A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Punta Cana vs. San Pedro for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Punta Cana or San Pedro?

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

Should I visit Punta Cana or San Pedro? 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: Punta Cana or San Pedro?

Punta Cana

Punta Cana, located on the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic, is renowned for its stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, and vibrant culture. This Caribbean paradise offers a diverse range of experiences that cater to all types of travelers, whether you're on a tight budget, seeking thrilling activities, exploring local cuisine, or figuring out the best ways to get around.

San Pedro

San Pedro is the largest town on Ambergris Caye, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Belize. Here you can find a tropical paradise with warm weather, clear blue waters, plenty of activities such as snorkeling and scuba diving, and a host of hotels, restaurants, and other amenities.

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 Belize, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize.


Which place is cheaper, San Pedro or Punta Cana?

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 Punta Cana is $170, while the average daily cost in San Pedro is $163. 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 Punta Cana and San Pedro in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Punta Cana $95
    San Pedro $66
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Punta Cana $190
    San Pedro $132
Compare Hotels in Punta Cana and San Pedro

Looking for a hotel in Punta Cana or San Pedro? 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 Punta Cana


Hotels in San Pedro


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: Punta Cana Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Punta Cana $6.39
    San Pedro $34

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta Cana

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Punta Cana:

  • Private Transfers Punta Cana Airport & Hotels in Uvero Alto: $6.00
  • Private Transfers Punta Cana Airport and Cap Cana Hotels: $6.00
  • One Way Shared Transfer from Punta Cana : $9.34
  • Private Transfers from Punta Cana : $13
  • Private Punta Cana Airport Ground Transfers: $14
  • Private Punta Cana Airport Transfers & Hotels : $14
  • Transfer From Airport To Destination In Punta Cana: $14
  • Affordable Punta Cana Airport Transfers, Taxis and Shuttles: $15
  • Punta Cana Airport. Round Trip Transfers: $15
  • Private Punta Cana Airport Transfers Hotels in Dominican Republic: $15
  • Round trip Transfer from Punta Cana Airport To hotels in Dominican Republic: $15
  • Private Round-Trip Airport Transfer from Punta Cana Airport (PUJ): $15

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro

Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Pedro:

  • Cave Tubing and Zipline Adventure (Boat Transfer): $210

Is it cheaper to fly into Punta Cana or San Pedro?

Prices for flights to both San Pedro and Punta Cana 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
    Punta Cana $64
    San Pedro $69

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Punta Cana

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Punta Cana.

  • Origen Tasting Adventure Dinner or Lunch of 8 Courses Dom Cuisine: $85
  • Taste of DR Street Food Tour: $125
  • Sunset Buggies Adventure with Dinner from Punta Cana: $130
  • Punta Cana Night Tour Polaris Ride Dinner Music and Open Bar: $169

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Pedro.

  • Maya Sunset Dinner Feast: $49
  • The Maya Dinner Experience: Season 2: $111
  • The Garifuna Dinner Experience: Season I: $111

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Punta Cana $30
    San Pedro $33
Typical Entertainment Prices in Punta Cana

Here are a few typical costs in Punta Cana for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Dune Buggy Adventure
    $51

Tours and Activities in Punta Cana

Here are a few actual costs in Punta Cana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Punta Cana Souvenir Shopping Tour with Pickup: $4.80
  • Shopping Tour in Punta Cana with Round Trip Transportation: $5.00
  • Shopping Tour In Don Lucas Cigar Factory, Rum tasting, Cocoa factory, Souvenirs : $5.00
  • Guided Shopping Tour - Rum tasting, chocolate factory, Cigar factory: $5.00
  • Tour de Compras: Chocolate, Café y Artesanías en Punta Cana.: $5.00
  • Punta Cana Souvenir Shopping Tour with Free Pickup: $6.00
  • Tour of Souvenirs, Shopping in Punta Cana with Transportation Included: $10
  • Punta Cana Shopping Tour with Transportation: $15
  • Punta Cana Shopping Tour : $15
  • ATV Buggy Adventure in Punta Cana with Cultural Experience: $24
  • ATV Buggy Adventure to Macao Beach and Blue Water Cave: $25
  • ATV & Buggy adventure in Punta Cana + Water Cave + Macao Beach: $25

Tours and Activities in San Pedro

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Pedro are as follows:

  • The Maya Brunch Experience: $44
  • 3 Hours Barrier Reef Tour in Caye Caulker, Belize: $59
  • Haunted Tales of the Maya: Cocktail | Dessert Experience: $66
  • Ambergris Caye Food and History Tour: $75
  • Half Day Snorkeling Tour Caye Caulker: $80
  • Ambergris Caye Sunset Sail Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $85
  • Belizean Food Experience: $87
  • San Pedro Local Diving Experience : $97
  • Hol Chan Full-Day Bucket List Snorkeling and Marine Life Tour: $99
  • Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $99
  • Caye Caulker Private Camping Adventure: $100
  • Belize Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley Snorkel Tour - Ambergris Caye: $113

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Punta Cana $10
    San Pedro $16

Sample the Local Flavors in Punta Cana

Also in Punta Cana, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Bar Crawl in Punta Cana: $35


When comparing the travel costs between Punta Cana and San Pedro, we can see that Punta Cana is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though Punta Cana is in Caribbean Islands and San Pedro is in Central America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Punta Cana Expensive? and Is San Pedro Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Punta Cana or San Pedro?

Punta Cana has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of San Pedro. When comparing the sizes of Punta Cana and San Pedro, 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.