Which place is cheaper, San Pedro de Atacama or Panama City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Panama City or San Pedro de Atacama?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Panama City and San Pedro de Atacama can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Panama City or San Pedro de Atacama?
Panama City
Panama City is the cosmopolitan capital city of the country of Panama. With a population of almost 900,000 and almost 1.5 million in the metropolitan area, it's a very diverse city with expat residents from all over the world. You don't have to search far to find someone who speaks English, and many Panamanians are quite helpful and friendly.
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 from Panama City, The Best Adventure Tours to Panama, 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 dayPanama City $86San Pedro de Atacama $59
The average daily cost (per person) in Panama City is $86, 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 Panama City and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPanama City $35San Pedro de Atacama $32
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPanama City $70San Pedro de Atacama $64
Compare Hotels in Panama City and San Pedro de Atacama
Looking for a hotel in Panama City 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: Panama City Hotel Prices and San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Panama City $11San Pedro de Atacama $9.15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Panama City
Also for Panama City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers Airport - Hotels Riu Playa Blanca, Decameron, Bijao, Playa Blanca: $70
- Transfers: $37
- Transfer to Panama City, Hotel and City tour - 1 night: $266
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY)- Panama City: $15
- Transfer in private vehicle from Panama City - Panama Tocumen Airport (PTY): $15
- Transfer in private minivan from Playa Bonita to Panama Tocumen Airport: $70
- Transfer in private minivan from Panama Tocumen Airport to Playa Bonita: $70
- Transfer in private minivan from Panama Tocumen Airport to Playa Blanca-Farallon: $160
- Transfer from Panama City Hotel to Tocumen Airport: $23
- Transfer from PTY Airport or Panama City to Playa Blanca and Back: $77
- Transfer Tocumen Airport to Panama City Hotels.: $25
- Transfer Panama Airport- Colon Cruise Terminal: $90
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
- Private transfer San Pedro de Atacama - calama airport: $200
- Direct Transfer Atacama to Uyuni: $128
- Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $60
- Transfer to the Puritama Hot Springs: $60
- Puritama Thermal Transfer: $46
- Stargazing Experience with Transfer: $40
- Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $34
- Transfers to San Pedro de Acatama (shared service): $30
- Calama Airport: Shared Transfer to/from San Pedro de Atacama: $30
- Shared Transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama Airport: $29
Is it cheaper to fly into Panama City or San Pedro de Atacama?
Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Panama City 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 dayPanama City $21San Pedro de Atacama $14
Typical Food Prices in Panama City
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Panama City:
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Sandwich$8.27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Panama City
For Panama City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Panama Evening Food Tour: $60
- 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class : $85
- 4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience: $85
- Panama: 10-Recipe Boozy Panamanian Cooking Class + Dinner: $85
- The 'Real' Panamanian Private Food Tour: $200
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.Panama City $66San Pedro de Atacama $21
Tours and Activities in Panama City
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Panama City.
- City Tour y Canal de Panamá: $35
- #1 Walking Tour in Casco Viejo, Panama Canal Museum & Lunch : $77
- "Bridge of the Americas Stand-Up Paddle Private 2 hours Tour " : $100
- 1- or 2-Night Experience in San Blas Islands: $260
- 2 Hours Private Luxury Tour in a Convertible Car in Panama City: $255
- 2 Hours Tour to Panama La Vieja for Groups: $170
- 2 Hr Express Tour for Business Travellers & Airport Layovers: $75
- 2-Day San Blas Adventure from Panama City: $270
- 3 Hours Private Photo Tour in Casco Antiguo: $90
- 3-Hour Private Tour in Panama La Vieja: $45
- 5 Hours Tour to Monkey Island Embera community Gamboa Panama: $165
- 5-Hour Tour in Agua Clara New Locks: $100
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:
- Moon Valley Tour, the Best Seller: $49
- 2 Tours Valley of the Moon and Hidden Lagoons: $120
- 23km downhill bike tour + trekking among giant cacti: $70
- 3 Days and 4 Tours in San Pedro de Atacama: $189
- 3 Main Tours in San Pedo de Atacama: $190
- 3-Day Tour in San Pedro de Atacama: $210
- 4 Tour in 2 Days, in San Pedro de Atacama: $240
- 4 Tours to Discover Atacama (3 days): $219
- ASTRONOMIC TOUR: $54
- Archaeological Experience in Atacama Tulor and Quitor: $146
- Astronomic Tour Experience from San Pedro de Atacama: $59
- Astronomical Experience with Astrophotography in Atacama: $42
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPanama City $18San 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 Panama City and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that Panama City is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro de Atacama much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Panama City 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 Panama City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Panama City 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 Panama City Expensive? and Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Panama City or San Pedro de Atacama?
Panama City has a larger population, and is about 200 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Panama City 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.