Which place is cheaper, La Serena or San Pedro?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit San Pedro or La Serena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Pedro or La Serena, 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 La Serena?
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.
La Serena
La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!
Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Belize, The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Pedro $135La Serena $87
The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro is $135, while the average daily cost in La Serena is $87. 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 La Serena in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Pedro $66La Serena $42
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Pedro $132La Serena $84
Compare Hotels in San Pedro and La Serena
Looking for a hotel in San Pedro or La Serena? 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: La Serena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Pedro $34La Serena $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Pedro:
- Cave Tubing and Zipline Adventure (Boat Transfer): $205
Is it cheaper to fly into San Pedro or La Serena?
Prices for flights to both La Serena 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 $40La Serena $27
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Pedro.
- Belizean Sunset and Cultural Dinner Cruise: $120
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Pedro $33La Serena $24
Tours and Activities in San Pedro
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Pedro are as follows:
- The best of San Pedro Town walking tour: $202
- 3 Hours Barrier Reef Tour in Caye Caulker, Belize: $54
- 5-Hour Guided Jetboat Tour to Secret Beach, San Pedro, Belize.: $200
- All-Inclusive Full-Day Hol Chan Snorkeling Tour : $120
- Altun Ha Cave Tubing and Zip line Tours from San Pedro Ambergris Caye: $250
- Ambergris Caye Sunset Sail Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $75
- Belize Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley Snorkel Tour - Ambergris Caye: $93
- Cave Tubing and Zip line Adventure from San pedro Ambergris caye: $250
- Double Activity Limo Tour: Xunantunich Ruins & Cave Tubing Adventure: $220
- Exclusive All-in-1 Full Day Shared Guided Tour: $139
- Hol Chan Full-Day Bucket List Snorkeling and Marine Life Tour: $95
- Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $89
Tours and Activities in La Serena
For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full Day History and Flavors Tour in the Elqui Valley: $50
- La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
- La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
- Full day Tour to Elqui Valley : $80
- Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $85
- Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $120
- La Serena & Coquimbo City Tour - Short excursion for cruise ships: $128
- Tour to the internationally renowned Pangue Observatory: $139
- Tour to Valle del Encanto Archeology, Petroglyphs, Flora, Fauna and Springs: $140
- Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $140
- Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
- Elqui Valley and Vicuña Private Tour Including Lunch: $183
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Pedro $16La Serena $22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Pedro and La Serena, we can see that San Pedro is more expensive. And not only is La Serena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Pedro is in Central America and La Serena 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 La Serena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Serena 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 La Serena.
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 La Serena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Pedro or La Serena?
La Serena has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of San Pedro. When comparing the sizes of San Pedro and La Serena, 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.
When is the best time to visit San Pedro or La Serena?
La Serena has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Pedro experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit San Pedro or La Serena in the Summer?
Both La Serena and San Pedro during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to San Pedro because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In July, San Pedro is generally much warmer than La Serenain January. Daily temperatures in San Pedro average around 28°C (82°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
In La Serena, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in San Pedro. In the summer, San Pedro often gets less sunshine than La Serenain January. San Pedro gets 226 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 247 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in San Pedro. San Pedro usually gets more rain in July than La Serenain January. San Pedro gets 243 mm (9.6 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuarySan Pedro 28°C (82°F)La Serena 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit San Pedro or La Serena in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both San Pedro and La Serena. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Pedro year-round.
San Pedro is much warmer than La Serena in the autumn. The daily temperature in San Pedro averages around 26°C (80°F) in October, and La Serena fluctuates around 15°C (59°F)in April.
San Pedro usually receives more sunshine than La Serena during autumn. San Pedro gets 196 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 159 hours of full sun in the autumn.
San Pedro gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, San Pedro usually receives more rain than La Serenain April. San Pedro gets 255 mm (10 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilSan Pedro 26°C (80°F)La Serena 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit San Pedro or La Serena in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to San Pedro as well as La Serena. San Pedro attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the winter, San Pedro is much warmer than La Serena. Typically, the winter temperatures in San Pedro in January average around 24°C (74°F), and La Serena averages at about 12°C (54°F)in July.
In the winter, San Pedro often gets more sunshine than La Serenain July. San Pedro gets 199 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 160 hours of full sun.
San Pedro receives a lot of rain in the winter. San Pedro usually gets more rain in January than La Serenain July. San Pedro gets 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures January and JulySan Pedro 24°C (74°F)La Serena 12°C (54°F)
Should I visit San Pedro or La Serena in the Spring?
Both La Serena and San Pedro are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Pedro throughout the year.
In April, San Pedro is generally much warmer than La Serenain October. Daily temperatures in San Pedro average around 27°C (80°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Pedro. San Pedro usually receives more sunshine than La Serena during spring. San Pedro gets 256 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 190 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, San Pedro usually receives more rain than La Serenain October. San Pedro gets 52 mm (2 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberSan Pedro 27°C (80°F)La Serena 14°C (57°F)
Typical Weather for La Serena and San Pedro
| San Pedro | La Serena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (74°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (76°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (78°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (80°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 258 mm (10.2 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 243 mm (9.6 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 187 mm (7.4 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 287 mm (11.3 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Oct | 26°C (80°F) | 255 mm (10 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Nov | 25°C (77°F) | 183 mm (7.2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (76°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
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.