Which place is cheaper, San Pedro de Atacama or Liberia?
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 Liberia 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 Liberia 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: Liberia or San Pedro de Atacama?
Liberia
Liberia is a town in northwestern Costa Rica. It is the capital of the Guanacaste province, which is about 140 miles away from Costa Rica's capital, San Jose. The town has a population of about 56,000 and is one of the tourism centers of the country.
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 Adventure Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Tours for Seniors to Chile, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Chile.
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Liberia Prices
Costa Rica PricesSan Pedro de Atacama Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLiberia $128San Pedro de Atacama $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Liberia is $128, while the average daily cost in San Pedro de Atacama is $69. 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 Liberia and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLiberia $60San Pedro de Atacama $32
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLiberia $120San Pedro de Atacama $64
Compare Hotels in Liberia and San Pedro de Atacama
Looking for a hotel in Liberia 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: Liberia Hotel Prices and San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Liberia $43San Pedro de Atacama $9.14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Liberia
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Liberia are as follows:
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Bike Rental$25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Liberia
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Liberia:
- Transfer from Playas del Coco to Liberia Airport (LIR): $90
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Riu Palace Hotel in Guanacaste: $90
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Riu Guanacaste Hotel in Guanacaste: $85
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Rio Perdido Resort: $210
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Playas del Coco Guanacaste: $85
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Playa Hermosa Guanacaste: $85
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Planet Hollywood Beach Resort: $91
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa: $148
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Dreams Las Mareas Hotel: $149
- Transfer from Liberia Airport (LIR) to Andaz Papagayo Resort: $115
- Transfer from Dreams Las Mareas Hotel to Liberia Airport (LIR): $148
- Transfer Liberia Airport to Planet Hollywood or Andaz Papagayo, ROUND TRIP.: $149
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro de Atacama
Also for San Pedro de Atacama, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- To/From El Loa Airport: San Pedro de Atacama Shared Transfer: $28
- Shared Transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama Airport: $29
- Calama Airport: Transfer to/from San Pedro de Atacama: $30
- Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $38
- TRANSFER TO PURITAMA HOT SPRINGS: $40
- Etno-Stargazing Tour with Transfer: $40
- Etno-Stargazing Tour with Transfer: $40
- Stargazing Experience with Transfer: $44
- Puritama Hot Springs Transfer Tour: $45
- Astronomical Tour in San Pedro de Atacama includes transfer, photo, and cocktail.: $53
- Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $60
- Atacama Airport Private Transfer: $88
Is it cheaper to fly into Liberia or San Pedro de Atacama?
Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Liberia 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 dayLiberia $36San Pedro de Atacama $25
Typical Food Prices in Liberia
Some typical examples of dining costs in Liberia are as follows:
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Snacks$1.97
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Lunch at The Shack (for 1)$4.94
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Lunch$11
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Coffee & Tres Leches (for 2)$14
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Ginger Ale$1.28
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$1.26
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Lunch$10
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Dinner$11
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Drink$0.94
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Empanada$5.24
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:
- Local haute cuisine tasting menu dinner: $135
- Private Dinner Under the Stars: $300
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Liberia $25San Pedro de Atacama $21
Tours and Activities in Liberia
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Liberia are as follows:
- Birdwatching Experience private tour : $300
- 2 Hour ATV Experience From Guanacaste: $189
- 2 Hour ATV Private Tour in Costa Rica: $81
- 2 Hour Coffee & Chocolate Tour in Playas del Coco: $40
- 3 Hour ATV Adventure Tour in El Jobo: $140
- 3 In 1 Volcano Hot Springs & Mud Baths And River Floating Tour: $235
- 4-Hour Private Guided ATV Tour in Costa Rica: $122
- 5 Tours in 1 – The Ultimate Volcano Adventure!: $159
- 7 Hour Private Tour in Palo Verde National Park with Pickup: $120
- 8 Essential Guanacaste Experiences: culture, nature & wellness : $78
- ATV Beach Tour: $125
- ATV Tour 2hrs - Dreams Las Mareas: $135
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$56
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 with Guide and Pick Up San Pedro de Atacama: $30
- Shared Moon Valley Tour: $32
- Tour to the Valley of the Moon San Pedro de Atacama: $35
- Astronomical Guided Tour in San Pedro: $35
- Half-Day Tour to Laguna Cejar: $35
- Stargazing Experience: $35
- Stargazing Tour in San Pedro de Atacama: $36
- Stargazing Tour in the Atacama Desert: $36
- Cejar Lagoon Tour: San Pedro de Atacama: $37
- Rainbow Valley Tour + Petroglyphs (Yerbas Buenas): $37
- Shared Archaeological Tour in San Pedro de Atacama: $38
- Moon Valley Tour: $39
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLiberia $13San Pedro de Atacama $4.93
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Liberia and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that Liberia is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro de Atacama much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Liberia is in Central 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 Liberia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Liberia 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 Liberia Expensive? and Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Liberia or San Pedro de Atacama?
Liberia has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Liberia 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.