A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers San Pedro La Laguna vs. Easter Island for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit San Pedro La Laguna or Easter Island?

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

Should I visit San Pedro La Laguna or Easter Island? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: San Pedro La Laguna or Easter Island?

San Pedro La Laguna

Located in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful volcanic lake ringed by small towns and villages that are highly frequented by backpackers. Panajachal is one of the best known of the towns, as well as the main entry point of the region, while others like San Pedro La Laguna are quieter and more off the beaten path. Lake Atitlan and its villages attract visitors for its scenic beauty, outdoor activities, and Mayan culture nearby.

Easter Island

Although Easter Island is considered a territory of Chile, it is actually located far out in the Pacific, almost halfway to Tahiti. Easter Island is well known, despite being one of the most isolated islands on Earth, because of the mysterious giant stone busts which date back centuries. There are 887 monumental statues, called moai, that were built by the Rapa Nui people. There remains much mystery around the historic Polynesian culture which created the stones, as well as the specific meaning for them.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Guatemala, The Best Tours for Seniors to Guatemala, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Easter Island or San Pedro La Laguna?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro La Laguna is $36, while the average daily cost in Easter Island is $80. 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 La Laguna and Easter Island in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    San Pedro La Laguna $8.23
    Easter Island $44
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    San Pedro La Laguna $16
    Easter Island $88
Compare Hotels in San Pedro La Laguna and Easter Island

Looking for a hotel in San Pedro La Laguna or Easter Island? 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 La Laguna


Hotels in Easter Island


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    San Pedro La Laguna $13
    Easter Island $2.59

Is it cheaper to fly into San Pedro La Laguna or Easter Island?

Prices for flights to both Easter Island and San Pedro La Laguna 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 La Laguna $11
    Easter Island $25
Typical Food Prices in San Pedro La Laguna

For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lemonade
    $2.06
  • Cake
    $1.29
  • Ice cream
    $0.39
  • Hot Cocoa & Banana Bread
    $2.96

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro La Laguna

For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Guatemalan street food tour with a local bilingual guide: $40
  • Temazcal sauna and dinner, cultural sharing experience: $44
  • Maya Cooking Class from Panajachel: $55

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Easter Island

For Easter Island, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Dinner, Show and Traditional Curanto Te Ra'ai Cultural Experience: $120
  • Rapa Nui Dinner Show on Easter Island: $153

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    San Pedro La Laguna $21
    Easter Island $40
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Pedro La Laguna

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for San Pedro La Laguna's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Canopy Tour (for 2)
    $39
  • Kayaking (for 2)
    $1.93
  • Coffee Tour (for 2)
    $6.95

Tours and Activities in San Pedro La Laguna

For San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Lake Atitlan Boat tour from Puerto Quetzal (Group): $125
  • 5-Hour Private Birdwatching Experience in San Juan La Laguna: $50
  • Authentic local experience with a community of women.: $68
  • Beading Class and tour a Non-profit vocational training center a Fun cultural sharing experience: $28
  • Bicycle Tour Around Lake Atitlan with Weaving Coops and Coffee Plantations: $112
  • Biking tour through the towns of Santa Catarina and San Antonio: $46
  • Boat tour in Mayan villages: $85
  • Chichicastenango Market Day Tour from Panajachel: $83
  • Coffee Tour in Lake Atitlán: $35
  • Day of the Dead Giant Kite Festival Cultural Experience: $35
  • Full Day Tour to Chichicastenango from Panajachel : $152
  • Get fun with an Adventure Tour - Zip Line (Canopy): $51

Typical Entertainment Prices in Easter Island

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Easter Island's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Bike Rental
    $8.38

Tours and Activities in Easter Island

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

  • 2-Day Tour Touring the Highlights of Rapa Nui: $300
  • Half Day Private Tour: Caves and Volcanic Refuges: $170
  • 2 Day Private Tour: Rapa Nui's Cultural Heritage: $300
  • 2 Days Highlights Tour in Easter Island Moai and Nature: $210
  • 3 Hours Terevaka Horseback Private Guided Riding Tour: $180
  • Easter Island Full-Day Tour: Ahu Tongariki, Rano Raraku and Anakena Beach: $171
  • Easter Island Moai Archaeology Tour: Ahu Akivi, Ahu Tahai and Puna Pauâ Quarry.: $91
  • Poike Volcano Private Hiking Tour with Guide: $280
  • Experience Easter Island Shared Tour for Cruise Ship Passengers : $290
  • Full Day Hotu Matua Tour from Vaihu to Anakena: $70
  • Full Day Private Tour: Factory of the Moai the stone giants: $219
  • Full Day Tour - The Land of Hotu Matu´a: $177

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    San Pedro La Laguna $5.58
    Easter Island $5.34


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Pedro La Laguna and Easter Island, we can see that Easter Island is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro La Laguna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Pedro La Laguna is in Central America and Easter Island is in South 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 La Laguna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Pedro La Laguna 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 Easter Island would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Easter Island than you might in San Pedro La Laguna.

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


Which is Bigger, San Pedro La Laguna or Easter Island?

San Pedro La Laguna has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Easter Island. When comparing the sizes of San Pedro La Laguna and Easter Island, 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.