Which place is cheaper, San Pedro de Atacama or Salta?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Salta 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 Salta and San Pedro de Atacama can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Salta or San Pedro de Atacama?
Salta
Located in the heart of the famous Northwest region of Argentina, at 1200m of elevation and at the foot of the Cerro San Bernardo, Salta is the largest city of the region and perhaps the most beautiful colonial city of Argentina. Founded in 1582 by the Spanish, Salta was an important stop for merchants who followed the usual trade road through Bolivia and Peru. Argentines call this city nestled in the foothills of the Andes and surrounded by mountains, of just over half a million inhabitants, Salta La Linda (Salta the Beautiful) and it's easy to see why. Young and traditional at the same time, Salta and its renowned museums, plaza side cafes and live musica folklorica of its bustling penas, is a sophisticated and lively city day and night.
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 Photography Tours in Argentina, The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina, 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 daySalta $9.62San Pedro de Atacama $59
The average daily cost (per person) in Salta is $9.62, 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 Salta and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSalta $3.47San Pedro de Atacama $32
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSalta $6.94San Pedro de Atacama $64
Compare Hotels in Salta and San Pedro de Atacama
Looking for a hotel in Salta 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: Salta Hotel Prices and San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Salta $4.00San Pedro de Atacama $9.15
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Salta
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Salta are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$0.01
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salta
Also for Salta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Yungas : full day with gauchos - transfer inc. from Salta: $189
- Train to the Clouds Experience with Transfers from Salta Hotels: $265
- Shared 1-Way or Round Trip SLA Airport Transfer: $5.50
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $5.50
- Salta Airport Private Transfer: $47
- Salta Airport One-Way or Round-Trip Transfers: $20
- Round Trip Shared Transfer Salta Airport/Downtown Hotel: $13
- Full Day Tour Cafayate + Humahuaca + Transfer in/out: $169
- From Salinas and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $99
- From Cafayate and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $88
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro de Atacama
Also for San Pedro de Atacama, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers to San Pedro de Acatama (shared service): $30
- Transfer to the Puritama Hot Springs: $60
- Shared Transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama Airport: $29
- Stargazing Experience with Transfer: $39
- Puritama Thermal Transfer: $46
- Private transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama City: $190
- Direct Transfer Atacama to Uyuni: $128
- Calama Airport: Shared Transfer to/from San Pedro de Atacama: $30
- Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $60
- Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $38
- Atacama Airport Private Transfer: $129
- 3 Perfect Days in Atacama + Transfer: $250
Is it cheaper to fly into Salta or San Pedro de Atacama?
Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Salta 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 daySalta $3.27San Pedro de Atacama $14
Typical Food Prices in Salta
For Salta, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Emplanadas$0.01
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Ice Cream$0.01
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Lunch$0.67
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Coffee$0.14
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.Salta $3.40San Pedro de Atacama $21
Typical Entertainment Prices in Salta
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Salta's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Gondola Ride$0.02
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Pool$0.06
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Wine and Cheese night$4.15
Tours and Activities in Salta
For Salta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- From City Tour and San Lorenzo on a half-day tour: $20
- Full-Day Tour to Salinas Grandes and Purmamarca From Salta: $40
- 2-Day Tour to Cachi and Los Cardones National Park: $57
- Best of Guided City Tour: $27
- Bungee Jumping Adrenaline Experience on Cabra Corral Dam: $107
- Cachi Full Day Tour from Salta: $58
- Cafayate, Vineyards and Calchaquies Valleys Tour from Salta: $57
- Exclusive day-long private tour of Cafayate vineyards: $275
- From Cachi and Los Cardones National Park Tour: $33
- From City Tour of the city on a half-day ride: $18
- From Full-Day Scenic Tour to Cachi: $33
- From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate, Land of Wines: $30
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
- 1-Day Tour Altiplanic Lagoons and Piedras Rojas and Laguna Chaxa: $70
- 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: $199
- 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 in the Atacama Desert: $230
- 4 Tours to Discover Atacama (3 days): $219
- 4-Hour Puritama Hot Springs Tour with Pick Up in Atacama: $88
- 6-hour tour to Valle del Arcoíris: $44
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySalta $1.37San Pedro de Atacama $4.94
Typical Alcohol Prices in Salta
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Salta are as follows:
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Beer$0.01
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Alcohol$0.35
Sample the Local Flavors in Salta
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Salta:
- From Cafayate Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $30
- Full-day Cafayate, Lerma Valley, and Wine Tasting from Salta: $30
- From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate with Wine Tasting: $33
- Half Day Wine Tasting in Salta: $122
- Full-Day Private Calchaquí Valley & Cafayate Wine Tour from Salta: $200
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 Salta and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that San Pedro de Atacama is more expensive. And not only is Salta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Salta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salta 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 Salta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Salta Expensive? and Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Salta or San Pedro de Atacama?
Salta has a larger population, and is about 260 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Salta 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.