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

Should you visit Montego Bay or San Pedro de Atacama?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Montego Bay and San Pedro de Atacama can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Montego Bay or San Pedro de Atacama?

Montego Bay

As with most places around the tropical oasis of Jamaica, Montego Bay (or "MoBay") is an ideal place to visit for a Caribbean getaway. It is Jamaica's second largest city and the capital of St. James parish on the northern coast. Montego Bay is considered to be the tourist capital of the country and is where the largest airport is located, bringing in many international travelers.

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 Tours for Seniors to Chile, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Chile.


Which place is cheaper, San Pedro de Atacama or Montego Bay?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Montego Bay Prices
    Jamaica Prices
    San Pedro de Atacama Prices
    Chile Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Montego Bay $255
    San Pedro de Atacama $69

The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $255, while the average daily cost in San Pedro de Atacama is $69. 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 Montego Bay and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Montego Bay $100
    San Pedro de Atacama $32
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Montego Bay $200
    San Pedro de Atacama $64
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and San Pedro de Atacama

Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay


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: Montego Bay Hotel Prices and San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Montego Bay $14
    San Pedro de Atacama $9.14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:

  • VIP Luxury Montego Bay Airport Transfer to Montego Bay/ Falmouth: $70
  • Transfer Service, Sangster MBJ Airport From/To Iberostar zone: $61
  • Sangster Airport Montego Bay Transfer to Montego Bay or Falmouth: $16
  • Sandals South Coast Airport Transfer: $80
  • Royalton White Sands Private Airport Transfer: $40
  • Royalton Blue Waters & Hideaway by Blue Waters Private Transfer: $35
  • Roundtrip Montego Bay Airport Private Transfer to Hotel or Airbnb: $22
  • Riu Resorts Airport Transfers Montego Bay MBJ (Private Roundtrip): $169
  • Private airport transfer to negril resorts arrival/departure: $17
  • Private Transfer/Tours to/from Montego Bay: $60
  • Private Transfer to Dunns River Blue Hole Tubing from Montego Bay: $110
  • Private Transfer to Dunn's River Falls and Blue Hole: $110

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro de Atacama

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

  • To/From El Loa Airport: San Pedro de Atacama Shared Transfer: $28
  • Shared Transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama Airport: $29
  • Calama Airport: Transfer to/from San Pedro de Atacama: $30
  • Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $38
  • TRANSFER TO PURITAMA HOT SPRINGS: $40
  • Etno-Stargazing Tour with Transfer: $40
  • Etno-Stargazing Tour with Transfer: $40
  • Stargazing Experience with Transfer: $44
  • Puritama Hot Springs Transfer Tour: $45
  • Astronomical Tour in San Pedro de Atacama includes transfer, photo, and cocktail.: $53
  • Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $60
  • Atacama Airport Private Transfer: $88

Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or San Pedro de Atacama?

Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Montego Bay 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
    Montego Bay $139
    San Pedro de Atacama $25

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.

  • Club2727 Nightlife Experience With Optional Dinner In Montego Bay: $10
  • 3 to 5 Hour Private Herbal Tour Shopping and Dinner at Ricks Cafe: $120
  • Bar Hopping and Local Food Tour in Jamaica : $130
  • Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios Dinner and Nightlife Experience: $150
  • Dinner Experience and Celebration on the Beach with Decorations : $158
  • PRIVATE Food Tour of Local Jamaican Cuisine Montego Bay & Negril: $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:


  • 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:

  • Local haute cuisine tasting menu dinner: $135
  • Private Dinner Under the Stars: $300

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Montego Bay $31
    San Pedro de Atacama $21
Typical Entertainment Prices in Montego Bay

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Montego Bay are as follows:


  • Admission to Doctor's Cave Beach
    $2.63
  • Snorkeling Trip
    $18
  • One Tank Dive
    $37
  • 1.5 Hr Horseback Ride
    $42

Tours and Activities in Montego Bay

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Montego Bay are as follows:

  • Black River Day Adventure Tour: $92
  • Dunn’s River Secret falls with Horse-back&Bamboo Raft Experience: $125
  • Falmouth Mystic from Montego Bay Luminous Lagoon Night Tour: $90
  • Luminous Lagoon Glow in the Dark Boat Tour from Montego Bay: $65
  • Luminous Lagoon Night Tour from Montego Bay: $118
  • Private Dolphin Cove Adventure : $250
  • 1 Hour Horse Back Riding & Dunn's River Falls Tour Combo: $240
  • 3 Hours Private Highlights Tour & Shopping in Montego Bay Jamaica: $100
  • 3 Hours Private Tour in Montego Bay From Falmouth: $75
  • 7 Mile Beach & Ricks Cafe with free Shopping experience: $50
  • ATV Adventure and Rick's Cafe Tour with Transportation: $238
  • ATV Jungle Safari Tour from Montego Bay: $125

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:

  • Astronomical Tour with Guide and Pick Up San Pedro de Atacama: $30
  • Shared Moon Valley Tour: $32
  • Tour to the Valley of the Moon San Pedro de Atacama: $35
  • Astronomical Guided Tour in San Pedro: $35
  • Half-Day Tour to Laguna Cejar: $35
  • Stargazing Experience: $35
  • Stargazing Tour in San Pedro de Atacama: $36
  • Stargazing Tour in the Atacama Desert: $36
  • Cejar Lagoon Tour: San Pedro de Atacama: $37
  • Rainbow Valley Tour + Petroglyphs (Yerbas Buenas): $37
  • Shared Archaeological Tour in San Pedro de Atacama: $38
  • Moon Valley Tour: $39

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Montego Bay $13
    San Pedro de Atacama $4.93

Sample the Local Flavors in Montego Bay

Also in Montego Bay, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Appleton Estate Admission Ticket & Distillery Tour with Tastings: $39

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


Which is Bigger, Montego Bay or San Pedro de Atacama?

Montego Bay has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Montego Bay 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.