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

Should you visit Quito or San Pedro de Atacama?

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

Should I visit Quito or San Pedro de Atacama? 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: Quito or San Pedro de Atacama?

Quito

Nestled between two mountain ranges lies the world's highest capital city, Quito, Ecuador. For history lovers, Quito is a very desirable destination as it's home to the Quito Historic Center – one of the largest and best-preserved historic centers in the Americas.

Even though Quito is full of people – in fact, it's the second most populous city in the country – very few of its inhabitants speak English. Luckily, however, the citizens of Quito tend to speak a slower and more clear Spanish than surrounding areas. This is the perfect place to practice what you read in your Intro to Spanish book.

Before visiting Quito, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, give yourself a few days to grow accustomed to the elevation. Staying 9,350 feet above sea level takes some getting used to. Second, don't be fooled into thinking that just because you're visiting a town on the equator that you'll need all your summer clothes. Because of the city's elevation, the area keeps a relatively cool climate year round.

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 Ecuador, The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Chile.


Which place is cheaper, San Pedro de Atacama or Quito?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Quito is $52, while the average daily cost in San Pedro de Atacama is $58. 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 Quito and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Quito $22
    San Pedro de Atacama $31
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Quito $44
    San Pedro de Atacama $62
Compare Hotels in Quito and San Pedro de Atacama

Looking for a hotel in Quito 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 Quito


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: Quito Hotel Prices and San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Quito $6.99
    San Pedro de Atacama $8.94
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Quito

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Quito:


  • Taxi from Bus Terminal to Hotel
    $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quito

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Quito:

  • Unique Quito Transfer Mariscal Sucre Airport to Hotel: $29
  • Transfers To and From the Airport in Quito Ecuador: $35
  • Transfer in private vehicle from Quito City - Quito Airport (UIO): $38
  • Transfer in or out transportation from Mariscal airport to Quito: $40
  • Transfer in and Transfer out: $75
  • Transfer in Private Minivan from Quito City - Quito Airport (UIO): $53
  • Transfer in Private Minivan from Quito Airport (UIO) - Quito City: $53
  • Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $39
  • Transfer In / Out Quito: $25
  • Transfer In & Out from Quito: $100
  • Top Quito Airport & Hotel Transfers: $35
  • Shared Transfer from Quito hotels to Airport: $47

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro de Atacama

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

  • Atacama Airport Private Transfer: $129
  • Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $38
  • Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $55
  • Calama Airport: Shared Transfer to/from San Pedro de Atacama: $30
  • Direct Transfer Atacama to Uyuni: $128
  • Stargazing Experience with Transfer: $40
  • Shared Departure Transfer: San Pedro de Atacama Hotels to El Loa Airport: $31
  • Shared Transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama Airport: $29
  • Transfer to the Puritama Hot Springs: $60
  • Transfers to San Pedro de Acatama (shared service): $30

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

Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Quito 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
    Quito $20
    San Pedro de Atacama $14

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito

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

  • Old Town Highlights & Food Tour: $35
  • Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
  • Cooking class In-home space: $75
  • Cooking Class in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and Transportation: $88
  • Jacchigua Show Including Dinner + Transfer: $92
  • Ecuadorian Cooking Class and Local Market Tour: $114
  • Ecuadorian Cooking Classes Rooftop (English): $120
  • Premium Cooking Class Quito Tour: $140
  • Premium Cooking Class Quito Tour : $160
  • Traditional Cooking & Local Spirit and the Equator line Tour: $199
  • Quito Private & All Inclusive Cooking Class with Certified Chef: $235

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
    $1.23
  • Lunch
    $10
  • Dinner
    $11
  • Drink
    $0.92
  • Empanada
    $5.12

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Quito $16
    San Pedro de Atacama $20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Quito

Here are a few typical costs in Quito for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Entrance to Guyasimine Museum for Two
    $8.00

Tours and Activities in Quito

Here are a few actual costs in Quito for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Otavalo Market Private Sightseeing and Surroundings: $110
  • The best of Quito walking tour: $260
  • 1 Day Cultural Tour Otavalo And Cuicocha Lagoon: $65
  • 2-Day Private Tour from Quito:Baños and Quilotoa Lagoon: $329
  • 2-Day Tour of Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon with hotel: $222
  • 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
  • 3-Day Private Tour of Quito: $120
  • 3-Days Andes & Amazon | Tour From Quito: $865
  • 8 Hours Mindo Cloud Forest Tour from Quito : $100
  • All inclusive Quito to Banos 2 day tour: $250
  • Andes Tour 2 days 1 night: Cotopaxi + Quilotoa: $180
  • Antisana Volcano Birding & Natural History Condor Tour PRIVATE, all included: $185

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
    $54

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: $35
  • Astronomical Tour with Guide and Pick Up San Pedro de Atacama: $39
  • Tour to Vallecito and Magic Bus: $42
  • Tour to the Valley of the Moon San Pedro de Atacama: $42
  • Etno-Astronomical Experience: $43
  • Tour Laguna Cejar: San Pedro de Atacama: $44
  • Moon Valley Tour: $44
  • Traditional Ethnoastronomy Experience: $44
  • Guided Atacama Desert Stargazing Tour: $44
  • Tour Compartido Valle de la Luna: $44
  • Traditional Ethnoastronomy Tour in San Pedro de Atacama: $44
  • Half day Valle de la Luna, Afternoon Tour: $45

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Quito $17
    San Pedro de Atacama $4.82
Typical Alcohol Prices in Quito

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Quito from other travelers:


  • Beers for Two
    $9.00

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
    $24


When comparing the travel costs between Quito and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that San Pedro de Atacama is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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


Which is Bigger, Quito or San Pedro de Atacama?

Quito has a larger population, and is about 700 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Quito 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.