A Travel Price Comparison for Chile San Pedro de Atacama vs. Arica for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit San Pedro de Atacama or Arica?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for San Pedro de Atacama and Arica. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: San Pedro de Atacama or Arica?

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.

Arica

A mixture of coastline, desert and high Andean plateau, Arica is a seaside resort town, known for its surfing beaches located at the tip of Northern Chile. Arica boasts that it is "the land of the eternal spring," but its temperate climate and beaches are not the only reason to visit this small city. Arica's tourism is still principally geared toward domestic visitors and those from southern Peru and La Paz, who flock to its beaches mid-December through February. It is very easy to spend a few days in Arica in the sand, or seeing the sights in town, at a slow pace but the city also offers plenty of fun activities and exciting day trips.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Chile, The Best Wildlife Tours to Chile, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Chile.


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

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

The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro de Atacama is $58, while the average daily cost in Arica is $78. 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 Pedro de Atacama and Arica in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    San Pedro de Atacama $31
    Arica $34
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    San Pedro de Atacama $62
    Arica $68
Compare Hotels in San Pedro de Atacama and Arica

Looking for a hotel in San Pedro de Atacama or Arica? 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 San Pedro de Atacama


Hotels in Arica


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 Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices and Arica Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    San Pedro de Atacama $8.94
    Arica $17

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
  • Shared Departure Transfer: San Pedro de Atacama Hotels to El Loa Airport: $31
  • Stargazing Experience with Transfer: $40
  • Direct Transfer Atacama to Uyuni: $128
  • Calama Airport: Shared Transfer to/from San Pedro de Atacama: $30
  • Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $55
  • Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $38
  • Atacama Airport Private Transfer: $129

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arica

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arica are as follows:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $2.05

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arica

Also for Arica, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Arica Hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $24
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica city hotels: $22
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Hotels: $24
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $28
  • Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $31
  • Private Transfer from Arica City hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $22
  • Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port : $28
  • Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port: $31
  • Arica Airport Private Transfer: $85

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

Prices for flights to both Arica and San Pedro de Atacama 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
    San Pedro de Atacama $14
    Arica $28
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.
    San Pedro de Atacama $20
    Arica $19
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:

  • 2 Tours Valley of the Moon and Hidden Lagoons: $120
  • 23km downhill bike tour + trekking among giant cacti: $70
  • 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
  • Archaeological Experience in Atacama Tulor and Quitor: $146
  • Astronomic Tour Experience from San Pedro de Atacama: $59
  • Astronomical Tour "Under the Atacama Night": $45
  • Astronomical Tour in San Pedro de Atacama: $59
  • Astronomical Tour with Guide and Pick Up San Pedro de Atacama: $39

Tours and Activities in Arica

For Arica, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Archaeological Tour: $32
  • Archeological Sightseeing tour in Arica: $103
  • Arica Private Sightseeing Tour : $134
  • Half day Panoramic City Tour: $49
  • Private Tour to Tacna from Arica: $256

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    San Pedro de Atacama $4.82
    Arica $19
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 San Pedro de Atacama and Arica, we can see that Arica is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro de Atacama much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to San Pedro de Atacama would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Pedro de Atacama 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 Arica would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Arica than you might in San Pedro de Atacama.

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


Which is Bigger, San Pedro de Atacama or Arica?

Arica has a larger population, and is about 90 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of San Pedro de Atacama and Arica, 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.