Which place is cheaper, Pucon or Cafayate?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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 Pucon can help you decide which place is right for you.
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.
A popular hub for adventure tourism, Pucon is a town in the Lake District of the South American nation of Chile. Located on Lake Villarirca with the snowcapped Villarrica volcano looming above and plenty of forested valleys below, the town has become a home base year-round for a full range of outdoor activities.
Check out our ultimate guide to Traveling in Patagonia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Buenos Aires, The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cafayate is $12, while the average daily cost in Pucon is $100. 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 Pucon in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Cafayate or Pucon? 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.
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pucon:
Prices for flights to both Pucon 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.
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Cafayate:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cafayate.
Here are a few actual costs in Pucon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cafayate and Pucon, we can see that Pucon is more expensive. And not only is Cafayate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Pucon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pucon 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 Pucon Expensive?.
Pucon has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Cafayate. When comparing the sizes of Cafayate and Pucon, 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.