Which place is cheaper, Saint Thomas 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 Saint Thomas. 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.
Saint Thomas is a beautiful island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Together with St. John, St. Croix, and Water Island, it forms the unincorporated territory of the United States. The island is also home to the territorial capital and port of Charlotte Amalie. The island's population is just over 50,000, which is slightly less than half of the territory's total population.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Chile.
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 Saint Thomas is $218. 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 Saint Thomas in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in San Pedro de Atacama or Saint Thomas? 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 typical examples of transportation costs in Saint Thomas are as follows:
Also for Saint Thomas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Saint Thomas 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:
For Saint Thomas, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Thomas.
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in San Pedro de Atacama:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Saint Thomas:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Pedro de Atacama and Saint Thomas, we can see that Saint Thomas 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 Saint Thomas is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Saint Thomas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Thomas 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 Saint Thomas Expensive?.
Saint Thomas has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of San Pedro de Atacama and Saint Thomas, 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.