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

Should you visit Cozumel 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 Cozumel and San Pedro de Atacama can help you decide which place is right for you.

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

Cozumel

Cozumel is a Caribbean island just off the Yucatan Peninsula. It'as a popular tourist destination because of its beautiful beaches and excellent snorkeling and scuba diving. With crystal clear waters and vibrant colored coral, Cozumel is one of the most popular dive destinations in the area. The island's economy is centered around tourism, and as such, you'll find plenty of amenities for visitors. The prices are comparable to other coastal towns in the area and there is no shortage of activities or attractions nearby.

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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best Adventure Tours to Mexico, 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 Cozumel?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Cozumel is $118, 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 Cozumel and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cozumel $70
    San Pedro de Atacama $32
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cozumel $140
    San Pedro de Atacama $64
Compare Hotels in Cozumel and San Pedro de Atacama

Looking for a hotel in Cozumel 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 Cozumel


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: Cozumel Hotel Prices and San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cozumel $23
    San Pedro de Atacama $9.15

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cozumel

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

  • Wild Jade Cavern Private ATV Tour With Transfer: $86
  • Private Transfer from Cozumel hotels to Cozumel Cruise Port: $44
  • Private Transfer from Cozumel Airport: $110
  • Mexico Cozumel Airport (CZM) to Cozumel -Arrival Private Transfer: $44
  • Mexico Cozumel Airport (CZM) Cozumel - Roundtrip Private Transfer: $87
  • Cuban Cigar Master Class & Beach Break® with transfer: $153
  • Shared Transfer from Airport to Hotel: $30
  • Cozumel to Mexico Cozumel Airport (CZM)Departure Private Transfer: $44
  • Cozumel Private Airport Transfer: $150
  • Cozumel Port to Cozumel Airport CZM Departure Private Transfer: $44
  • Cozumel Island hotels to Cozumel Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $44
  • Cozumel Island Transfers: $70

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
  • 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
  • Stargazing Experience with Transfer: $40
  • Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $34
  • 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 Cozumel or San Pedro de Atacama?

Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Cozumel 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
    Cozumel $24
    San Pedro de Atacama $14

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cozumel

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

  • Authentic Mayan Cooking Class in Cozumel: $61
  • Cozumel Food Tour: $90
  • Cozumel Food Tour: $110

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.
    Cozumel $44
    San Pedro de Atacama $21

Tours and Activities in Cozumel

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

  • Island Tour With Private Driver : $56
  • Private Cozumel Jeep Tour & Jade Caverns Cenote: All-Inclusive: $85
  • Romantic tour in Cozumel: $127
  • 1 Hour and Half Private Tropical Fitness Experience in Cozumel: $6.03
  • 15-minute Private Parasailing Experience in Cozumel: $69
  • 2 Hour Discover Mermaid Experience : $20
  • 2 Hour Diving Experience in San Miguel de Cozumel: $88
  • 4 Hour Snorkeling Tour in Cozumel: $65
  • 4 Hours Experience the turtle sanctuary on La Chula Catamarán : $78
  • 4-Hour Jeep and ATV Tour with Snorkel in Cozumel with Lunch: $99
  • A Pirate's Adventure in Cozumel with Captain Draco : $80
  • A snorkeling adventure in a glass-bottom boat at Cozumel's reef.: $70

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 to Discover Atacama (3 days): $219
  • ASTRONOMIC TOUR: $54
  • Archaeological Experience in Atacama Tulor and Quitor: $146
  • Astronomic Tour Experience from San Pedro de Atacama: $59
  • Astronomical Experience with Astrophotography in Atacama: $42

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cozumel $11
    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 Cozumel and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that Cozumel is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro de Atacama much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cozumel 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 Cozumel would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cozumel 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 Cozumel Expensive? and Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Cozumel or San Pedro de Atacama?

Cozumel has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Cozumel 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.