedro

Looking for a hotel in Buzios or San Pedro? 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 Buzios


Hotels in San Pedro


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Buzios $19
    San Pedro $34

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Buzios

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

  • Beach Resorts to Cabo Frio Airport (CFB) - Private Transfer: $25
  • Beach Resorts to Cabo Frio Airport (CFB) - Departure Transfer : $28
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Rio de Janeiro hotels: $28
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Santos Dumont (SDU): $28
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Port to Santos Dumont Airport (SDU): $32
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Rio de Janeiro hotels: $32
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Cabo Frio city hotels: $36
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Port to Cabo Frio Airport (CFB): $43
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Port to Cabo Frio Airport (CFB): $47
  • Arraial do Cabo Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $52
  • Tour in Buzios City Tour, Lunch and Transfer: $60
  • Private Transfer Buzios to Rio de Janeiro: $91

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro

Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Pedro:

  • Cave Tubing and Zipline Adventure (Boat Transfer): $205

Is it cheaper to fly into Buzios or San Pedro?

Prices for flights to both San Pedro and Buzios 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
    Buzios $24
    San Pedro $40

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Pedro.

  • Belizean Sunset and Cultural Dinner Cruise: $120

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Buzios $27
    San Pedro $33

Tours and Activities in Buzios

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

  • Tour of the most beautiful beaches and islands of Buzios by Buziana Tour: $12
  • Buggy Ride in Buzios by Buziana Tour: $16
  • Tour of Bugre in Arraial (Buggy): $21
  • Catamaran Boat Tour in Búzios: $24
  • Boat Tour in Arraial do Cabo: $24
  • Half-Day Schooner Sightseeing Trip in Buzios Peninsula Beaches: $29
  • Buzios Trolley City Tour: $29
  • Buggy Tour in Arraial do Cabo by Arraial Viagens: $32
  • 3-hour Small Group Buzios Peninsula Open Air Trolley Tour: $33
  • 7 Beaches In Búzios With Photos On A Private Tour!: $35
  • Tour in Boat Tour in Buzios: $37
  • From Buzios To Arraial With Photos On A Private Tour!: $50

Tours and Activities in San Pedro

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

  • The best of San Pedro Town walking tour: $202
  • 3 Hours Barrier Reef Tour in Caye Caulker, Belize: $54
  • 5-Hour Guided Jetboat Tour to Secret Beach, San Pedro, Belize.: $200
  • All-Inclusive Full-Day Hol Chan Snorkeling Tour : $120
  • Altun Ha Cave Tubing and Zip line Tours from San Pedro Ambergris Caye: $250
  • Ambergris Caye Sunset Sail Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $75
  • Belize Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley Snorkel Tour - Ambergris Caye: $93
  • Cave Tubing and Zip line Adventure from San pedro Ambergris caye: $250
  • Double Activity Limo Tour: Xunantunich Ruins & Cave Tubing Adventure: $220
  • Exclusive All-in-1 Full Day Shared Guided Tour: $139
  • Hol Chan Full-Day Bucket List Snorkeling and Marine Life Tour: $95
  • Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $89

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Buzios $17
    San Pedro $16


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

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


Which is Bigger, Buzios or San Pedro?

Buzios has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of San Pedro. When comparing the sizes of Buzios and San Pedro, 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.