Should you visit Cafayate or Cochabamba?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Cafayate and Cochabamba can help you decide which place is right for you.
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.
Cochabamba
With a population of about 630,000, Cochabamba is the fourth largest city in Bolivia. It's located about 240 kilometers from the capital city of La Paz and is surrounded by mountains, but sits within a valley.
The city is known for its gardens and has many sights to offer the visitor. Cochabamba offers a calming retreat that is a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of many South American cities. It's a great location to learn Spanish and there are plenty of activities and cultural events that you can enjoy in and around town.
Cochabamba's climate is semi-arid. There is an extended dry season between May and October and the wet season is from November to March. The days are warm and the nights are cool.
Which city is cheaper, Cochabamba or Cafayate?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cafayate is $86, while the average daily cost in Cochabamba is $50. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Cafayate and Cochabamba in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $64 in Cafayate For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Cochabamba's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $40. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $20.
Food
While meal prices in Cafayate can vary, the average travelers spends about $35 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Cafayate should cost around $14 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Cafayate is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
Cochabamba food costs typically run travelers around $18 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Cafayate $35
Cochabamba $18
Typical Food prices in Cafayate
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Cafayate:
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Dinner (Empanadas)
$0.22
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Sandwich
$0.10
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Pizza
$0.17
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Cafayate than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $18 on transportation in Cafayate on average per day.
The cost of a taxi ride in Cochabamba is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $13 per person, per day, on local transportation in Cochabamba.
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Cafayate, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $38 per day, per person.
Entertainment and activities in Cochabamba typically cost an average of $20 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Cafayate
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cafayate.
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Tour Quebrada De Las Conchas - Cafayate - Salta:
$27
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Cafayate and Calchaqui Valley Winery Tour:
$50
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From Salta: Full-Day Wine and Valley Tour to Cafayate:
$53
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Cachi Full-Day Tour:
$58
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Half-Day Wine Road Premium Tour From Cafayate:
$109
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Quebrada De Las Conchas Bike Tour from Cafayate:
$182
Tours and Activities in Cochabamba
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cochabamba are as follows:
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3D/2N Paquete Turistico a Torotoro 22,23 y 24 de Febrero Carnavales-Vision Tours:
$125
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Adventure Through Toro Toro National Park. 3 Days 2 Nights. English Guide:
$600
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Adventure Through Toro Toro National Park. 3 Days 2 Nights. Spanish Guide:
$513
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Adventure Through Toro Toro National Park. 4 Days 3 Nights. English Guide:
$779
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Adventure Through Toro Toro National Park. 4 Days 3 Nights. Spanish Guide:
$656
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Amazing Torotoro National Park Tour (2 days 1 night):
$200
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Romantic tour in Cochabamba:
$498
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TOROTORO PAQUETE DE 2 DIAS 1 NOCHE Con VISION TOURS BOLIVIA:
$82
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The Best of Cochabamba Walking Tour:
$498
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Cafayate, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $36.
The average person spends about $12 on alcoholic beverages in Cochabamba per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cafayate and Cochabamba, we can see that Cafayate is more expensive. And not only is Cochabamba much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cochabamba would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cochabamba 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 Cafayate would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cafayate than you might in Cochabamba.
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