A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) vs. San Pedro La Laguna for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) or San Pedro La Laguna?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) and San Pedro La Laguna 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: Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) or San Pedro La Laguna?

Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)

Puerto Plata, nestled on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic, is a captivating destination known for its beautiful beaches, historical landmarks, and vibrant culture. Whether you're arriving via the bustling Amber Cove cruise port or planning an extended stay, Puerto Plata offers a diverse range of experiences for every traveler.

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 Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Budget Tours to Guatemala, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Guatemala.


Which place is cheaper, San Pedro La Laguna or Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) is $231, 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 Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) and San Pedro La Laguna in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) $141
    San Pedro La Laguna $8.34
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) $282
    San Pedro La Laguna $17
Compare Hotels in Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) and San Pedro La Laguna

Looking for a hotel in Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) 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 Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)


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: Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) $9.01
    San Pedro La Laguna $13

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)

Also for Amber Cove (Puerto Plata), here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • transportation and Private transfer Airport pop, silver port: $45
  • private transfer from or to Santiago Airport: $61
  • Transfer STI Airport: Taxi and Shuttle to Home: $300
  • Santiago to Cibao International Airport (STI) - Departure Private Transfer: $31
  • Puerto Plata to Rio San Juan transfer: $189
  • Puerto Plata to Lifestyle LHVC transfer: $91
  • Puerto Plata VIP Transferencias y tours: $120
  • Puerto Plata Airport(POP)to Puerto Plata/Cofresi-Arrival Transfer: $54
  • Puerto Plata Airport (POP)Puerto Plata/Cofresi-RoundTrip Transfer: $129
  • Puerto Plata Airport (POP) to Sosua / Cabarete - Arrival Transfer: $30
  • Puerto Plata Airport (POP) to Puerto Plata - Round-Trip Transfer: $110
  • Puerto Plata Airport (POP) to Las Galeras/Samana-Arrival Transfer: $65

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 Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) or San Pedro La Laguna?

Prices for flights to both San Pedro La Laguna and Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) 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
    Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) $75
    San Pedro La Laguna $19

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.
    Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) $40
    San Pedro La Laguna $22
Typical Entertainment Prices in Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)

For Amber Cove (Puerto Plata), here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Snorkeling Tour
    $42
  • Banana Boat Ride
    $5.96
  • Paragliding
    $51
  • 1 Hr Kayak Rental
    $12
  • Water Skiing
    $18

Tours and Activities in Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Amber Cove (Puerto Plata).

  • Puerto Plata: Wild, Wet & Furious Adventure: $165
  • 2 Hours Buggy Adventure from Puerto Plata: $130
  • 2 Person Buggy Tour: $126
  • 27 Damajagua Waterfalls for Cruises (Taino Bay and Amber Cove): $59
  • 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua – Adventure Tour from Puerto Plata: $75
  • A Splash of Adventure: 27 Pools for Cruises, Hotels and Airbnb.: $70
  • ATV 4 wheel from Amber Cove & Taino bay port silver Cruise port: $110
  • ATV Adventure: $60
  • ATV Adventure from Puerto Plata: $125
  • ATV Adventure from Puerto Plata: $120
  • ATV Combo and City Tour in Puerto Plata: $130
  • ATV Tour Adventure in Puerto Plata - Double occupancy: $130

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:

  • Lake Atitlan Boat tour from Puerto Quetzal (Group): $125
  • 5-Hour Private Birdwatching Experience in San Juan La Laguna: $50
  • Authentic local experience with a community of women: $74
  • Authentic tour of Mayan art and culture in Lake Atitlan: $42
  • 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: $112
  • Boat tour in Mayan villages: $85
  • Chichicastenango Market Day Tour from Panajachel: $96
  • Coffee Tour in Lake Atitlán: $35
  • Full Day Tour to Chichicastenango from Panajachel : $160
  • Half-Day Private Indian Nose Peak Tour from Lake Atitlan: $140
  • Half-Day Scenic Bicycle Tour from Panajachel: $71

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) $13
    San Pedro La Laguna $5.65


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


Which is Bigger, Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) or San Pedro La Laguna?

Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of San Pedro La Laguna. When comparing the sizes of Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) 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.