A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Ilha Grande vs. San Pedro La Laguna for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Ilha Grande or San Pedro La Laguna?

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

Should I visit Ilha Grande or San Pedro La Laguna? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Ilha Grande or San Pedro La Laguna?

Ilha Grande

Ilha Grande is a large, beautiful, island located off the southeast coast of Brazil. The island has few inhabitants, resulting in mostly unadulterated beaches and landscapes. There are over a dozen trails and beaches to explore, some of which have been called the best beaches in Brazil. Due to the limited number of inhabitants, ATMs are sparse on the island, so be sure to have cash with you before getting there.

San Pedro La Laguna

Located in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful volcanic lake ringed by small towns and villages that are highly frequented by backpackers. Panajachal is one of the best known of the towns, as well as the main entry point of the region, while others like San Pedro La Laguna are quieter and more off the beaten path. Lake Atitlan and its villages attract visitors for its scenic beauty, outdoor activities, and Mayan culture nearby.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Rio de Janeiro, The Best Budget Tours to Guatemala, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Guatemala.


Which place is cheaper, San Pedro La Laguna or Ilha Grande?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Ilha Grande is $68, while the average daily cost in San Pedro La Laguna is $36. 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 Ilha Grande and San Pedro La Laguna in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ilha Grande $37
    San Pedro La Laguna $8.23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ilha Grande $74
    San Pedro La Laguna $16
Compare Hotels in Ilha Grande and San Pedro La Laguna

Looking for a hotel in Ilha Grande or San Pedro La Laguna? 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 Ilha Grande


Hotels in San Pedro La Laguna


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ilha Grande $18
    San Pedro La Laguna $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ilha Grande

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

  • Regular Transfer Angra dos Reis x Rio de Janeiro and Airports: $37
  • Private Transfer from GIG to anywhere in the City Angra dos Reis: $187
  • Private Transfer from Angra dos Reis to Airport GIG in Rio : $190
  • Private Transfer Angra dos Reis to Rio de Janeiro: $91
  • From Rio de Janeiro:Shared Roundtrip Transfer to Araçatiba: $106
  • From Speedboat Transfer to Angra dos Reis: $27
  • From Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $47
  • From Araçatiba: Speedboat Transfer to Angra dos Reis: $27
  • From Angra dos Reis: Speedboat Transfer to Araçatiba: $27
  • From Angra dos Reis: Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $56
  • Departure Transfer: Angra dos Reis to GIG or SDU Airport by Van: $246
  • Departure Private Transfer: Angra dos Reis to GIG or SDU Airport by Sedan Car: $116

Is it cheaper to fly into Ilha Grande or San Pedro La Laguna?

Prices for flights to both San Pedro La Laguna and Ilha Grande 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
    Ilha Grande $21
    San Pedro La Laguna $11

Typical Food Prices in San Pedro La Laguna

For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lemonade
    $2.06
  • Cake
    $1.29
  • Ice cream
    $0.39
  • Hot Cocoa & Banana Bread
    $2.96

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro La Laguna

For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Guatemalan street food tour with a local bilingual guide: $40
  • Temazcal sauna and dinner, cultural sharing experience: $44
  • Maya Cooking Class from Panajachel: $55

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ilha Grande $6.61
    San Pedro La Laguna $21

Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande

For Ilha Grande, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 360 Tour of Ilha Grande - Speed Boat Tour: $74
  • Angra Dos Reis Daily Tour To Paradise. Boat Trip Lunch And Fruits Included: $69
  • Angra dos Reis Island Hopping Speedboat Tour from Ilha Grande: $79
  • Angra dos Reis with Speedboat Tour and Paradise Islands: $58
  • Boat Tour To The Beaches Of Angra Dos Reis: $21
  • From Abraão, Lopes Mendes Beach Tour & Trekking: $21
  • From Ilha Grande - Paradise Island 7 h - Speedboat tour: $55
  • From Rio: Full-Day Angra dos Reis Cruise & Island Tour: $77
  • Full-Day Ilha Grande Northern Coast Speedboat Tour: $67
  • Half-Day Blue Lagoon Schooner Tour: $40
  • Half-Day Ilha Grande Schooner Tour: $40
  • Ilha Grande - From Abrãao: Lopes Mendes beach tour & trekking: $25

Typical Entertainment Prices in San Pedro La Laguna

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for San Pedro La Laguna's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Canopy Tour (for 2)
    $39
  • Kayaking (for 2)
    $1.93
  • Coffee Tour (for 2)
    $6.95

Tours and Activities in San Pedro La Laguna

For San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Lake Atitlan Boat tour from Puerto Quetzal (Group): $125
  • 5-Hour Private Birdwatching Experience in San Juan La Laguna: $50
  • Authentic local experience with a community of women.: $68
  • Beading Class and tour a Non-profit vocational training center a Fun cultural sharing experience: $28
  • Bicycle Tour Around Lake Atitlan with Weaving Coops and Coffee Plantations: $112
  • Biking tour through the towns of Santa Catarina and San Antonio: $46
  • Boat tour in Mayan villages: $85
  • Chichicastenango Market Day Tour from Panajachel: $83
  • Coffee Tour in Lake Atitlán: $35
  • Day of the Dead Giant Kite Festival Cultural Experience: $35
  • Full Day Tour to Chichicastenango from Panajachel : $152
  • Get fun with an Adventure Tour - Zip Line (Canopy): $51

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ilha Grande $11
    San Pedro La Laguna $5.58


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ilha Grande and San Pedro La Laguna, we can see that Ilha Grande is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro La Laguna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ilha Grande is in South America and San Pedro La Laguna is in Central 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 La Laguna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Pedro La Laguna 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 Ilha Grande would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ilha Grande than you might in San Pedro La Laguna.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ilha Grande Expensive? and Is San Pedro La Laguna Expensive?.