Which place is cheaper, Arequipa or San Pedro de Atacama?
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 San Pedro de Atacama or Arequipa?
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 San Pedro de Atacama and Arequipa. 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: San Pedro de Atacama or Arequipa?
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.
Arequipa
Sitting in the middle of the Misti, Chachani and PichuPichu volcanoes of Peru is the enchanting city of Arequipa. With 468 years of history, the city is full of Spanish colonial architecture. Known to locals as the "white city," the city center, Plaza de Armas, is quite the sight with buildings of sillar white stone made from the rocks of the surrounding volcanoes.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Chile, The Best G Adventures Tours to Chile, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.
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San Pedro de Atacama Prices
Chile PricesArequipa Prices
Peru Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Pedro de Atacama $69Arequipa $60
The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro de Atacama is $69, while the average daily cost in Arequipa is $60. 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 San Pedro de Atacama and Arequipa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Pedro de Atacama $32Arequipa $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Pedro de Atacama $64Arequipa $48
Compare Hotels in San Pedro de Atacama and Arequipa
Looking for a hotel in San Pedro de Atacama or Arequipa? 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: San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices and Arequipa Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Pedro de Atacama $9.14Arequipa $6.36
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro de Atacama
Also for San Pedro de Atacama, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 3 Perfect Days in Atacama + Airport Transfer: $224
- 3 Perfect Days in Atacama + Transfer: $260
- Astronomical Tour in San Pedro de Atacama includes transfer, photo, and cocktail.: $53
- Atacama Airport Private Transfer: $88
- Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $38
- Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $60
- Calama Airport: Transfer to/from San Pedro de Atacama: $30
- Private transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama City: $190
- Puritama Hot Springs Experience with Transfer and Entrance: $90
- Etno-Stargazing Tour with Transfer: $40
- Etno-Stargazing Tour with Transfer: $40
- Puritama Hot Springs Transfer Tour: $45
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arequipa
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arequipa are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$1.43
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Bus Ride$0.46
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Taxi Ride$1.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arequipa
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Arequipa:
- Transfer Between Arequipa's Airport and Hotels: $35
- Private Transfer from Arequipa to Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón (AQP) Airport : $38
- Private Transfer from Alfredo Rodríguez Ballón Airport to Hotel: $20
- Koh lanta any hotel to Phuket airport Private transfer: $172
- Koh Lanta any hotel to Krabi airport Private transfer: $81
- Full Day Tour to Colca including Transfer to Puno: $60
- Full Day Tour Including Transfer to Puno / Colca Canyon: $112
- Colca Canyon Sightseeing Tour 2D1N and Transfer to Puno: $147
- Colca Canyon Day Trip with Transfer to Puno: $65
- Colca Canyon 2-Day Tour with Lodge Stay and Transfer to Puno: $283
- Colca Canyon + Transfer To Puno: $103
- Arequipa Bus Station Arrival Transfer : $25
Is it cheaper to fly into San Pedro de Atacama or Arequipa?
Prices for flights to both Arequipa and San Pedro de Atacama 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 daySan Pedro de Atacama $25Arequipa $25
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
Typical Food Prices in Arequipa
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Arequipa:
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Coke$0.43
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Lunch$3.01
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Ice Cream$1.15
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Fruit$0.86
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Ice Cream$1.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arequipa
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Arequipa.
- Cooking Class at La Plantation: $35
- Peruvian Cooking Experience in Arequipa: $35
- Peruvian Cooking Class in arequipa: $50
- Peruvian Cooking Class: $53
- Private Cooking Class in Arequipa: $57
- Food Tour Gastronomic Guided : $113
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Pedro de Atacama $21Arequipa $19
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:
- Shared Moon Valley Tour: $32
- Half-Day Tour to Laguna Cejar: $35
- Tour to the Valley of the Moon San Pedro de Atacama: $35
- Stargazing Experience: $35
- Astronomical Guided Tour in San Pedro: $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
- Astronomical Tour with Guide and Pick Up San Pedro de Atacama: $38
- Shared Archaeological Tour in San Pedro de Atacama: $38
- Moon Valley Tour: $39
Typical Entertainment Prices in Arequipa
Here are a few typical costs in Arequipa for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Monastery Entry$2.87
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Salsa Class$2.87
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Movie Ticket$3.13
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Hot Springs$2.87
Tours and Activities in Arequipa
Here are a few actual costs in Arequipa for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Colca Full Day Tour: $51
- Walking tour history, legends & mysteries : $28
- 2 Day - Colca Canyon and Condor Tour from Arequipa, Peru - Group Service : $295
- 2 Days of Natural Experience in the Colca Canyon: $140
- 2 days 1 night Colca Canyon tour from Arequipa: $110
- 2-Day Group Tour to Colca Canyon from Arequipa: $230
- 2-Day Hiking Tour to the Colca Canyon: $90
- 2-Day Tour to the Magical Colca Canyon: $68
- 2-Day tour Colca Canyon ending in Puno: $95
- 3 Hour Congata Rover Biking Ride Tour in Arequipa: $45
- 3-hour guided tour in Arequipa: $65
- 8-Hours Tour in Arequipa Laguna de Salinas with Pick-up: $20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Pedro de Atacama $4.93Arequipa $17
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
Typical Alcohol Prices in Arequipa
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Arequipa are as follows:
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Beer$2.58
When comparing the travel costs between San Pedro de Atacama and Arequipa, we can see that San Pedro de Atacama 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. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive? and Is Arequipa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Pedro de Atacama or Arequipa?
Arequipa has a larger population, and is about 420 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of San Pedro de Atacama and Arequipa, 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.