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

Should you visit Cafayate or Guadalajara?

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

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 Guadalajara can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Cafayate or Guadalajara?

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.

Guadalajara

Guadalajara is the capital of the state of Jalisco in western Mexico, as well as one of the country's largest cities. It is best known for tequila and mariachi music, which both originate in Jalisco, as well as a thriving historic center with colonial architecture and landmarks.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Argentina, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico.


Which place is cheaper, Guadalajara or Cafayate?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Cafayate is $53, while the average daily cost in Guadalajara is $138. 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 Cafayate and Guadalajara in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cafayate $34
    Guadalajara $38
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cafayate $68
    Guadalajara $76
Compare Hotels in Cafayate and Guadalajara

Looking for a hotel in Cafayate or Guadalajara? 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 Cafayate


Hotels in Guadalajara


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: Cafayate Hotel Prices and Guadalajara Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cafayate $5.07
    Guadalajara $35

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guadalajara

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

  • Guadalajara Airport Private Transfer to Ajijic & Chapala: $289
  • Guadalajara Airport(GDL) to Tequila - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $202
  • Guadalajara to Tequila - Private Transfer with English-speaking driver: $179
  • Tequila to Guadalajara - Private Transfer with English-speaking driver: $179
  • Private Airport Transfer to Guadalajara Hotels Safe & Stress-Free: $159
  • Guadalajara Airport (GDL) to Guadalajara hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $107
  • Tequila to Guadalajara Airport (GDL) - Departure Private Transfer: $101
  • Transfer from International Airport to Tequila Jalisco: $89
  • Transfer by car to or from Guadalajara Airport: $35

Is it cheaper to fly into Cafayate or Guadalajara?

Prices for flights to both Guadalajara and Cafayate 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
    Cafayate $6.46
    Guadalajara $75

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guadalajara

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

  • Private Street Food Tour and City Tour Guadalajara - Best Rated : $44
  • Guadalajara Private Food Tour: $70
  • Authentic Mexican Cooking & Tequila tasting experience-Casa Humo: $108
  • Mexican Cooking Classes and Market Visit in Guadalajara: $195
  • VIP Tequila Night Tour with Dinner and Tasting: $199

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cafayate $40
    Guadalajara $25

Tours and Activities in Cafayate

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

  • Foz do Iguaçu: Day Tour of the Argentina and Brazil Sides: $96
  • 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: $45
  • From Salta: Local Landscape, Winery, and Culture Tour: $130
  • Unveiling Premium Wine Road Adventure: $127

Tours and Activities in Guadalajara

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

  • Walking Tour Experience in Ajijic Mexico: $50
  • 3 Hours Private Tour Guide in Guadalajara, you choose!: $36
  • A unique tour! Visiting Hacienda Casa herradura From Guadalajara: $120
  • Architecture of Luis Barragan Walking Tour with Street Food: $70
  • Bar Tour of the Coolest Quarter of Guadalajara: $17
  • Cantaritos and Tequila Factory Tour: $89
  • Chapala Ajijic Area Tour from Guadalajara: $40
  • Chapala Lake & Ajijic Tour with "Tres Potrillos Ranch": $65
  • Chapala and Ajijic Private Full-Day Tour: $128
  • Charreria heritage tour be a charro for a day: $50
  • City Tour Downtown Guadalajara Historical and Cultural Walking Tour: $79
  • City tour in Guadalajara and Tlaquepaque: $90

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cafayate $19
    Guadalajara $16

Sample the Local Flavors in Guadalajara

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

  • Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Guadalajara Mexico: $25
  • Tequila distillery experience, Jose Cuervo & Tequila Magic Town: $65
  • full day Tequila tour visiting artisanal distillery and downtown.: $95
  • Guided Tour of Guachimontones and Tequila Distillery: $105
  • Full-Day Tour to La Fortaleza Distillery and Cantaritos: $155
  • Private Adventure Day Tour to Tequila and Cazcanes Distillery: $156
  • Private Adventure to El Tequileño Distillery and visit to Tequila: $161
  • Private One Day Adventure Tour in Tequila and La Fortaleza Distillery: $167
  • Private Tour Cascahuin Distillery and visit to Tequila: $190
  • Private Tour to El Tequileño Distillery and visit to Tequila: $190
  • Private Tour one day in Guachimontones and La Fortaleza Distillery: $211
  • Guachimontones and Tequila Distillery in One Day: $264


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cafayate and Guadalajara, we can see that Guadalajara is more expensive. And not only is Cafayate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cafayate is in South America and Guadalajara is in North 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 Guadalajara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Guadalajara 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 Cafayate Expensive? and Is Guadalajara Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Cafayate or Guadalajara?

Guadalajara has a larger population, and is about 140 times larger than the population of Cafayate. When comparing the sizes of Cafayate and Guadalajara, 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.