Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta or San Pedro de Atacama?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for San Pedro de Atacama and Puerto Vallarta. 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.
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.
Puerto Vallarta remains a popular tourist destination with Americans, particularly during spring break when students flock to the area. The area is quite beautiful and has many gorgeous beaches, interesting jungles and waterfalls nearby, and no shortage of luxury resorts and four star restaurants. Many of the locals speak English and are friendly and open to helping tourists with directions or general information. Puerto Vallarta's popularity means that its prices are some of the highest in Mexico, particularly during holidays when the area can get quite crowded.
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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro de Atacama is $59, while the average daily cost in Puerto Vallarta is $115. 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 Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in San Pedro de Atacama or Puerto Vallarta? 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.
Also for San Pedro de Atacama, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta 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.
For San Pedro de Atacama, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
For San Pedro de Atacama, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for San Pedro de Atacama's activities, tours, and tickets:
For San Pedro de Atacama, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in San Pedro de Atacama:
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Pedro de Atacama and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Puerto Vallarta is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro de Atacama much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Pedro de Atacama is in South America and Puerto Vallarta is in North 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 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 Puerto Vallarta would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta, 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.