Which place is cheaper, San Pedro de Atacama or Mexico City?
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 Mexico City or San Pedro de Atacama?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Mexico City or San Pedro de Atacama? 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: Mexico City or San Pedro de Atacama?
Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.
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 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best Tours for Seniors to Chile, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Chile.
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Mexico City Prices
Mexico PricesSan Pedro de Atacama Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMexico City $212San Pedro de Atacama $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Mexico City is $212, 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 Mexico City and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMexico City $38San Pedro de Atacama $32
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMexico City $76San Pedro de Atacama $64
Compare Hotels in Mexico City and San Pedro de Atacama
Looking for a hotel in Mexico City 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: Mexico City Hotel Prices and San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mexico City $12San Pedro de Atacama $9.14
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:
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Metro$1.09
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Uber Ride$3.80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City
Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Mexico APT-HTL (MEX) : $36
- Transfer from Mexico City Airport to Puebla: $245
- Transfer Mexico City Airport to Downtown and Zona Rosa Hotels: $80
- Transfer Airport - Hotel or vice versa: $58
- Transfer & assistance one-way from/to Mexico City Airport/hotel : $34
- Toluca Airport (TLC) to Toluca - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $99
- Toluca Airport (TLC) to Toluca - Arrival Private Transfer: $49
- Teotihuacan: Private Balloon Flight with optional Transfer: $293
- Six Flags Ticket + Hassle-Free Transfers: $116
- Shared Balloon Flight in Teotihuacan with transfer: $274
- San Miguel De Allende City Tour with Transfer from Mexico City: $156
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Mexico City Airport (MEX): $32
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
- TRANSFER TO PURITAMA HOT SPRINGS: $40
- Shared Transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama Airport: $29
- Stargazing Experience with Transfer: $44
- Puritama Hot Springs Transfer Tour: $45
- Etno-Stargazing Tour with Transfer: $40
- Etno-Stargazing Tour with Transfer: $40
- Puritama Hot Springs Experience with Transfer and Entrance: $90
- Private transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama City: $190
- Calama Airport: Transfer to/from San Pedro de Atacama: $30
- Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $60
- Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Mexico City or San Pedro de Atacama?
Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Mexico City 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 dayMexico City $43San Pedro de Atacama $25
Typical Food Prices in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$12
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Coffee and Snacks$4.24
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Dinner for 2$25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Street Food Tour Mexico City - Best rated : $35
- Virtual Mexican Cooking Class (private and personalized): $50
- San Juan Market Food Tour Exotic Bites & Flavors: $52
- Coyoacán Market Food Tour Urban Eats & Local Legends: $52
- Local Markets & Food Tour in Mexico City: $53
- Art and Food Tour with Lunch: $54
- Tortilla Crawl: Food Tour in Mexico City: $55
- Mexico City Vegan & Veggie Market Explorer plus Cooking Lesson: $55
- Private Half-Day Traditional Markets Street Food Tour in Mexico City: $57
- 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $61
- Old Town Food Tour of 7 Tastings & Secret Dish: $66
- Frida Kahlo Museum & Coyoacan Tacos & Food Tour: $69
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.Mexico City $14San Pedro de Atacama $21
Tours and Activities in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Frida Kahlo Tour with Admission Tickets: $76
- Hiking Tour on the Iztaccíhuatl Volcano from Puebla (private): $176
- Mexico City Tour and Visit Chapultepec Castle. Private service: $180
- Mixology, Food, Wine and Beer Experience in Xochimilco: $99
- Monarch Butterfly Tour from Mexico City: $220
- Private Tour Teotihuacan Essentials: $140
- Private Walking Tour Gems of the Historic Center of Mexico City: $131
- Private guided tour of the Soumaya Museum : $279
- Romantic tour in San Andrés Mixquic: $150
- Sunrise HotAir Balloon Adventure Over Teotihuacan's Pyramids: $160
- Xochimilco Floating Gardens and Coyoacan Private Tour: $161
- "Guided Tour Plus" EN Ruins "TEMPLE MAJOR" with OFFICIAL GUIDES: $34
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:
- Moon Valley Tour, the Best Seller: $49
- The 3 Best Selling Tours in Atacama: $190
- 1-Day Tour Altiplanic Lagoons and Piedras Rojas and Laguna Chaxa: $120
- 2 Tours Valley of the Moon and Hidden Lagoons: $120
- 23km downhill bike tour + trekking among giant cacti: $70
- 3 Days and 4 Tours in San Pedro de Atacama: $190
- 3 Main Tours in San Pedo de Atacama: $190
- 3 or 4 days in San Pedro with Semi-Private tours: $300
- 3-Day Tour in San Pedro de Atacama: $205
- 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: $198
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMexico City $19San Pedro de Atacama $4.93
Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:
- Guided Pub Crawl with Party Games: $23
- Mexico City Pub Crawl: $23
- Zona Rosa Pub Crawl Experience: $94
- Teotihuacan´s Best Balloon Flight: Pyramids and Brewery tours : $120
- Cavas Freixenet Wine Tour from Mexico City: $222
- Private Cheese and Wine Tour to Queretaro: $479
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 Mexico City and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that Mexico City is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro de Atacama much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mexico City 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 Mexico City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mexico City 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 Mexico City Expensive? and Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mexico City or San Pedro de Atacama?
Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 5640 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Mexico City 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.