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

Should you visit Copan or San Pedro de Atacama?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Copan and San Pedro de Atacama can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Copan or San Pedro de Atacama?

Copan

If you are a lover of history, or just really want to tap into your inner Indiana Jones, a trip to Copan, Honduras is right up your alley. Located in western Honduras, the cobblestone lined streets and white adobe buildings topped with red roofs provide the beautiful backdrop to this once powerful city.

Occupied by the Maya for 2,000 years, Copan was the ruling city in the southern Mayan kingdom. Settled nicely in a fertile river valley among rolling hills, this city is absolutely fascinating and the perfect place to explore history.

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 Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, 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 Copan?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Copan is $90, 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 Copan and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Copan $23
    San Pedro de Atacama $32
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Copan $46
    San Pedro de Atacama $64
Compare Hotels in Copan and San Pedro de Atacama

Looking for a hotel in Copan 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 Copan


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.
    Copan $78
    San Pedro de Atacama $9.15

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
  • Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $34
  • Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $60
  • Calama Airport: Shared Transfer to/from San Pedro de Atacama: $30
  • Direct Transfer Atacama to Uyuni: $128
  • Private transfer San Pedro de Atacama - calama airport: $200
  • Puritama Thermal Transfer: $46
  • Stargazing Experience with Transfer: $40
  • Shared Transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama Airport: $29
  • Transfer to the Puritama Hot Springs: $60
  • Transfers to San Pedro de Acatama (shared service): $30

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

Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Copan 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
    Copan $21
    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.
    Copan $25
    San Pedro de Atacama $21

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:

  • Stargazing Tour with Astronomer in San Pedro de Atacama: $33
  • Astronomical Tour with Guide and Pick Up San Pedro de Atacama: $39
  • Tour to the Valley of the Moon San Pedro de Atacama: $42
  • Astronomical Experience with Astrophotography in Atacama: $42
  • Etno-Astronomical Experience: $43
  • Traditional Ethnoastronomy Experience: $44
  • Traditional Ethnoastronomy Tour in San Pedro de Atacama: $44
  • Valle de la Luna Guided Tour: $44
  • Guided Atacama Desert Stargazing Tour: $44
  • Cejar Lagoon Tour: San Pedro de Atacama: $44
  • Tour Compartido Valle de la Luna: $44
  • Half day Valle de la Luna, Afternoon Tour: $45

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Copan $7.22
    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 Copan and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that Copan is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro de Atacama much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Copan is in Central 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 Copan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Copan 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 Copan Expensive? and Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Copan or San Pedro de Atacama?

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