Which place is cheaper, La Serena or San Pedro de Atacama?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Pedro de Atacama or La Serena?
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 La Serena. 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 La Serena?
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.
La Serena
La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!
Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.
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.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Pedro de Atacama $60La Serena $89
The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro de Atacama is $60, while the average daily cost in La Serena is $89. 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 La Serena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Pedro de Atacama $33La Serena $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Pedro de Atacama $66La Serena $86
Compare Hotels in San Pedro de Atacama and La Serena
Looking for a hotel in San Pedro de Atacama or La Serena? 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 Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices and La Serena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Pedro de Atacama $9.37La Serena $21
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: $36
- Etno-Stargazing Tour with Transfer: $36
- 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: $34
Is it cheaper to fly into San Pedro de Atacama or La Serena?
Prices for flights to both La Serena 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
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Food Meals for one daySan Pedro de Atacama $15La Serena $27
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$1.29
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Lunch$11
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Dinner$11
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Drink$0.97
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Empanada$5.37
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:
- Tasting menu dinner of local haute cuisine: $135
- Private Dinner Under the Stars: $300
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Pedro de Atacama $21La Serena $24
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$57
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
- The 3 Best Selling Tours in Atacama: $159
- 1-Day Tour Altiplanic Lagoons and Piedras Rojas and Laguna Chaxa: $90
- 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
- 4 TOUR IN ATACAMA IN 3 DAYS: $220
- 4 Tours to Discover Atacama (3 days): $249
- 4-Hour Puritama Hot Springs Tour with Pick Up in Atacama: $88
- 6-hour tour to Valle del Arcoíris: $44
- ASTRONOMIC TOUR: $48
Tours and Activities in La Serena
For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Tour to the internationally renowned Pangue Observatory: $135
- Astronomical Tour Collowara Observatory: $64
- Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $135
- Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $85
- Elqui Valley Grand-Tour: $150
- Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $120
- Elqui Valley Tour: Full Day History and Flavors : $50
- Elqui Valley and Vicuna Private Tour Including Lunch: $183
- Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
- La Serena & Coquimbo City Tour - Short Cruise Excursion : $128
- La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
- La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Pedro de Atacama $5.05La Serena $23
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 Pedro de Atacama and La Serena, we can see that La Serena 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 La Serena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Serena 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 La Serena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Pedro de Atacama or La Serena?
La Serena has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of San Pedro de Atacama and La Serena, 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.