A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Acapulco de Juarez vs. San Pedro La Laguna for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Acapulco de Juarez or San Pedro La Laguna?

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

Should I visit Acapulco de Juarez or San Pedro La Laguna? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Acapulco de Juarez or San Pedro La Laguna?

Acapulco de Juarez

Located on the southwestern Pacific Coast of Mexico is the beautiful beach city of Acapulco de Juarez. Acapulco is one of the original travel and resort destinations in Mexico, and it's still considered a popular spring break destination for Americans. Known as simply "Acapulco" to many travelers, this region is a popular spot for cruise lines to stop and timeshares to grow. Thanks to those cruise lines and timeshares, tourist activities like water parks and jet skis have experienced considerable growth.

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 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best Adventure Tours to Guatemala, and The Best Eco Tours in Guatemala.


Which place is cheaper, San Pedro La Laguna or Acapulco de Juarez?

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

  • Acapulco de Juarez Prices
    Mexico Prices
    San Pedro La Laguna Prices
    Guatemala Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Acapulco de Juarez $92
    San Pedro La Laguna $45

The average daily cost (per person) in Acapulco de Juarez is $92, 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 Acapulco de Juarez and San Pedro La Laguna in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Acapulco de Juarez $35
    San Pedro La Laguna $8.34
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Acapulco de Juarez $70
    San Pedro La Laguna $17
Compare Hotels in Acapulco de Juarez and San Pedro La Laguna

Looking for a hotel in Acapulco de Juarez 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 Acapulco de Juarez


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: Acapulco de Juarez Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Acapulco de Juarez $15
    San Pedro La Laguna $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Acapulco de Juarez

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Acapulco de Juarez:

  • Shared Transfer to Acapulco Airport (ACA): $13
  • Shared Transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA): $13
  • Roundtrip Shared Transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA): $27
  • Roundtrip Private Transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA): $27
  • Private Transfer to Acapulco Airport (ACA): $13
  • Private Transfer from Acapulco Airport (ACA): $13
  • Private Airport Transfer &on 2nd Day 4Hr TourAll AttractionsCombo: $90
  • Airport Transfer In Suburban: $45
  • Acapulco hotels to Acapulco Airport (ACA) – Departure Private Transfer : $45
  • Acapulco Airport Roundtrip Transfers: $75
  • Acapulco Airport (ACA) to Acapulco hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
  • Private - One Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $66

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 Panajachel to Antigua Guatemala: $65
  • Shared Transfer from Panajachel Atitlan to Guatemala City: $47

Is it cheaper to fly into Acapulco de Juarez or San Pedro La Laguna?

Prices for flights to both San Pedro La Laguna and Acapulco de Juarez 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
    Acapulco de Juarez $45
    San Pedro La Laguna $19

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Acapulco de Juarez

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Acapulco de Juarez.

  • Lucha Libre-Wrestling FiestaExper Taco Dinner Beer ONLY SUNDAYS: $62
  • High Divers DeLuxe Three Course Dinner + Two Drinks plus SUNSET: $66
  • Wrestling-Lucha Libre Experience Tacos Beer Dinner Only On SUNDAY: $74
  • Sunset Dinner and Cliff Divers in Acapulco: $91
  • Mexican Cooking Class & Market Tour with a Professional Chef: $100
  • Mexican Fiesta Show & Dinner: $115
  • Super DeLuxe Bella Vista Dinner &1 Drink +2 Drinks at CliffDivers: $253
  • Off the Beaten Path Mexican Cooking Class Lagoon Boatride &Lunch: $286

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
    $2.09
  • Cake
    $1.30
  • Ice cream
    $0.39
  • Hot Cocoa & Banana Bread
    $3.00

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: $44
  • Maya Cooking Class from Panajachel: $50

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Acapulco de Juarez $16
    San Pedro La Laguna $22

Tours and Activities in Acapulco de Juarez

Here are a few actual costs in Acapulco de Juarez for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 4Hrs City Tour Exclusively for Hotels, Divers, Chapel & Mural.: $60
  • 4Hrs Small Group Half Day City Tour with Lunch at High Divers: $70
  • Acapulco Port Tour in 4 hours: $56
  • Museums, Magic City Market & Meals: A Cultural Tour of Acapulco: $129
  • 4 Hrs Exclusive to Cruise Ship Passengers Sightseeing Experience : $67
  • 4 in 1 Combo tours for visitors in their first time: $192
  • 4hr Fun Guide Tour For Cruisers or Hotels Guests with Divers Show: $58
  • 6 Hour Fun-Filled Tour Perfect for Cruise Travelers & Hotel Stays: $83
  • 6Hr Cruise or Hotels City Tour, Divers, Baby Turtles Peace Chapel: $75
  • 6Hr Cruisers or Hotels High Diver Peace Chapel BabyTurtleRelease: $96
  • Acapulco City Tour: $68
  • Acapulco City Tour: $65

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)
    $1.96
  • Coffee Tour (for 2)
    $7.04

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:

  • Beading Class and tour a Non-profit vocational training center a Fun cultural sharing experience: $28
  • Sunrise Tour in Indian Nose Hike and Views of Lake Atitlan: $35
  • Lake Atitlan Guided Tour by Boat from Panajachel: $35
  • Coffee Tour in Lake Atitlán: $35
  • Tour of San Juan Lake Atitlan: $35
  • Tour in the Atitlan Nature Reserve : $40
  • La Nose of the Indian Mountain Tour: $40
  • Authentic tour of Mayan art and culture in Lake Atitlan: $42
  • Sunrise Hike Tour on Indian's Nose Mountain: $45
  • Sololá Colourful Market Day Tour: $50
  • 5-Hour Private Birdwatching Experience in San Juan La Laguna: $50
  • Private Tour of Lake Atitlán by Mototaxi: $50

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Acapulco de Juarez $9.81
    San Pedro La Laguna $5.65


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


Which is Bigger, Acapulco de Juarez or San Pedro La Laguna?

Acapulco de Juarez has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of San Pedro La Laguna. When comparing the sizes of Acapulco de Juarez 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.