Which place is cheaper, Puerto Montt or Cafayate?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cafayate or Puerto Montt?
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 Puerto Montt can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Cafayate or Puerto Montt?
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.
Puerto Montt
The Lake District is a region of snow capped volcanoes, pale green lakes and endless miles of virgin and ancient forests. Found 1,016 km away from Santiago de Chile, Puerto Montt is famous for its beautiful lakes and its germanic architecture, old wooden houses and its legendary Iglesia Catedral, found on the town's main square, la Plaza de Armas. The monument, entirely built with alerce (cypress) wood, is the oldest building of the city. The capital of the Lake Region is a good starting point for many memorable excursions in the area.
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 Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCafayate $12Puerto Montt $90
The average daily cost (per person) in Cafayate is $12, while the average daily cost in Puerto Montt is $90. 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 Puerto Montt in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCafayate $4.36Puerto Montt $62
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCafayate $8.72Puerto Montt $124
Compare Hotels in Cafayate and Puerto Montt
Looking for a hotel in Cafayate or Puerto Montt? 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.
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 Puerto Montt Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cafayate $2.36Puerto Montt $6.51
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Montt
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Montt:
- 4 Days Tour Los Lagos Region with Transfer Chiloe and Peulla: $177
- Puerto Montt El Tepual Airport (PMC) to Pucon - Arrival Transfer: $115
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Frutillar: $80
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas - Round-Trip Transfer: $66
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas: $50
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Frutillar: Roundtrip Transfer: $46
- Puerto Airport (PMC) to Frutillar - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $42
- Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $42
- Puerto Montt Shuttle Transfer: $34
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas City- Arrival Transfer: $33
- Private Transfer from Puerto Montt Port to Puerto Airport (PMC): $31
- Private Transfer from Puerto Airport (PMC) to Puerto Montt Port: $31
Is it cheaper to fly into Cafayate or Puerto Montt?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Montt 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
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Food Meals for one dayCafayate $4.75Puerto Montt $22
Typical Food Prices in Cafayate
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Cafayate:
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Dinner (Empanadas)$0.02
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Sandwich$0.01
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Pizza$0.02
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cafayate $5.11Puerto Montt $14
Tours and Activities in Cafayate
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cafayate.
- Tour Quebrada De Las Conchas - Cafayate - Salta: $25
- From Salta: Full-Day Wine and Valley Tour to Cafayate: $62
- Unveiling Premium Wine Road Adventure: $89
- From Salta: Cafayate, Humahuaca & Salinas Grandes 3-Day Tour: $106
- From Salta: Cafayate, Salinas Grandes, & Hornocal Tour: $128
- From Salta: Local Landscape, Winery, and Culture Tour: $134
- From Salta: Cafayate, Cachi, & Hornocal 3-Day Tour: $136
Tours and Activities in Puerto Montt
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Montt are as follows:
- 6 Hours Shared Tour in Calbuco and Millennial Forest : $130
- Alerce Andino National Park/Alerce Millenario/Cruises: $77
- Austral / Hornopiren Road Tour: $102
- Frutillar & Llanquihue Private Tour from Puerto Montt: $128
- Frutillar & Llanquihue Tour from Puerto Montt: $56
- Frutillar Tour: $31
- Osorno Volcano Tour+Petrohue Falls / Cruises / Spanish: $68
- Private Day tour Petrohue Falls, Osorno Volcano & Puerto Varas: $250
- Private Shore Excursion Tour to Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas and Frutillar: $143
- Private Tour: Puerto Montt Sightseeing: $47
- Private Tour: Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas and Vicente Peres Rosales National Park: $164
- Private. City Tour Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas: $92
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCafayate $4.80Puerto Montt $4.55
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cafayate and Puerto Montt, we can see that Puerto Montt 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 Puerto Montt would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Montt 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 Puerto Montt Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cafayate or Puerto Montt?
Puerto Montt has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Cafayate. When comparing the sizes of Cafayate and Puerto Montt, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.