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

Should you visit Salento or San Pedro de Atacama?

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

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

Salento

Founded in 1850, Salento is one of the oldest towns in Quindio. This colonial Colombian town has retained much of its old world charm, with its colorful buildings, large square and, of course, the obligatory church. Because the main route between Cali and Bogota which used to pass through Salento was diverted, the town didn't develop as quickly as others in the Quindio region. This gave Salento the opportunity to evolve into a thriving community of craftsmen and artisans as well as remaining one of the region's most prolific coffee producers. Salento is located 24 km northeast of the departmental capital Armenia. However, unlike its colorful neighbor, Armenia itself has very little to offer tourists. Salento attracts those wishing to learn about the coffee regions and for those who simply admire breathtaking scenery, and especially the stunning Cocora Valley.

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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, 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 Salento?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Salento is $32, 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 Salento and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Salento $11
    San Pedro de Atacama $31
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Salento $22
    San Pedro de Atacama $62
Compare Hotels in Salento and San Pedro de Atacama

Looking for a hotel in Salento 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 Salento


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

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Salento $14
    San Pedro de Atacama $8.94

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salento

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Salento:

  • Pereira Airport Private Transfer Service: $55

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro de Atacama

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

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

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

Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Salento 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
    Salento $9.38
    San Pedro de Atacama $14

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Salento

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

  • Cooking Stories - Cocinando Historias: $46

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.
    Salento $12
    San Pedro de Atacama $20

Tours and Activities in Salento

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

  • Cocora Valley and Salento Guided Hiking Tour: $91
  • Cocora Valley and Salento Hike Tour: $79
  • Cocora Valley and Salento Horseback Riding Day Tour: $137
  • Cocora Valley, Salento and Coffee Farm Day Tour : $124
  • Cocora Valley, Salento and Coffee Farm Tour: $143
  • Cocora, Salento and Filandia Tour: $100
  • Coffe Experience: Daily departure from Salento: $91
  • Coffee Farm and Salento Walking Tour with Lunch: $87
  • Coffee Tour and Salento Walking Tour with lunch: $96
  • Coffee tour in the heart of the coffee region: $28
  • Filandia and Salento Coffee Towns Tour: $63
  • Filandia and Salento Coffee Towns Tour: $105

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
    Salento $11
    San Pedro de Atacama $4.82

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 we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Salento and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that San Pedro de Atacama is more expensive. And not only is Salento much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Salento would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salento 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 Pedro de Atacama would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Pedro de Atacama than you might in Salento.

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


Which is Bigger, Salento or San Pedro de Atacama?

Salento has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Salento 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.