Which place is cheaper, San Pedro de Atacama or Cancun?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Cancun or San Pedro de Atacama?
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 Cancun and San Pedro de Atacama can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cancun or San Pedro de Atacama?
Cancun
In the northeast corner of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular destinations. The area that is now Cancun was actually selected specifically by the Mexican government for development as a tourist destination. The area was chosen because it has fourteen miles of beautiful white beaches, nearby Mayan ruins, and turquoise blue water with nearby snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Prior to its development as a tourist destination, there were few inhabitants in the area.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best Tours for Seniors to Chile, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Chile.
-
Cancun Prices
Mexico PricesSan Pedro de Atacama Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCancun $153San Pedro de Atacama $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Cancun is $153, while the average daily cost in San Pedro de Atacama is $69. 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 Cancun and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCancun $89San Pedro de Atacama $32
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCancun $178San Pedro de Atacama $64
Compare Hotels in Cancun and San Pedro de Atacama
Looking for a hotel in Cancun 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.
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: Cancun Hotel Prices and San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cancun $16San Pedro de Atacama $9.14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
-
Taxi Around Town$1.52
-
Airport Shuttle (for 2)$13
-
Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$15
-
Local Bus (for 2)$1.85
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Xcaret 1 Day Tour from Cancun with Hotel Transfer: $228
- Tulum One Way Or Roundtrip Private Transfer: $132
- Transfers From Hotel to Hotel: $120
- Transfer in Luxury Mercedes Benz Minivan: $96
- Transfer from Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen: $123
- Transfer Redondo Private Airport Cancun to Playa del Carmen: $145
- Transfer Airport-Hotel ( One Way ) Apto Cancun to Playa del Carmen: $87
- Transfer Airport To Excellence Finest Atelier Playa Mujeres: $75
- Super Combo ATV in Cancun with Zipline, Snorkel, Cenote, transfer: $115
- Shared transfer R/T VAN Apto-Muelle Ferry Isla Mujeres-Apto C/ Tickets Ferry: $40
- Shared Transfer from Cancun Airport : $6.00
- Shared Round-Trip Transfer To/From Cancun International Airport: $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro de Atacama
Also for San Pedro de Atacama, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- To/From El Loa Airport: San Pedro de Atacama Shared Transfer: $28
- TRANSFER TO PURITAMA HOT SPRINGS: $40
- Shared Transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama Airport: $29
- Stargazing Experience with Transfer: $44
- Puritama Hot Springs Transfer Tour: $45
- Etno-Stargazing Tour with Transfer: $40
- Etno-Stargazing Tour with Transfer: $40
- Puritama Hot Springs Experience with Transfer and Entrance: $90
- Private transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama City: $190
- Calama Airport: Transfer to/from San Pedro de Atacama: $30
- Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $60
- Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Cancun or San Pedro de Atacama?
Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Cancun 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 dayCancun $45San Pedro de Atacama $25
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Lunch for Two$19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cancun Pirate Ship Adventure : Dinner & Show at Sea 2 for 1 Deal: $50
- Pirate Show in Cancun! Dinner & drinks: $62
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Pirate Shop & Dinner at Cancun! Drinks, Adventure and Fun: $65
- Cancun Walking Food Tour: Local Food, Markets, and Street Art.: $77
- Puerto Morelos Walking Food Tour: $77
- Mexican Cooking Class with fresh Local Market ingredients selection and transpor: $79
- Cancun Taco & Mexican Food Tour with Tequila Tasting: $79
- Cancun Private Mural Art and Food Tour: $81
- Hands-On Cooking Class in Drink & Cook Authentic Dishes: $85
- Pirate’s Night Out: Dinner and Entertainment in the Caribbean: $89
- Unforgettable Pirate Dinner Adventure in the Mexican Caribbean: $89
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:
- Local haute cuisine tasting menu dinner: $135
- Private Dinner Under the Stars: $300
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cancun $32San Pedro de Atacama $21
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:
-
Seasick Pills$0.54
-
Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$92
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2 Day Combo Tour, Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Xplor and Chichen Itza Option: $260
- 3 in 1 Tour to Coba Cenote and Maya Village: $149
- Atv tour from Cancun with ziplines and cenote swim experience: $30
- Cancun Private Street Art Tour: $65
- Clear Boat Tour in Cancun 1.5 hours great for pictures: $19
- Coco Bongo Music And Show Ticket: $90
- Holbox plus Island Magic by boat Tour from Cancun : $144
- Isla Contoy and Isla Mujeres Tour from Cancun: $152
- Isla Mujeres Catamaran Platinum Tour with Open Bar: $115
- LDS Tour to Chichen Itza + Cenote : $215
- Las Coloradas and Rio Lagartos Day Tour from Cancun: $105
- Private Tour to Tulum Ruins and Cenotes : $257
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
- The 3 Best Selling Tours in Atacama: $190
- 1-Day Tour Altiplanic Lagoons and Piedras Rojas and Laguna Chaxa: $120
- 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: $190
- 3 Main Tours in San Pedo de Atacama: $190
- 3 or 4 days in San Pedro with Semi-Private tours: $300
- 3-Day Tour in San Pedro de Atacama: $205
- 4 TOUR IN ATACAMA IN 3 DAYS: $230
- 4 Tour in 2 Days, in San Pedro de Atacama: $200
- 4 Tours in 3 Days in San Pedro de Atacama: $198
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayCancun $12San Pedro de Atacama $4.93
Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun
Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Social Pub Crawl in Cancun: $35
- Bar Crawl Madness Tour in Cancun: $99
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 Cancun and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that Cancun is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro de Atacama much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cancun is in North America and San Pedro de Atacama 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 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 Cancun would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cancun 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 Cancun Expensive? and Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cancun or San Pedro de Atacama?
Cancun has a larger population, and is about 270 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Cancun 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.