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

Should you visit Belize City or Puerto Natales?

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

Should I visit Belize City or Puerto Natales? 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 Puerto Natales?

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.

Puerto Natales

Puerto Natales is a beautiful town located in the Chilean Patagonia on the Senoret Channel. The city is often used as a base camp for trips to the surrounding national parks due to their plentiful restaurant options and access to internet. Puerto Natales is also known for being the base city to the Torres del Paine National Park, which was named the 5th most beautiful place in the world by National Geographic.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Belize, The Best Luxury Tours to Chile, and The Best Budget Tours to Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Natales or Belize City?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Belize City Prices
    Belize Prices
    Puerto Natales Prices
    Chile Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Belize City $108
    Puerto Natales $105

The average daily cost (per person) in Belize City is $108, while the average daily cost in Puerto Natales is $105. 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 Puerto Natales in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Belize City $49
    Puerto Natales $38
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Belize City $98
    Puerto Natales $76
Compare Hotels in Belize City and Puerto Natales

Looking for a hotel in Belize City or Puerto Natales? 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 Puerto Natales


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 Puerto Natales Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Belize City $5.81
    Puerto Natales $19

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Belize City

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

  • Belize Airport (BZE) to Belize city - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $108
  • Belize Airport (BZE) to San Ignacio - Arrival Private Transfer: $89
  • Belize City Airport to Placencia Private Transfer: $150
  • Belize City to Belize Airport (BZE) - Departure Private Transfer: $54
  • Belize City to Philip S.W. Belize Airport (BZE) - Departure Private Transfer: $55
  • Philip S.W. Belize Airport (BZE) to Belize City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110
  • Philip S.W. Belize Airport (BZE) to Belize city hotels -Arrival Private Transfer: $55
  • Private Transfer from Belize City Port to Belize Airport (BZE): $72
  • Private Transfer from Belize City To Hopkins Village : $115
  • Private Transfer from Belize City and Airport to Placencia: $150
  • Private transfer from the Philip Goldson Airport to San Ignacio: $80

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Natales

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Natales:

  • Puerto Natales Airport Private Transfer: $30
  • Private transfer Airport x Lodging (Puerto Natales): $25
  • Private Transfer: From Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales: $422
  • Private Transfer Airport x Hotels inside the TORRES DEL PAINE Park: $100

Is it cheaper to fly into Belize City or Puerto Natales?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Natales 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 $47
    Puerto Natales $48

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 - fish farm & restaurant : $80

Typical Food Prices in Puerto Natales

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Puerto Natales:


  • Cake
    $1.05
  • Dinner
    $18
  • Coke
    $1.05

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Belize City $29
    Puerto Natales $29

Tours and Activities in Belize City

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

  • The Historic Belize City Tour: $35
  • Belize City Tour: $40
  • Cucumber Beach and City Tour: $49
  • Cave Kayak tour for Belize Car Rental : $59
  • Belizean Bits & Bites Food Tastings and City Tour in Belize: $60
  • TukTuk Belize History & Culture Tour : $60
  • Taste Bud Explosion Food Tasting Belize City Tour : $74
  • Charlie's Cave Tubing Tour for cruisers (lunch included): $75
  • Altun Ha Mayan Site tour from Belize City: $85
  • The Incredible Cave Tubing Adventure from Belize City: $85
  • Turtle Garden Snorkeling Tour and Island Break : $90
  • Private Altun Ha Maya Ruin & Belize City Adventure From Belize City: $107

Tours and Activities in Puerto Natales

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

  • Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers Boat Tour and traditional lunch.: $237
  • Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers Sightseeing Cruise from Puerto Natales: $271
  • City Bike Tour through Puerto Natales: $65
  • Fjord electric bike tour, full day: $176
  • From Grey Glacier Tour: $251
  • From Torres del Paine National Park Day Tour: $110
  • Full Day Guided Tour in Torres del Paine and Milodon Cave: $80
  • Full Day Land of Sheep Experience Tourism: $199
  • Full Day Patagonia Tour from Puerto Natales: $95
  • Full Day Torres del Paine Tour: $99
  • Full Day Torres del Paine Tour from Puerto Natales with Pickup: $119
  • Full Day Tour to Torres del Paine National Park: $92

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Belize City $12
    Puerto Natales $17

Typical Alcohol Prices in Puerto Natales

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Puerto Natales:


  • Alcohol
    $13


When comparing the travel costs between Belize City and Puerto Natales, we can see that Belize City 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 Belize City is in Central America and Puerto Natales is in South 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 Belize City Expensive? and Is Puerto Natales Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Belize City or Puerto Natales?

Belize City has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Puerto Natales. When comparing the sizes of Belize City and Puerto Natales, 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.