Which place is cheaper, San Pedro de Atacama or Liberia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Liberia 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 Liberia 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: Liberia or San Pedro de Atacama?
Liberia
Liberia is a town in northwestern Costa Rica. It is the capital of the Guanacaste province, which is about 140 miles away from Costa Rica's capital, San Jose. The town has a population of about 56,000 and is one of the tourism centers of the country.
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 Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLiberia $112San Pedro de Atacama $59
The average daily cost (per person) in Liberia is $112, 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 Liberia and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLiberia $60San Pedro de Atacama $32
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLiberia $120San Pedro de Atacama $64
Compare Hotels in Liberia and San Pedro de Atacama
Looking for a hotel in Liberia 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: Liberia Hotel Prices and San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Liberia $43San Pedro de Atacama $9.15
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Liberia
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Liberia are as follows:
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Bike Rental$25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Liberia
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Liberia:
- Transfers from Liberia Airport: $60
- Transfers Tamarindo Diria or Occidental Tamarindo, Round Trip.: $230
- Transfer from Playa Hermosa to Liberia Airport (LIR): $85
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Riu Guanacaste Hotel in Guanacaste: $85
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Planet Hollywood Beach Resort: $91
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to El Mangroove Hotel: $85
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Dreams Las Mareas Hotel: $149
- Transfer from El Mangroove Hotel to Liberia Airport (LIR): $94
- Transfer from Dreams Las Mareas Hotel to Liberia Airport (LIR): $148
- Transfer Service From Liberia Airport To Dreams Las Mareas, Costa Rica: $240
- Transfer Riu Palace and Guanacaste Round-Trip: $160
- Transfer Liberia Airport to Planet Hollywood or Andaz Papagayo, ROUND TRIP.: $176
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 Liberia or San Pedro de Atacama?
Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Liberia 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
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Food Meals for one dayLiberia $21San Pedro de Atacama $14
Typical Food Prices in Liberia
Some typical examples of dining costs in Liberia are as follows:
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Snacks$1.97
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Lunch at The Shack (for 1)$4.95
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Lunch$11
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Coffee & Tres Leches (for 2)$14
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Ginger Ale$1.28
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Liberia
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Liberia.
- 2-Hour Cooking Class in Nosara : $65
- Private Local Cooking Class in Nosara: $85
- Private Sunset Dinner at the Beach with Chef : $190
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:
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Empanadas$1.26
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Lunch$10
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Dinner$11
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Drink$0.94
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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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Liberia $25San Pedro de Atacama $21
Tours and Activities in Liberia
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Liberia are as follows:
- ATV Tour Guanacaste the Beach Excursion & Trail: $110
- Llanos de Cortez Safari and Waterfall Tour: $190
- Mega Combo Adventure: $195
- Nicaragua one day tour from Costa Rica, Discover it: $250
- (Private) La Leona Waterfall Adventure Hike: $41
- 2 Hour ATV Private Tour in Costa Rica: $81
- 2 In 1 Jet Sky & Buggy Private Tour: $300
- 2-Hours UTV Tour: $110
- 3 Hour ATV Adventure Tour in El Jobo: $130
- 4 Tours in 1 Action Package - Playa del Coco area: $170
- 5 in 1 sloth, Rainforest, waterfalls, hanging bridges, volcanic activity tour.: $285
- 6 Hours Guanacaste Cultural and Local Farm Experience: $77
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:
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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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLiberia $13San 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:
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Alcohol$25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Liberia and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that Liberia is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro de Atacama much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Liberia 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 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 Liberia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Liberia 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 Liberia Expensive? and Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Liberia or San Pedro de Atacama?
Liberia has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Liberia 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.