Which place is cheaper, San Pedro de Atacama or Ushuaia?
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 Ushuaia or San Pedro de Atacama?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ushuaia 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: Ushuaia or San Pedro de Atacama?
Ushuaia
Ushuaia is a city on the Tierra del Fuego island of Argentina on the Beagle Strait. The city is considered to be one of the southernmost cities in the world and is often used as a base for cruises to Antarctica. Ushuaia's close proximity to Antarctica and their amazing hiking trails have made it a popular tourist destination over the past few decades.
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 3-Week Tours in Argentina, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Buenos Aires, The Best Tours for Seniors to Chile, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Chile.
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Ushuaia Prices
Argentina PricesSan Pedro de Atacama Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayUshuaia $0.00San Pedro de Atacama $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Ushuaia is $0.00, 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 Ushuaia and San Pedro de Atacama in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personUshuaia -San Pedro de Atacama $32
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomUshuaia $0.00San Pedro de Atacama $64
Compare Hotels in Ushuaia and San Pedro de Atacama
Looking for a hotel in Ushuaia 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: Ushuaia Hotel Prices and San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ushuaia -San Pedro de Atacama $9.14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ushuaia
Also for Ushuaia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Ushuaia:Trekking Glaciar & Ice Caves W/Lunch and Transfer: $176
- Transfers to Cerro Castor: $20
- Shared One-way Airport Transfer: $7.00
- National Park, Train and Navigation. Airport transfer included: $204
- Husky Trekking with Transfer: $62
- Escondido and Fagnano Lakes with transfer: $112
- Complete Husky Experience + Buoy Park with Transfer: $124
- Antarctic Experience W/Snowmobile Ride & Transfer: $242
- Airport Transfer: $10
- Ushuaia to Ushuaia Airport (USH) - Departure Private Transfer: $25
- Ushuaia city to Ushuaia Airport(USH) - Departure Private Transfer: $24
- Ushuaia Low cost Transfers: $17
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
- Private transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama City: $190
- Puritama Hot Springs Experience with Transfer and Entrance: $90
- Atacama Airport Private Transfer: $88
- Calama Airport Transfer to Atacama / Airport Lodging: $60
- Astronomical Tour in San Pedro de Atacama includes transfer, photo, and cocktail.: $53
- Puritama Hot Springs Transfer Tour: $45
- Stargazing Experience with Transfer: $44
- TRANSFER TO PURITAMA HOT SPRINGS: $40
- Etno-Stargazing Tour with Transfer: $40
- Etno-Stargazing Tour with Transfer: $40
- Atacama Airport Shuttle Transfer: $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Ushuaia or San Pedro de Atacama?
Prices for flights to both San Pedro de Atacama and Ushuaia 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 dayUshuaia -San Pedro de Atacama $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ushuaia
For Ushuaia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Adventure and Snow Moto + Buffet Lunch or Pizza Rodizio + Transfer: $96
- Beaver Sighting with Dinner off Lake Fagnano: $170
- Ushuaia City Tour: Vespertine Tour with Dinner: $189
- Snowmobile + Snowshoeing + Huskies + Skiing + Lunch or Pizza Buffet: $195
- Tierra del Fuego National Park PM - with Dinner included: $210
- Discovering Lakes Escondido and Fagnano with sunset dinner: $210
- Puerto Almanza and Punta Paraná Tour with Dinner: $210
- Tierra del Fuego National Park: vespertine tour with dinner: $210
- Snow and Fire with Dinner in Firepit, Sledge Ride and Snowmobile: $250
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.Ushuaia -San Pedro de Atacama $21
Tours and Activities in Ushuaia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ushuaia.
- 3-Hour Tour Sailing through the Beagle Channel: $105
- 4×4 Off Road Tour to Escondido and Khami Lakes: $200
- 4W4 Adventure in Lagos Full Day with Roast : $170
- 4WD Off-Road Lakes Adventure in Tierra del Fuego: $167
- 4x4 Adventure at Lago Fagnano from Ushuaia: $236
- 4x4 Lake Fagnano Adventure from Ushuaia: $218
- 5-Hour National Park + City tour - USHUAIA (Private Tour): $205
- 5.5-Hour Nat Park w/ Hiking *Shore Excursion* USHUAIA (Shared tour for cruises): $150
- 5hrs of Trekking Experience in Martial Glacier: $115
- Adventure in the Lakes Fueguinos quadricycles and Patagonian lamb: $238
- Adventure through Lagos 4X4 in Ushuaia: $162
- Albino's Eye Glacier Full-Day Trekking Tour from Ushuaia: $286
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 dayUshuaia -San Pedro de Atacama $4.93
Sample the Local Flavors in Ushuaia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Ushuaia:
- Photo tour and Wine Tasting in Ushuaia City: $115
- City tour and Wine tasting: $115
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 Ushuaia and San Pedro de Atacama, we can see that San Pedro de Atacama is more expensive. And not only is Ushuaia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ushuaia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ushuaia 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 San Pedro de Atacama would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Pedro de Atacama than you might in Ushuaia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ushuaia Expensive? and Is San Pedro de Atacama Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ushuaia or San Pedro de Atacama?
Ushuaia has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of San Pedro de Atacama. When comparing the sizes of Ushuaia 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.