Which place is cheaper, San Juan 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 San Juan?
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 San Juan. 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 San Juan?
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.
San Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
For some great organized tour ideas, see 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 Pedro de Atacama $59San Juan $192
The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro de Atacama is $59, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $192. 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 San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Pedro de Atacama $32San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Pedro de Atacama $64San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in San Pedro de Atacama and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in San Pedro de Atacama or San Juan? 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 San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Pedro de Atacama $9.15San Juan $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro de Atacama
Also for San Pedro de Atacama, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 3 Perfect Days in Atacama + Transfer: $250
- Private transfer San Pedro de Atacama - calama airport: $200
- Direct Transfer Atacama to Uyuni: $128
- Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $60
- Transfer to the Puritama Hot Springs: $60
- Puritama Thermal Transfer: $46
- Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $34
- Stargazing Experience with Transfer: $33
- Transfers to San Pedro de Acatama (shared service): $30
- Calama Airport: Shared Transfer to/from San Pedro de Atacama: $30
- Shared Transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama Airport: $29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Old San Juan Sunset Cruise with Drinks & Transfer: $99
- San Juan hotels to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port: Transfer to San Juan hotel: $270
- San Juan Airport (SJU): Private Transfer to San Juan Port: $270
- Roundtrip-Transfer from: SJU Airport,Cruises and Hotels in Puerto Rico LuxurySUV: $70
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Tesla Y Luxury SUV, Select Zone: $77
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Tesla S Lux Sedan, Select Zone: $79
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Mercedes ECO Van, Select Zone: $87
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Lexus Luxury Sedan, Select Zone: $81
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Ford Premium SUV, Select Zone: $87
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, 16Pax Mercedes Van, Select Zone: $130
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 11Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $103
Is it cheaper to fly into San Pedro de Atacama or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan 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 $14San Juan $36
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Old San Juan Sunset Food Tour with Drinks: $156
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walk and Food Tour: $159
- City Lights Sky High Dinner Experience: $165
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
- Private Local Food Tour in San Juan: $275
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Pedro de Atacama $21San Juan $49
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 to Discover Atacama (3 days): $219
- ASTRONOMIC TOUR: $54
- Archaeological Experience in Atacama Tulor and Quitor: $146
- Astronomic Tour Experience from San Pedro de Atacama: $59
- Astronomical Experience with Astrophotography in Atacama: $42
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- Rum Craft Cocktail Tour in San Juan: $65
- 1 or 2 Hour Puerto Rico Horseback Ride Experience!: $210
- Bioluminescent Bay Kayak Adventure from San Juan: $110
- Carolina: ATV Adventure at Campo Rico Ranch with Guide: $136
- Cave Day Tour From San Juan: $109
- Cruise Ship Travelers: Hike to a Hidden Puerto Rican Waterfall: $85
- Culebra Beach Day Tour with Snorkeling from San Juan by Ferry: $200
- Culebra Snorkeling Tour by Catamaran from Fajardo: $175
- Discover El Yunque: Half-Day Rainforest Tour: $115
- Discover Old In-App Audio Tour of History: $11
- El Yunque National RainForest: Tour with Nature walk: $75
- El Yunque Rainforest Guided Day Tour from San Juan: $85
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Pedro de Atacama $4.94San Juan $12
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
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Pinones Pub crawl in Puerto Rico: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Pedro de Atacama and San Juan, we can see that San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Pedro de Atacama or San Juan?
San Juan has a larger population, and is about 210 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of San Pedro de Atacama and San Juan, 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.