Which place is cheaper, San Pedro La Laguna or Playa del Carmen?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Playa del Carmen or San Pedro La Laguna?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Playa del Carmen or San Pedro La Laguna? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Playa del Carmen or San Pedro La Laguna?
Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is in Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula. It's a popular resort town and is about seventy kilometers south of Cancun. It has a European atmosphere with many small hotels and a nice relaxed feel. It was originally a small fishing town but tourism began with the introduction of a passenger ferry to Cozumel. The area developed rapidly and there are many luxury hotels, condos, and resorts. There are also American chains and a variety of shopping opportunities nearby.
San Pedro La Laguna
Located in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful volcanic lake ringed by small towns and villages that are highly frequented by backpackers. Panajachal is one of the best known of the towns, as well as the main entry point of the region, while others like San Pedro La Laguna are quieter and more off the beaten path. Lake Atitlan and its villages attract visitors for its scenic beauty, outdoor activities, and Mayan culture nearby.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best Adventure Tours to Guatemala, and The Best Eco Tours in Guatemala.
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Playa del Carmen Prices
Mexico PricesSan Pedro La Laguna Prices
Guatemala Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPlaya del Carmen $95San Pedro La Laguna $45
The average daily cost (per person) in Playa del Carmen is $95, while the average daily cost in San Pedro La Laguna is $45. 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 Playa del Carmen and San Pedro La Laguna in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPlaya del Carmen $38San Pedro La Laguna $8.38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPlaya del Carmen $76San Pedro La Laguna $17
Compare Hotels in Playa del Carmen and San Pedro La Laguna
Looking for a hotel in Playa del Carmen or San Pedro La Laguna? 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: Playa del Carmen Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Playa del Carmen $23San Pedro La Laguna $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Playa del Carmen
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Playa del Carmen:
- Xplor Fuego Tickets with Transfer: $165
- Round trip Private Transfer Cancun- Costa Mujeres/Playa Mujeres: $71
- Round Trip Private Transfer (Costa Mujeres): $210
- Puerto Aventuras to Cancún Airport (CUN) - Private Departure Transfer: $87
- Private Transfers to Cancun Airport, from Tulum or Akumal: $198
- Private Transfers To Cancun Int'l Airport, from Playa Del Carmen: $97
- Private Transfer to Xplor/Xplor fire/Xenses, roundtrip from PDC: $160
- Private Transfer to Xel-Há Park roundtrip, from Playa del Carmen: $260
- Private Transfer to Xcaret Park, Roundtrip from Playa del Carmen: $160
- Private Transfer to Chiquila one-wey, from Cancún and Playa: $260
- Private Transfer to Cenote at Tulum: $213
- Private Transfer to Cancun Int'l Airport, from Costa Mujeres: $88
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro La Laguna
Also for San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private One Way Transfer Lake Atitlán to Antigua Guatemala: $74
- Private Transfer from Lake Atitlán to Guatemala Airport (GUA): $96
- Private transfer from Panajachel to Airport or Capital city: $78
- Private transfer from Panajachel to Antigua Guatemala: $75
- Shared Transfer from Panajachel Atitlan to Guatemala City: $50
- Transfer from SanPedro Lago de Atitlan and airport Guatemala: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Playa del Carmen or San Pedro La Laguna?
Prices for flights to both San Pedro La Laguna and Playa del Carmen 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 dayPlaya del Carmen $39San Pedro La Laguna $19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Playa del Carmen
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Playa del Carmen.
- Dinner and Show at the Mayan Planetarium of Chichen: $39
- Flavors of Playa del Carmen, Mexican Food Tour: $63
- Playa del Carmen Food Tour with 8+ Authentic Yucatan Dishes: $81
- VIP Private Mystery Dinner Murder in the Jungle: $85
- Riviera Maya Luxury Sunset Sailing plus Light Dinner and Open Bar: $89
- Playa del Camen Vegan Mexican Food Tour: $90
- Mayan Ceremony in Tulum. Temazcal, Dinner and pick up included.: $92
- PDC Traditional Mexican Cooking Experience: $109
- PDC Traditional Mexican Cooking Experience: $112
- Mayan Cooking Class: Chicken Pibil in Secret Cenote: $114
- Mexican Cooking Class: $120
- Isa’s Authentic Mexican Cooking Class: $120
Typical Food Prices in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lemonade$2.10
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Cake$1.31
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Ice cream$0.39
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Hot Cocoa & Banana Bread$3.02
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Temazcal sauna and dinner, cultural sharing experience: $60
- Maya Cooking Class from Panajachel: $66
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Playa del Carmen $16San Pedro La Laguna $22
Tours and Activities in Playa del Carmen
Here are a few actual costs in Playa del Carmen for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3D Museum of Wonders Admission Ticket: $41
- 4 ADVENTURES 1 DAY Tulum Coba Cenote and Playa del Carmen: $16
- 4 to 7 Day Beach Cruiser Rental (Up to 7 Days, includes Ulock): $45
- 4X1 Enjoy a tour to Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Playa del Carmen: $20
- 4x1 Tulum Coba Cenote swim Full tour: $21
- 5X1: Tulum and Coba Ruins, Cenote & Mayan Village Full Day Tour: $83
- A Romantic Private Tour Through Playa Del Carmen: $1,843
- AQUA WONDER (Half-Day Aquatic Tour in Tulum with Snorkeling and Meals): $129
- ATV Adventure with Ziplines & Cenote From Playa del Carmen: $78
- ATV Adventure with Ziplines & Cenote from Playa del Carmen: $57
- ATV Mayan Jungle Adventure: $180
- ATV Shared & Ziplines Adventure in Tulum Jungle from Riviera Maya: $140
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Pedro La Laguna
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for San Pedro La Laguna's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Canopy Tour (for 2)$39
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Kayaking (for 2)$1.97
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Coffee Tour (for 2)$7.08
Tours and Activities in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- San Juan La Laguna Magic Town Walking Tour: $28
- Beading Class and tour a Non-profit vocational training center a Fun cultural sharing experience: $28
- Indian Nose Tour Maya Face at Sunrise: $30
- Tour of San Juan Lake Atitlan: $32
- Coffee Walk Tour in San Juan La Laguna: $35
- Coffee, Chocolate and Textile Tour in Lake Atitlan: $35
- La Nose of the Indian Mountain Tour: $36
- Sunrise Hike Tour on Indian's Nose Mountain: $40
- Sunrise Tour in Indian Nose Hike and Views of Lake Atitlan: $40
- Tour Golden Dawn Indian nose: $40
- Lake Atitlan Guided Tour by Boat from Panajachel: $40
- Tour in the Atitlan Nature Reserve: $40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPlaya del Carmen $20San Pedro La Laguna $5.68
Sample the Local Flavors in Playa del Carmen
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Playa del Carmen:
- Playa After Dark: 5th Ave Social Pub Crawl, Playa del Carmen: $35
- Playa del Carmen Local Brewery and Tacos Experience: $58
- Tour to the Brewery with Tasting and Fifth Avenue: $106
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Playa del Carmen and San Pedro La Laguna, we can see that Playa del Carmen is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro La Laguna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Playa del Carmen is in North America and San Pedro La Laguna is in Central 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 La Laguna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Pedro La Laguna 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 Playa del Carmen would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Playa del Carmen than you might in San Pedro La Laguna.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Playa del Carmen Expensive? and Is San Pedro La Laguna Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Playa del Carmen or San Pedro La Laguna?
Playa del Carmen has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of San Pedro La Laguna. When comparing the sizes of Playa del Carmen and San Pedro La Laguna, 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.