Which place is cheaper, San Pedro de Atacama or San Miguel de Tucuman?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Miguel de Tucuman 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 San Miguel de Tucuman and San Pedro de Atacama can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: San Miguel de Tucuman or San Pedro de Atacama?
San Miguel de Tucuman
The capital of the Tucuman Province in Argentina, San Miguel de Tucuman is the largest city in the country's northwest. The city is probably most well known as the sight where the Declaration of Independence from Spain took place on July 9, 1816. The location of this event, a colonial-style house called "Casa Historica" or "Casita de Tucuman", remains an important landmark in the city.
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 daySan Miguel de Tucuman $11San Pedro de Atacama $59
The average daily cost (per person) in San Miguel de Tucuman is $11, 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 San Miguel de Tucuman and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Miguel de Tucuman $4.85San Pedro de Atacama $32
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Miguel de Tucuman $9.70San Pedro de Atacama $64
Compare Hotels in San Miguel de Tucuman and San Pedro de Atacama
Looking for a hotel in San Miguel de Tucuman 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: San Miguel de Tucuman Hotel Prices and San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Miguel de Tucuman $3.08San Pedro de Atacama $9.15
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Miguel de Tucuman:
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Taxi Ride$0.01
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: $33
- Puritama Thermal Transfer: $46
- 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
- 3 Perfect Days in Atacama + Transfer: $250
Is it cheaper to fly into San Miguel de Tucuman or San Pedro de Atacama?
Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and San Miguel de Tucuman 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 Miguel de Tucuman $4.01San Pedro de Atacama $14
Typical Food Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman
For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Sandwich$0.01
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.San Miguel de Tucuman $3.30San Pedro de Atacama $21
Tours and Activities in San Miguel de Tucuman
For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Discover Tafí del Valle and Quilmes Ruins in a Day Tour: $82
- Entrance ticket to Aerial Park, Zip Line and Palestra: $27
- Rio Hondo Hot Springs Full Day Tour from Tucuman: $82
- Tafi del Valle Half-Day Tour from Tucuman: $68
- Yungas Half-Day Tour from Tucuman: $51
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
- 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: $189
- 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
- 6-hour tour to Valle del Arcoíris: $44
- ASTRONOMIC TOUR: $54
- Archaeological Experience in Atacama Tulor and Quitor: $146
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Miguel de Tucuman $2.07San Pedro de Atacama $4.94
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 San Miguel de Tucuman and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that San Pedro de Atacama is more expensive. And not only is San Miguel de Tucuman much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to San Miguel de Tucuman would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Miguel de Tucuman 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 San Miguel de Tucuman.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Miguel de Tucuman Expensive? and Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Miguel de Tucuman or San Pedro de Atacama?
San Miguel de Tucuman has a larger population, and is about 390 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of San Miguel de Tucuman 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.