Which place is cheaper, Arica or San Pedro?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit San Pedro or Arica?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Pedro or Arica, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: San Pedro or Arica?
San Pedro
San Pedro is the largest town on Ambergris Caye, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Belize. Here you can find a tropical paradise with warm weather, clear blue waters, plenty of activities such as snorkeling and scuba diving, and a host of hotels, restaurants, and other amenities.
Arica
A mixture of coastline, desert and high Andean plateau, Arica is a seaside resort town, known for its surfing beaches located at the tip of Northern Chile. Arica boasts that it is "the land of the eternal spring," but its temperate climate and beaches are not the only reason to visit this small city. Arica's tourism is still principally geared toward domestic visitors and those from southern Peru and La Paz, who flock to its beaches mid-December through February. It is very easy to spend a few days in Arica in the sand, or seeing the sights in town, at a slow pace but the city also offers plenty of fun activities and exciting day trips.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Belize, The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize, The Best 10-Day Tours in Chile, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile.
-
San Pedro Prices
Belize PricesArica Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Pedro $163Arica $100
The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro is $163, while the average daily cost in Arica is $100. 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 and Arica in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Pedro $66Arica $35
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Pedro $132Arica $70
Compare Hotels in San Pedro and Arica
Looking for a hotel in San Pedro or Arica? 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: Arica Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Pedro $34Arica $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Pedro:
- Cave Tubing and Zipline Adventure (Boat Transfer): $210
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arica
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arica are as follows:
-
Short Taxi Ride$2.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arica
Also for Arica, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Arica City hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $63
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica city hotels: $63
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Hotels: $69
- Private Transfer from Arica Hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $69
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $75
- Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port : $75
- Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port: $83
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $83
- Arica Airport Private Transfer: $95
Is it cheaper to fly into San Pedro or Arica?
Prices for flights to both Arica and San Pedro 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 daySan Pedro $69Arica $49
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Pedro.
- Maya Sunset Dinner Feast: $49
- The Maya Dinner Experience: Season 2: $111
- The Garifuna Dinner Experience: Season I: $111
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Pedro $33Arica $20
Tours and Activities in San Pedro
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Pedro are as follows:
- Caye Caulker Private Camping Adventure: $100
- 3 Hours Barrier Reef Tour in Caye Caulker, Belize: $59
- All-Inclusive Full-Day Hol Chan Snorkeling Tour : $125
- Altun Ha Cave Tubing and Zip line Tours from San Pedro Ambergris Caye: $300
- Ambergris Caye Food and History Tour: $75
- Ambergris Caye Sunset Sail Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $85
- Belize Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley Snorkel Tour - Ambergris Caye: $113
- Belizean Food Experience: $87
- Double Activity Limo Tour - Altun Ha Ruins & ATV Jungle Adventure: $260
- Double Activity Limo Tour - Altun Ha Ruins & Zip Lining Adventure: $210
- Double Activity Limo Tour - Cave Tubing & Zip Lining: $205
- Double Activity Limo Tour - Zip Lining & ATV Jungle Adventure: $280
Tours and Activities in Arica
For Arica, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Half day Panoramic City Tour: $49
- City Tour with Chinchorro Beach Visit: $82
- Arica Private Sightseeing Tour : $148
- Archeological Sightseeing tour in Arica: $152
- Chungará Lake & Lauca Park Tour from Arica with Lunch: $197
- Private Tour to Tacna from Arica: $285
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Pedro $16Arica $19
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Pedro and Arica, we can see that San Pedro is more expensive. And not only is Arica much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Pedro is in Central America and Arica 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 Arica would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Arica 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 Pedro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Pedro than you might in Arica.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Pedro Expensive? and Is Arica Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Pedro or Arica?
Arica has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of San Pedro. When comparing the sizes of San Pedro and Arica, 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.