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

Should you visit Buzios or San Pedro de Atacama?

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

Should I visit Buzios or San Pedro de Atacama? 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 de Atacama?

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 de Atacama

San Pedro de Atacama is a gateway to northern Chile. It is a good jumping off point for exploring the area's impressive landscape, most of which is included in the Los Flamencos National Reserve. It is popular with both Chilean and international tourists, and because of its popularity, it is a relatively expensive destination, with many prices comparable to what you might pay in Santiago.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Brazil, The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Chile.


Which place is cheaper, San Pedro de Atacama 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 de Atacama is $59. 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 de Atacama in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Buzios $37
    San Pedro de Atacama $32
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Buzios $74
    San Pedro de Atacama $64
Compare Hotels in Buzios and San Pedro de Atacama

Looking for a hotel in Buzios or San Pedro de Atacama? 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 de Atacama


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: San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Buzios $19
    San Pedro de Atacama $9.15

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Buzios

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

  • Tour in Buzios City Tour, Lunch and Transfer: $60
  • Private transfer from Buzios to the GIG Airport : $186
  • Private transfer Minivan from GIG Rio Galeao airport up to 6 pax to Buzios: $110
  • Private transfer Buzios in Rio to the SDU Airport : $186
  • Private Transfer from GIG Airport to City Buzios in Rio : $170
  • Private Transfer from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro: $91
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Port to Santos Dumont Airport (SDU): $32
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Port to Cabo Frio Airport (CFB): $47
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Port to Cabo Frio Airport (CFB): $42
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Santos Dumont (SDU): $28
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Rio de Janeiro hotels: $28
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Cabo Frio hotels: $40

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro de Atacama

Also for San Pedro de Atacama, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • 3 Perfect Days in Atacama + Transfer: $250
  • Private transfer San Pedro de Atacama - calama airport: $200
  • Private transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama City: $190
  • Direct Transfer Atacama to Uyuni: $128
  • Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $60
  • Transfer to the Puritama Hot Springs: $60
  • Puritama Thermal Transfer: $46
  • Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $34
  • Stargazing Experience with Transfer: $33
  • Transfers to San Pedro de Acatama (shared service): $30
  • Calama Airport: Shared Transfer to/from San Pedro de Atacama: $30
  • Shared Transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama Airport: $29

Is it cheaper to fly into Buzios or San Pedro de Atacama?

Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama 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 de Atacama $14

Typical Food Prices in San Pedro de Atacama

For San Pedro de Atacama, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Empanadas
    $1.26
  • Lunch
    $10
  • Dinner
    $11
  • Drink
    $0.94
  • Empanada
    $5.24

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro de Atacama

For San Pedro de Atacama, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Private Dinner Under the Stars: $300

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Buzios $27
    San Pedro de Atacama $21

Tours and Activities in Buzios

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

  • Buzios Trolley City Tour: $29
  • 3-hour Small Group Buzios Peninsula Open Air Trolley Tour: $33
  • 7 Beaches In Búzios With Photos On A Private Tour!: $34
  • Búzios Full day: Boat and Trolley Tour with Lunch from Arraial do Cabo: $128
  • Búzios Full day: Boat and Trolley Tour with Lunch from Búzios: $99
  • Búzios Full day: Boat and Trolley Tour with Lunch from Cabo Frio: $116
  • Boat Tour in Arraial do Cabo: $23
  • Boat Tour in Arraial do Cabo Panoramic City Tour in Cabo Frio: $96
  • Boat Tour in Arraial do Cabo from Buzios with Lunch: $60
  • Buggy Ride in Buzios by Buziana Tour: $16
  • Buggy Tour in Arraial do Cabo by Arraial Viagens: $31
  • Cabo Frio Full-Day Tour From Buzios with Lunch: $68

Typical Entertainment Prices in San Pedro de Atacama

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for San Pedro de Atacama's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Sand Boarding
    $56

Tours and Activities in San Pedro de Atacama

For San Pedro de Atacama, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Moon Valley Tour, the Best Seller: $49
  • 2 Tours Valley of the Moon and Hidden Lagoons: $120
  • 23km downhill bike tour + trekking among giant cacti: $70
  • 3 Days and 4 Tours in San Pedro de Atacama: $189
  • 3 Main Tours in San Pedo de Atacama: $190
  • 3-Day Tour in San Pedro de Atacama: $210
  • 4 Tour in 2 Days, in San Pedro de Atacama: $240
  • 4 Tours in the Atacama Desert: $230
  • 4 Tours to Discover Atacama (3 days): $219
  • 4-Hour Puritama Hot Springs Tour with Pick Up in Atacama: $88
  • 6-hour tour to Valle del Arcoíris: $44
  • ASTRONOMIC TOUR: $54

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Buzios $17
    San Pedro de Atacama $4.94

Typical Alcohol Prices in San Pedro de Atacama

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in San Pedro de Atacama:


  • Alcohol
    $25


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

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 de Atacama Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Buzios or San Pedro de Atacama?

Buzios has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Buzios and San Pedro de Atacama, 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.