Which place is cheaper, San Pedro de Atacama or Granada?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Granada or San Pedro de Atacama?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Granada and San Pedro de Atacama. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Granada or San Pedro de Atacama?
Granada
Granada is Nicaragua's oldest colonial city, and arguably, the most beautiful city in the country. It sits on the northern edge of Lake Nicaragua (Lago Cocibolca) and has many beautifully colored buildings and nice churches. The city's beauty and colonial architecture, along with its relative safety and accessibility, make it one of Nicaragua's top tourist destinations. The city has long been a center for commerce, but today its economy depends heavily on tourism. The city is the sixth largest in Nicaragua and a real estate boom in the early 2000's brought a large number of expats to the town.
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 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Chile.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGranada $40San Pedro de Atacama $59
The average daily cost (per person) in Granada is $40, 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 Granada and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGranada $17San Pedro de Atacama $32
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGranada $34San Pedro de Atacama $64
Compare Hotels in Granada and San Pedro de Atacama
Looking for a hotel in Granada 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: Granada Hotel Prices and San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Granada $8.57San Pedro de Atacama $9.15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:
- One-Way Private Transfer From/To Airport or Hotels in Granada: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro de Atacama
Also for San Pedro de Atacama, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama Airport: $29
- Calama Airport: Shared Transfer to/from San Pedro de Atacama: $30
- Transfers to San Pedro de Acatama (shared service): $30
- Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $34
- Stargazing Experience with Transfer: $40
- Puritama Thermal Transfer: $46
- Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $60
- Transfer to the Puritama Hot Springs: $60
- Direct Transfer Atacama to Uyuni: $128
- Private transfer San Pedro de Atacama - calama airport: $200
- 3 Perfect Days in Atacama + Transfer: $250
Is it cheaper to fly into Granada or San Pedro de Atacama?
Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Granada 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 dayGranada $14San Pedro de Atacama $14
Typical Food Prices in Granada
Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:
-
Pizza$2.29
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.Granada $10San Pedro de Atacama $21
Typical Entertainment Prices in Granada
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Granada are as follows:
-
Lago de Nicaragua Boat Tour$8.17
Tours and Activities in Granada
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Granada are as follows:
- Bird Watching Tour: $90
- Boat Tour and Granada City Tour: $120
- Charming Granada Outdoor "Private Tour" : $92
- Experience Granadas Best Sights Carriage ride + Local Guide: $65
- Fabulous Night Tour in Masaya Volcano from Granada: $158
- From Full-Day Tour to 6 Attractions with Lunch incl: $125
- Full Day Tour Isletas + Pueblos Blancos + Laguna from Granada: $120
- Full Day Tour in Granada with Volcano Visit: $224
- Full-Day Tour: Masaya Volcano, Art Market and White Villages: $60
- Granada City Tour: $40
- Granada Colonial City Tour and Masaya Volcano: $130
- Granada Kayak Tour: $30
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 dayGranada $7.50San Pedro de Atacama $4.94
Typical Alcohol Prices in Granada
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Granada:
-
Tequila$1.36
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 Granada and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that San Pedro de Atacama is more expensive. And not only is Granada much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Granada 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 Granada would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Granada 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 San Pedro de Atacama would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Pedro de Atacama than you might in Granada.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Granada Expensive? and Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Granada or San Pedro de Atacama?
Granada has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Granada 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.