A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Piriapolis vs. San Cristobal de Las Casas for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Piriapolis or San Cristobal de Las Casas?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Piriapolis or San Cristobal de Las Casas, 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: Piriapolis or San Cristobal de Las Casas?

Piriapolis

Piriapolis is a small beach town between Montevideo and Punta del Este in Uruguay. It is a more laid back version of Punta del Este with fewer fancy restaurants and clubs but it has perhaps more charm, with its grand old hotel and beachfront promenade backed by small mountains. The rather old-school coastal resort is vaguely reminiscent of a Mediterranean beach town.

San Cristobal de Las Casas

Far away from the luxuries of Cancun and Cabo, Mexico's San Cristobal de las Casas is a stunning colonial city located in the southern state of Chiapas. Due to its strategic location, the town is commonly used as a transfer point for travelers looking to cross the border between Guatemala and Mexico. San Cristobal also has an immensely strong appeal among budget-minded travelers as it's one of Mexico's most affordable cities.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Uruguay, The Best Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen.


Which place is cheaper, San Cristobal de Las Casas or Piriapolis?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Piriapolis is $67, while the average daily cost in San Cristobal de Las Casas is $101. 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 Piriapolis and San Cristobal de Las Casas in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Piriapolis $27
    San Cristobal de Las Casas $47
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Piriapolis $54
    San Cristobal de Las Casas $94
Compare Hotels in Piriapolis and San Cristobal de Las Casas

Looking for a hotel in Piriapolis or San Cristobal de Las Casas? 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 Piriapolis


Hotels in San Cristobal de Las Casas


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: Piriapolis Hotel Prices and San Cristobal de Las Casas Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Piriapolis $31
    San Cristobal de Las Casas $32

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Cristobal de Las Casas

Also for San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer Hotel in San Cristobal de las Casas to TGZ Airport: $51

Is it cheaper to fly into Piriapolis or San Cristobal de Las Casas?

Prices for flights to both San Cristobal de Las Casas and Piriapolis 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
    Piriapolis $23
    San Cristobal de Las Casas $23

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Piriapolis $5.89
    San Cristobal de Las Casas $14

Tours and Activities in San Cristobal de Las Casas

For San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Tour of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan: $19
  • Rancho Nuevo Caves and Arcotete Ecotourism Center: $27
  • Montebello Lakes and Chiflon Waterfalls Tour: $28
  • Chamula and Zinacantan Indigenous Villages Tour: $30
  • Tour to the Chiflón Waterfalls and Montebello Lagoons: $33
  • Tour Sumidero Canyon and Magic Town of Chiapa de Corzo: $35
  • Sumidero Canyon Tour: $36
  • Tour to the Viewpoints, Sumidero Canyon and Chiapa de Corzo: $37
  • Sumidero Canyon and Chiapa de Corzo Combo Tour: $42
  • Full Day Tour of Montebello Lakes and El Chiflon Waterfall: $45
  • Tour to San Juan Chamula & Zinacantan Indian communities: $46
  • Agua Azul, Misol Hà Waterfalls and Palenque Ruins Tour: $48

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Piriapolis $8.11
    San Cristobal de Las Casas $30


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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Piriapolis Expensive? and Is San Cristobal de Las Casas Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Piriapolis or San Cristobal de Las Casas?

San Cristobal de Las Casas has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Piriapolis. When comparing the sizes of Piriapolis and San Cristobal de Las Casas, 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.