Which place is cheaper, Easter Island or San Cristobal de Las Casas?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Cristobal de Las Casas or Easter Island?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit San Cristobal de Las Casas or Easter Island? 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: San Cristobal de Las Casas or Easter Island?
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.
Easter Island
Although Easter Island is considered a territory of Chile, it is actually located far out in the Pacific, almost halfway to Tahiti. Easter Island is well known, despite being one of the most isolated islands on Earth, because of the mysterious giant stone busts which date back centuries. There are 887 monumental statues, called moai, that were built by the Rapa Nui people. There remains much mystery around the historic Polynesian culture which created the stones, as well as the specific meaning for them.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Cristobal de Las Casas $101Easter Island $80
The average daily cost (per person) in San Cristobal de Las Casas is $101, while the average daily cost in Easter Island is $80. 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 San Cristobal de Las Casas and Easter Island in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Cristobal de Las Casas $47Easter Island $44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Cristobal de Las Casas $94Easter Island $88
Compare Hotels in San Cristobal de Las Casas and Easter Island
Looking for a hotel in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Easter Island? 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: San Cristobal de Las Casas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Cristobal de Las Casas $32Easter Island $2.59
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 San Cristobal de Las Casas or Easter Island?
Prices for flights to both Easter Island and San Cristobal de Las Casas 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 daySan Cristobal de Las Casas $23Easter Island $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Easter Island
For Easter Island, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner, Show and Traditional Curanto Te Ra'ai Cultural Experience: $120
- Rapa Nui Dinner Show on Easter Island: $153
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Cristobal de Las Casas $14Easter Island $40
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:
- Adventure on Motorcycle to a Hidden Waterfall! : $119
- Agua Azul, Misol Hà Waterfalls and Palenque Ruins Tour: $48
- Bike Tour Chiapas Indigenous Peoples: $62
- Chamula and Zinacantan Indigenous Villages Tour: $30
- Food Walking Tour in San Cristobal : $70
- From San Cristóbal Tour to Agua Azul, Misol Ha and Palenque with Guide 1 day: $65
- Full Day Tour in Lagos de Montebello and El Chiflón: $80
- Full Day Tour of Montebello Lakes and El Chiflon Waterfall: $45
- Full Day Tour to Palenque Archaeological Zone with Waterfalls: $109
- Full-Day Sumidero Canyon Tour with Boat Cruise from San Cristóbal de las Casas: $84
- Montebello Lakes and Chiflon Waterfalls Tour: $28
- Montebello Lakes and Waterfalls Tour from San Cristobal: $51
Typical Entertainment Prices in Easter Island
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Easter Island's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Bike Rental$8.38
Tours and Activities in Easter Island
For Easter Island, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2-Day Tour Touring the Highlights of Rapa Nui: $300
- Half Day Private Tour: Caves and Volcanic Refuges: $170
- 2 Day Private Tour: Rapa Nui's Cultural Heritage: $300
- 2 Days Highlights Tour in Easter Island Moai and Nature: $210
- 3 Hours Terevaka Horseback Private Guided Riding Tour: $180
- Easter Island Full-Day Tour: Ahu Tongariki, Rano Raraku and Anakena Beach: $171
- Easter Island Moai Archaeology Tour: Ahu Akivi, Ahu Tahai and Puna Pauâ Quarry.: $91
- Poike Volcano Private Hiking Tour with Guide: $280
- Experience Easter Island Shared Tour for Cruise Ship Passengers : $290
- Full Day Hotu Matua Tour from Vaihu to Anakena: $70
- Full Day Private Tour: Factory of the Moai the stone giants: $219
- Full Day Tour - The Land of Hotu Matu´a: $177
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Cristobal de Las Casas $30Easter Island $5.34
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Cristobal de Las Casas and Easter Island, we can see that San Cristobal de Las Casas is more expensive. And not only is Easter Island much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Cristobal de Las Casas is in North America and Easter Island is in South 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 Easter Island would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Easter Island 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 Easter Island.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Cristobal de Las Casas Expensive? and Is Easter Island Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Cristobal de Las Casas or Easter Island?
San Cristobal de Las Casas has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Easter Island. When comparing the sizes of San Cristobal de Las Casas and Easter Island, 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.