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

Should you visit Kingston 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 Kingston 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: Kingston or San Pedro de Atacama?

Kingston

Kingston is Jamaica's capital city with a population of about 579,000. For being located on an island, Kingston is a very large city with several different zip codes. Not only is Kingston the cultural capital of the country, but also the commercial one as well.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Chile.


Which place is cheaper, San Pedro de Atacama or Kingston?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Kingston is $109, 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 Kingston and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Kingston $64
    San Pedro de Atacama $32
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Kingston $128
    San Pedro de Atacama $64
Compare Hotels in Kingston and San Pedro de Atacama

Looking for a hotel in Kingston 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 Kingston


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

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Kingston $30
    San Pedro de Atacama $9.15

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kingston

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kingston:

  • Private Transfer to/from Kingston Airport: $42
  • Private Transfer from Kingston Hotels to Montego Bay Cruise Port: $118
  • Private Transfer from Kingston Airport (KIN) to Montego Bay Port: $118
  • Private Transfer Kingston Airport to Jewel Grande Montego Bay: $187
  • Private Airport Transfer from Kingston Airport: $90
  • Private Airport Transfer Sangster Airport to Kingston: $229
  • Private Airport Round Trip Transfer from Montego Bay Airport to Ocho Rios : $133
  • Port Antonio Hotel Private Roundtrip Airport Transfer from Kingston Airport(KIN): $235
  • NMIA & Kingston transfer to Negril: $225
  • MBJ Airport Transfer to/ from Hotels : $25
  • Tropical Off-Road ATV Tour with Lunch and Transfer: $280
  • Kingston Private Airport Transfer to Accommodation in Montego Bay: $170

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 Kingston or San Pedro de Atacama?

Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Kingston 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
    Kingston $27
    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.
    Kingston $13
    San Pedro de Atacama $21

Tours and Activities in Kingston

Here are a few actual costs in Kingston for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Dunn's River Falls Party Cruise, Blue Hole with Snorkeling, free beverages: $174
  • 4x4 Jeep Safari & Blue Hole Adventure from Ocho Rios: $158
  • Appleton Estate Rum Tour and Tasting from Ocho Rios: $232
  • Authentic Jamaican Food Experience: $140
  • Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour from Kingston: $231
  • Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour from Runaway Bay: $142
  • Blue Mountains Coffee Private Tour from Kingston: $180
  • Bob Marley Museum Tour from Kingston: $83
  • Bob Marley Museum Tour from Runaway Bay: $258
  • Bob Marley Museum and Devon House Kingston Day Tour: $370
  • Bob Marley Museum and Devon House Kingston Day Tour: $320
  • Bob Marley Museum and Kingston Sightseeing from Port Royal Cruise Port: $205

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
    Kingston $11
    San Pedro de Atacama $4.94

Sample the Local Flavors in Kingston

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Kingston:

  • Ocho Rios Pub Crawl and Sightseeing Tour from Ocho Rios: $185

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 Kingston and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that Kingston is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro de Atacama much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Kingston is in Caribbean Islands 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 Kingston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Kingston 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 Kingston Expensive? and Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Kingston or San Pedro de Atacama?

Kingston has a larger population, and is about 470 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Kingston 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.