Which place is cheaper, San Pedro de Atacama or Tulum?
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 Tulum or San Pedro de Atacama?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Tulum and San Pedro de Atacama can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Tulum or San Pedro de Atacama?
Tulum
When you think of ancient ruins you probably picture dusty archaeological digs surrounded by sand and professors in khaki shorts. What if I told you there is a way to see ancient ruins and visit a tropical beach? That's exactly what you find in Tulum, Mexico.
Built near the end of Mayan era, the ruins of Tulum served as a port before the arrival of the Spanish. It may have been called Zama, meaning City of Dawn, given that these ruins face the sunrise. Because of Tulum's access to both land and sea routes, this spot was an important hub for the trade industry. It may have had another claim to fame, too. According to some murals and other works around the site, it seems this spot was an important site for the worship of the Diving or Descending God. Today, the area is the third most visited archaeological site in all of Mexico with daily tour buses dropping off visitors.
This area is usually packed with people looking to get a glimpse of the seaside ruins. To avoid crowds and capture the best view of the day, try to arrive as early as possible.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, The Best Historical Tours in Mexico, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Chile.
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Tulum Prices
Mexico PricesSan Pedro de Atacama Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTulum $140San Pedro de Atacama $71
The average daily cost (per person) in Tulum is $140, while the average daily cost in San Pedro de Atacama is $71. 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 Tulum and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTulum $57San Pedro de Atacama $33
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTulum $114San Pedro de Atacama $66
Compare Hotels in Tulum and San Pedro de Atacama
Looking for a hotel in Tulum 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: Tulum Hotel Prices and San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tulum $27San Pedro de Atacama $9.40
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tulum
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Tulum are as follows:
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Scooter Rental$17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tulum
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tulum:
- Xcaret to Tulum - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $82
- Tulum to Xcaret - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $112
- Tulum to Playa del Carmen - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $118
- Tulum to Chetumal - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $245
- Tulum Archaeological Zone: Cenote, Lunch & Transfer: $203
- Tulum Archaeological Zone and El Jaguar Park, with Transfer and Lunch: $163
- Tulum Airport: One-Way or Roundtrip Private Transfer: $302
- Tulum Airport to Riviera Maya Private Transfer: $120
- Tulum Airport Private Transfer to Hotels and Airbnbs: $73
- Transfer from Tulum to Cancun Airport and Hotels: $123
- Transfer from Hotel and Airbnb to Tulum Airport: $63
- Round Trip Transfer from Tulum Airport to Hotels: $167
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro de Atacama
Also for San Pedro de Atacama, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Calama Airport: Transfer to/from San Pedro de Atacama: $30
- To/From El Loa Airport: San Pedro de Atacama Shared Transfer: $30
- San Pedro de Atacama : Transfer to Termas de Puritama: $39
- Puritama Hot Springs Transfer Tour: $39
- Shared Transfer to Calama Airport (CJC): $41
- Etno-Stargazing Tour with Transfer: $45
- TRANSFER TO PURITAMA HOT SPRINGS: $55
- Astronomy tour in San Pedro de Atacama includes transfer, photo, and cocktail: $59
- Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $67
- Private Transfer to San Pedro de Atacama. without waiting: $89
- Tatio Geysers W/Breakfast & Transfer: $90
- Atacama Airport Private Transfer: $99
Is it cheaper to fly into Tulum or San Pedro de Atacama?
Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Tulum 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 dayTulum $57San Pedro de Atacama $25
Typical Food Prices in Tulum
Some typical examples of dining costs in Tulum are as follows:
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Lunch$2.86
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tulum
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tulum.
- Salsa Class,Mezcalita Workshop & Mexican Dinner: $87
- Yucatecan cooking class with a local chef in Tulum: $89
- Tulum Local Walking Food Tour: $93
- Mexican Cooking class experience in Tulum: $138
- Temazcal Mayan Ritual Tour and Cenote Swim with Yucatecan Dinner: $149
- Private Authentic Mayan Cooking Class with Tulum Hotel Transfers: $280
- Private transfer for 5 hours (go dinner,cenotes, shopping and more): $299
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$1.29
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Lunch$11
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Dinner$11
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Drink$0.97
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Empanada$5.39
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.Tulum $30San Pedro de Atacama $21
Tours and Activities in Tulum
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tulum are as follows:
- 2 Cenotes Guided Snorkeling Adventure in Tulum: $149
- 2 tanks Cenote Diving Adventure in Tulum for Certified Divers: $200
- 3 Cenotes & Hidden Lagoon Tour from Tulum: $134
- ATV Extreme Adventure Single with Ziplines & Cenote Swim: $157
- ATV Extreme Adventure Single with Ziplines and Cenote Swim: $151
- Adventure and Snorkel with the Whale Shark from Tulum: $250
- Adventure at Chichen Itza! Cenote and Valladolid from Tulum City: $98
- Akumal Private Tour: Turtles, Coral Reef, Cenote, Beach, Lunch: $203
- Archeological Guided Walking Tour in Tulum: $20
- Authentic Gastronomic Mexican Food Experience in Downtown Tulum: $64
- Authentic Mexican Tacos Flavors and 5th Av Tour: $129
- Birdwatching in Coba from Tulum - Shared Group Tour: $149
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$57
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:
- Astronomical Tour: $29
- Stargazing experience: $30
- Llama Stargazing Tour: $30
- Stargazing Experience: $30
- Half-Day Tour to Laguna Cejar: $35
- Shared Valle de la Luna Sightseeing Tour: $35
- Stargazing Tour with Photos & Drinks: $37
- Tour to the Valley of the Moon San Pedro de Atacama: $37
- San Pedro de Atacama Archaeological Sightseeing Tour: $37
- Cejar Lagoon Tour: San Pedro de Atacama: $38
- Traditional Ethnoastronomy Experience: $39
- A Night with the Stars Astronomical Tour: $40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTulum $24San Pedro de Atacama $5.07
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 Tulum and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that Tulum is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro de Atacama much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tulum is in North America and San Pedro de Atacama 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 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 Tulum would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tulum 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 Tulum Expensive? and Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tulum or San Pedro de Atacama?
Tulum has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Tulum 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.