Which place is cheaper, Punta Arenas 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 Punta Arenas 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.
Punta Arenas is in the far south of Chile and has a long history of maritime commerce, oil extraction, and sheep farming. It's the most populated city on the Strait of Magellan and has all the facilities you might need as a traveler, including banks, markets, drugstores and equipment shops. With a population of about 130,000, the city is a comfortable place to spend time. It serves as a base for Antarctic expeditions, although many expeditions also start in Ushuaia, Argentina, and Christchurch New Zealand.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago, and The Best Family-Friendly 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 Punta Arenas is $63. 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 Punta Arenas in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Cafayate or Punta Arenas? 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.
Also for Punta Arenas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Punta Arenas 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:
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Punta Arenas:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cafayate.
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Punta Arenas.
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Punta Arenas:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cafayate and Punta Arenas, we can see that Punta Arenas 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 Punta Arenas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Punta Arenas 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 Punta Arenas Expensive?.
Punta Arenas has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Cafayate. When comparing the sizes of Cafayate and Punta Arenas, 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.