A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Belize City vs. Cafayate for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Belize City or Cafayate?

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

Should I visit Belize City or Cafayate? 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: Belize City or Cafayate?

Belize City

Belize City is the largest city in Belize. It was once the capital of the country, but due to massive hurricane damage in 1961, the country decided to relocate it capital. With a population of 57,000 people, Belize City is located right at the mouth of the Haulover Creek.

This gorgeous tropical city experiences a monsoon climate – meaning there are warm and humid conditions throughout the course of the year. There is a wet season from May to January, so plan for a little bit of rain in that time.

Cafayate

Cafayate is located in the province of Salta, in the central zone of the Valles Calchaquies. The small town has about 12,000 residents and is 1,329 kilometers from Buenos Aires.

People head to the small town of Cafayate to explore its vineyards and unique rock formations. It has become an important tourist destination in the area and there is a large golf course under construction just outside of town.

Cafayate is an important wine production center. The wines in the area thrive from the low humidity mild weather of the valleys. The town receives less than 250 millimeters of precipitation a year.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Belize, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires.


Which place is cheaper, Cafayate or Belize City?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Belize City is $88, while the average daily cost in Cafayate is $12. 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 Belize City and Cafayate in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Belize City $49
    Cafayate $4.43
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Belize City $98
    Cafayate $8.86
Compare Hotels in Belize City and Cafayate

Looking for a hotel in Belize City or Cafayate? 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 Belize City


Hotels in Cafayate


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: Belize City Hotel Prices and Cafayate Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Belize City $5.82
    Cafayate $2.40

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Belize City

Also for Belize City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Belize City and Airport to Placencia: $150
  • Belize City to/from Placencia/Hopkins Shuttle Transfer: $113
  • Belize: Belize City to/from San Ignacio Shuttle Transfer: $68
  • Private Transfer from Belize City Port to Belize Airport (BZE): $60
  • Transfer Belize city to bacalar: $50
  • We do transfers from airport to any where in Belize.: $49
  • Belize city water taxi terminal to Airport transfer: $30

Is it cheaper to fly into Belize City or Cafayate?

Prices for flights to both Cafayate and Belize 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Belize City $27
    Cafayate $4.83

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Belize City

For Belize City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Altun Ha Mayan Site & Food Tour: $80

Typical Food Prices in Cafayate

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Cafayate:


  • Dinner (Empanadas)
    $0.02
  • Sandwich
    $0.01
  • Pizza
    $0.02

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Belize City $29
    Cafayate $5.19

Tours and Activities in Belize City

For Belize City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Cave Tubing and Zipline Adventure from Belize City: $167
  • Altun Ha Cave Tubing and Zip line Tours from Belize City: $208
  • Altun Ha Mayan Ruins & Zipline Tour from Belize City All Inclusive: $170
  • Altun Ha Mayan Ruins and Belize City tour: $100
  • Altun Ha Mayan Ruins and River Wallace and Manatee Watch Tour: $85
  • Altun Ha Mayan Site tour from Belize City: $85
  • Altun Ha, Monkey Sanctuary and Rum Factory Tour from Belize City: $170
  • Belize City Tour: $40
  • Belize City Tour Shore Excursion: $100
  • Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Full Day Tour: $190
  • Cave Tubing & Zipline Adventure Tour: $110
  • Guided Cave Kayaking Tour with Pickup: $77

Tours and Activities in Cafayate

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cafayate.

  • From Salta: Cafayate, Cachi, & Hornocal 3-Day Tour: $136
  • From Salta: Cafayate, Humahuaca & Salinas Grandes 3-Day Tour: $106
  • From Salta: Cafayate, Salinas Grandes, & Hornocal Tour: $128
  • From Salta: Full-Day Wine and Valley Tour to Cafayate: $62
  • From Salta: Local Landscape, Winery, and Culture Tour: $134
  • Half-Day Wine Road Premium Tour From Cafayate: $68
  • Tour Quebrada De Las Conchas - Cafayate - Salta: $25

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Belize City $12
    Cafayate $4.88

Sample the Local Flavors in Belize City

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Belize City:

  • Belize: City Highlights Tour with Rum Distillery Visit: $49


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Belize City and Cafayate, we can see that Belize City is more expensive. And not only is Cafayate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Belize City is in Central America and Cafayate 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 Cafayate would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cafayate 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 Belize City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Belize City than you might in Cafayate.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Belize City Expensive? and Is Cafayate Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Belize City or Cafayate?

Belize City has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Cafayate. When comparing the sizes of Belize City and Cafayate, 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.