Which place is cheaper, San Pedro de Atacama or Temuco?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Temuco or San Pedro de Atacama?
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 Temuco and San Pedro de Atacama. 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: Temuco or San Pedro de Atacama?
Temuco
Temuco is a large and modern city found 680 km south of Santiago. While the city is dynamic, it does not have any particular charm with the exception of being a great point of departure for many excursions around the lake region and the many national parks found in the surrounding area. Temuco is also well known for its Mapuche culture, a proud and rebellious community of around 20 000 in the area today, who has fought continuously against every invaders in the past.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, The Best Luxury Tours to Chile, and The Best Budget Tours to Chile.
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Temuco Prices
Chile PricesSan Pedro de Atacama Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTemuco $99San Pedro de Atacama $72
The average daily cost (per person) in Temuco is $99, while the average daily cost in San Pedro de Atacama is $72. 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 Temuco and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTemuco $45San Pedro de Atacama $33
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTemuco $90San Pedro de Atacama $66
Compare Hotels in Temuco and San Pedro de Atacama
Looking for a hotel in Temuco or San Pedro de Atacama? 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: Temuco Hotel Prices and San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Temuco $24San Pedro de Atacama $9.45
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Temuco
Also for Temuco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Temuco Airport to Pucon: $55
- Temuco Airport (ZCO) to Pucon Thermal Resorts-Round-Trip Transfer: $165
- Temuco Airport (ZCO) to Pucon Resorts - Arrival Private Transfer: $83
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 + Airport Transfer: $280
- Private transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama City: $190
- Puritama Hot Springs Experience with Transfer and Entrance: $130
- Atacama Airport Private Transfer: $99
- Tatio Geysers W/Breakfast & Transfer: $90
- Private Transfer to San Pedro de Atacama. without waiting: $89
- Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $70
- Astronomy tour in San Pedro de Atacama includes transfer, photo, and cocktail: $59
- TRANSFER TO PURITAMA HOT SPRINGS: $55
- Etno-Stargazing Tour with Transfer: $45
- Shared Transfer to Calama Airport (CJC): $41
- San Pedro de Atacama : Transfer to Termas de Puritama: $39
Is it cheaper to fly into Temuco or San Pedro de Atacama?
Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Temuco 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 dayTemuco $40San Pedro de Atacama $26
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$1.30
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Lunch$11
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Dinner$11
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Drink$0.97
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Empanada$5.41
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Temuco $8.11San Pedro de Atacama $21
Tours and Activities in Temuco
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Temuco.
- Conguillío National Park Tour, Full day: $340
- Tour Mapuche Community Araucanía: $592
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$58
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:
- 2 Tours Valley of the Moon and Hidden Lagoons: $120
- 2-Days private tour from Chile to Uyuni Salt Flats: $1,255
- 3 Days and 4 Tours in San Pedro de Atacama: $220
- 3 Main Tours in Atacama: $156
- 3 Shared Tours in San Pedro de Atacama: $260
- 4 TOUR IN ATACAMA IN 3 DAYS: $230
- 4 Tour in 2 Days, in San Pedro de Atacama: $200
- 4 Tours in 3 Days in San Pedro de Atacama: $220
- 4 Tours to Discover Atacama (3 days): $249
- 5 Fantastic Tours in the Atacama Desert in 3 Days: $240
- ASTRONOMICAL TOUR: $48
- Adventure in Piedras Rojas: From Plains to Mountains: $90
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTemuco $5.30San Pedro de Atacama $5.10
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 Pedro de Atacama
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in San Pedro de Atacama:
- “Drunken Llama Sightseeing Tour” Wine Tasting and Visit with Llama: $355
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Temuco and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that Temuco is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro de Atacama much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Temuco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Temuco 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 Temuco Expensive? and Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Temuco or San Pedro de Atacama?
Temuco has a larger population, and is about 120 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Temuco and San Pedro de Atacama, 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.