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

Should you visit Galapagos Islands or San Pedro de Atacama?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Galapagos Islands or San Pedro de Atacama, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Galapagos Islands or San Pedro de Atacama?

Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are a small archipelago of islands belonging to Ecuador in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The Galapagos archipelago is world-renowned for its unique and fearless wildlife, much of which was inspiration for Charles Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection. Thanks to a lack of natural predators, friendly wildlife such as sea lions and gigantic sea tortoises let visitors get up close. This archipelago of about 19 islands and many smaller islets found over 620 miles off Ecuador's coast in the Pacific Ocean is a double World Heritage site, where both land and sea are protected. Each island boasts its own unique landscape, ranging from black, volcanic rocks to white sand beaches and gemstone-blue waters. There is no bad time to visit the Galapagos Islands but the busiest months for tourism tend to be June, July and August, as well as mid-December to mid-January. This is when prices are at their highest.

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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Ecuador, The Best Honeymoon Tours in Ecuador, 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 Galapagos Islands?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Galapagos Islands is $138, while the average daily cost in San Pedro de Atacama is $58. 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 Galapagos Islands and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Galapagos Islands $65
    San Pedro de Atacama $31
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Galapagos Islands $130
    San Pedro de Atacama $62
Compare Hotels in Galapagos Islands and San Pedro de Atacama

Looking for a hotel in Galapagos Islands 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 Galapagos Islands


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.
    Galapagos Islands $54
    San Pedro de Atacama $8.94

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Galapagos Islands

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

  • Transfer in + Visit to the giant turtle nature reserve: $205
  • Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $48
  • Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island: $60
  • Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to Isabela Island: $55
  • Transfer from Santa Cruz Island to Isabela Island: $60
  • Private Transfer from Hotels in Santa Cruz to Baltra Airport: $138
  • Private Transfer from Baltra Airport to Hotels in Santa Cruz Island: $144

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro de Atacama

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

  • Atacama Airport Private Transfer: $129
  • Direct Transfer Atacama to Uyuni: $128
  • Transfer to the Puritama Hot Springs: $60
  • Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $55
  • Stargazing Experience with Transfer: $40
  • Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $38
  • Shared Departure Transfer: San Pedro de Atacama Hotels to El Loa Airport: $31
  • 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 Galapagos Islands or San Pedro de Atacama?

Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Galapagos Islands 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
    Galapagos Islands $33
    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
    $1.23
  • Lunch
    $10
  • Dinner
    $11
  • Drink
    $0.92
  • Empanada
    $5.12

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.
    Galapagos Islands $35
    San Pedro de Atacama $20

Tours and Activities in Galapagos Islands

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

  • Isla Pinzón - Day Tour - From Santa Cruz - Islas Galápagos: $250
  •  Tour of the city to Isabela + Tintoreras from Santa Cruz: $256
  • Bay Tour in Santa Cruz - Galapagos Islands: $60
  • Beach Wildlife and Snorkel Adventure with Underwater Specialist : $129
  • Cabo Rosa (Tuneles) Hiking & Snorkeling Tour from Isabela: $199
  • Daily diving tour in Gordon Rocks: $280
  • Day Tour to Floreana Island with Snorkeling and Fishing: $249
  • Day Tour to Isabela Island with Tintorera Islet, Snorkeling Wetlands & Flamingos: $249
  • Day Tour to Santa Fe Island and Hidden Beach with snorkeling and fishing: $219
  • Day tour to Pinzón Island and La Fé/Palmitas Bay with snorkeling and fishing: $239
  • Day tour to San Cristobal Island with private Land Tour and snorkeling: $249
  • FERRY TICKET From: Isabela / To: Santa Cruz (AM): $65

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
    $54

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:

  • 2 Tours Valley of the Moon and Hidden Lagoons: $120
  • 23km downhill bike tour + trekking among giant cacti: $70
  • 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
  • Archaeological Experience in Atacama Tulor and Quitor: $146
  • Astronomic Tour Experience from San Pedro de Atacama: $59
  • Astronomical Tour "Under the Atacama Night": $45
  • Astronomical Tour in San Pedro de Atacama: $59
  • Astronomical Tour with Guide and Pick Up San Pedro de Atacama: $39

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Galapagos Islands $15
    San Pedro de Atacama $4.82

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
    $24


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Galapagos Islands and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that Galapagos Islands 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 Galapagos Islands would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Galapagos Islands 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 Galapagos Islands Expensive? and Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive?.