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

Should you visit Sao Paulo or San Pedro La Laguna?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Sao Paulo or San Pedro La Laguna, 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: Sao Paulo or San Pedro La Laguna?

Sao Paulo

With a population of around 11 million, and 20 million in the metropolitan area, Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil. It's also one of the wealthiest cities in the southern hemisphere, although you don't have to look far to see the income disparities and inequalities that exist. The city is diverse and culturally rich, with excellent food, music, and entertainment.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Rio de Janeiro, The Best Adventure Tours to Guatemala, and The Best Eco Tours in Guatemala.


Which place is cheaper, San Pedro La Laguna or Sao Paulo?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Sao Paulo Prices
    Brazil Prices
    San Pedro La Laguna Prices
    Guatemala Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Sao Paulo $64
    San Pedro La Laguna $45

The average daily cost (per person) in Sao Paulo is $64, while the average daily cost in San Pedro La Laguna is $45. 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 Sao Paulo and San Pedro La Laguna in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Sao Paulo $30
    San Pedro La Laguna $8.38
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Sao Paulo $60
    San Pedro La Laguna $17
Compare Hotels in Sao Paulo and San Pedro La Laguna

Looking for a hotel in Sao Paulo or San Pedro La Laguna? 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 Sao Paulo


Hotels in San Pedro La Laguna


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: Sao Paulo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Sao Paulo $6.09
    San Pedro La Laguna $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sao Paulo

Also for Sao Paulo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Viracopos Airport VCP to Poços de Caldas Thermal Arrival Transfer: $123
  • Viracopos Airport (VCP) to São Pedro Thermal Arrival Transfer: $88
  • Viracopos Airport (VCP) to Águas de Lindoia-RoundTrip Transfer: $175
  • Viracopos Airport (VCP) to Águas de Lindoia-Arrival Transfer: $87
  • Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Sao Paulo APT-HTL(GRU): $100
  • Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in São Paulo HTL-APT(GRU): $100
  • Transfer from Sao Paulo City Center to Guarulhos Airport: $39
  • Transfer from São Paulo to Port of Santos: $243
  • Transfer Viracopos Airport or Campinas City to airports in Sao Paulo: $145
  • Transfer VCP airport Viracopos GRU airport / Sao Paulo city: $131
  • Transfer CGH Airport Congonhas Sao Paulo city / Hotel: $44
  • Transfer (Taxi) airport to Sao Paulo: $79

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro La Laguna

Also for San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Lake Atitlán to Guatemala Airport (GUA): $96
  • Private transfer from Panajachel to Airport or Capital city: $78
  • Private transfer from Panajachel to Antigua Guatemala: $75
  • Private One Way Transfer Lake Atitlán to Antigua Guatemala: $74
  • Transfer from SanPedro Lago de Atitlan and airport Guatemala: $50
  • Shared Transfer from Panajachel Atitlan to Guatemala City: $50

Is it cheaper to fly into Sao Paulo or San Pedro La Laguna?

Prices for flights to both San Pedro La Laguna and Sao Paulo 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
    Sao Paulo $26
    San Pedro La Laguna $19

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sao Paulo

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

  • Street Food Tour in São Paulo with a Local Guide: $73
  • Paulista Plates São Paulo Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $89
  • 4h Cooking Class in São Paulo with 9 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $89
  • São Suppers Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $95
  • Dinner at Terraço Italia Restaurant in São Paulo: $225

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
    $2.10
  • Cake
    $1.31
  • Ice cream
    $0.39
  • Hot Cocoa & Banana Bread
    $3.02

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:

  • Temazcal sauna and dinner, cultural sharing experience: $60
  • Maya Cooking Class from Panajachel: $66

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Sao Paulo $4.11
    San Pedro La Laguna $22

Tours and Activities in Sao Paulo

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Sao Paulo.

  • 2 Hours Private São Paulo Museum of Modern Art Tour: $240
  • 3 Beaches Hiking Santo Amaro Island - Paradise Route Tour from São Paulo: $123
  • 4 Hour Private City Tour in Sao Paulo: $162
  • 4 Hour Private Tour - São Paulo: $128
  • 4-Hour Private Tour in Sao Paulo: $300
  • 4-hour Sum-up Private Tour Of São Paulo Including Its Major Attractions: $119
  • 5-hour Private Street Art Tour Of São Paulo – The Coolest Urban Art Scenes: $155
  • 5-hour Private Tour Of São Paulo With Its Main Sights – Optional Airport Pickup: $139
  • 6 Hour Buddhist Temple and Embu das Artes Tour – Art Galleries, Artisan Shops: $203
  • 6-Hour Classic Half-Day Private Tour of São Paulo – Optional Airport Pickup: $175
  • 6-Hour Private Layover Tour in São Paulo from GRU & CGH Airports: $179
  • 7-hour Private Tour Overview Of São Paulo – Optional For GRU Airport Pickup: $207

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)
    $1.97
  • Coffee Tour (for 2)
    $7.08

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:

  • 5-Hour Private Birdwatching Experience in San Juan La Laguna: $50
  • Authentic local experience with a community of women: $73
  • Authentic tour of Mayan art and culture in Lake Atitlan: $57
  • 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: $118
  • Biking tour through the towns of Santa Catarina and San Antonio: $46
  • Chichicastenango Market Day Tour from Panajachel: $120
  • Coffee Walk Tour in San Juan La Laguna: $35
  • Coffee, Chocolate and Textile Tour in Lake Atitlan: $35
  • Day of the Dead Giant Kite Festival Cultural Experience: $45
  • From Panajachel Canoe Adventure and Tul Route in Atitlan: $125
  • Full Day Tour to Chichicastenango from Panajachel: $160

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Sao Paulo $3.58
    San Pedro La Laguna $5.68

Sample the Local Flavors in Sao Paulo

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Sao Paulo:

  • Pub Crawl in Pinheiros: Explore the Nightlife of São Paulo: $35
  • 4 Hours Pub Crawl in Vila Madalena: $150


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sao Paulo and San Pedro La Laguna, we can see that Sao Paulo is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro La Laguna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Sao Paulo is in South America and San Pedro La Laguna is in Central 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 Sao Paulo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sao Paulo 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 Sao Paulo Expensive? and Is San Pedro La Laguna Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Sao Paulo or San Pedro La Laguna?

Sao Paulo has a larger population, and is about 1040 times larger than the population of San Pedro La Laguna. When comparing the sizes of Sao Paulo and San Pedro La Laguna, 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.