A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Cajamarca vs. Mendoza for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Cajamarca or Mendoza?

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 Cajamarca and Mendoza can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Cajamarca or Mendoza?

Cajamarca

Located in the northern highlands of Peru, Cajamarca is a town of about 100,000 people. The city's mild weather and fertile soil is ideal for agriculture, which is a major industry in the area. The city is also well known for its cheeses and dairy products. Cajamarca is the site of the Battle of Cajamarca which led to the execution of the Inca emperor Atahualpa and the end of the infamous Inca empire. Today, the area is appealing to visitors in part because of its lovely churches, nice hot springs, and interesting Inca Baths.

Mendoza

Mendoza is a city in western Argentina and more precisely in the desertic Cuyo region. Mendoza is the center of the Argentinian wine industry and is famed around the world for its vineyards and wine production. Spread across the valley of the Rio Mendoza and in the foothills of the Andean mountain range, Mendoza is also near the Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside of the Himalayas. The bustling and scenic city of wide, leafy avenues, atmospheric plazas and cosmopolitan cafes spoils visitors with unique natural attractions and historical landmarks. If you can, visit Mendoza during the harvest festival at the end of February. There are many events and festivals in Mendoza and they are usually free. Each has a different theme, and they usually have a stage with singing and dancing and booths that sell food around a plaza. Seventy percent of Argentina's wines are produced here, and Mendoza is especially known for its world-famous malbecs.

Which place is cheaper, Mendoza or Cajamarca?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Cajamarca is $66, while the average daily cost in Mendoza is $18. 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 Cajamarca and Mendoza in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cajamarca $23
    Mendoza $6.86
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cajamarca $46
    Mendoza $14
Compare Hotels in Cajamarca and Mendoza

Looking for a hotel in Cajamarca or Mendoza? 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 Cajamarca


Hotels in Mendoza


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: Mendoza Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cajamarca $16
    Mendoza $3.57

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mendoza

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

  • Shared 1-Way or Round Trip MDZ Airport Transfer: $9.00
  • Mendoza Airport Shuttle Transfer: $14
  • Gutierrez Rafting with transfer from Mendoza City: $18
  • Shared Transfer Mendoza Bus Station / Downtown Hotel: $19
  • Private 1-Way or Round-Trip MDZ Airport Transfer: $20
  • Mendoza Airport Transfers: $20
  • Private Transfer Mendoza to Mendoza Airport MDZ by car / minibus : $21
  • Private Transfer Mendoza Airport MDZ to Mendoza by car or minibus: $21
  • Mendoza Airport Departure Transfer: $21
  • Mendoza Airport Arrival Transfer: $21
  • One Way Shared Transfer Mendoza Airport/Downtown Hotel: $21
  • Executive Transfers from Mendoza Airport to the Hotel in Downtown Mendoza.: $22

Is it cheaper to fly into Cajamarca or Mendoza?

Prices for flights to both Mendoza and Cajamarca 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
    Cajamarca $27
    Mendoza $8.07

Typical Food prices in Mendoza

For Mendoza, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Empanadas
    $0.03

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mendoza

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

  • Walk to the Marañon From Mendoza with Dinner: $100
  • Cooking class - Gastronomic Experience - 12 classes per year: $150
  • Anaia Wines Private Tour with Gourmet Dinner in Azafran. Transport: $180
  • Full-Day Small-Group Mendoza Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $184
  • Night Visit to Bodega Toneles + Dinner at El Enemigo. Transport: $210
  • Food Tour: $250
  • Cooking class at Bodega Lamadrid Winery in Luján de Cuyo: $436

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cajamarca $25
    Mendoza $5.10

Tours and Activities in Cajamarca

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cajamarca are as follows:

  • 2 Days Private Tour in Cajamarca : $470
  • 3-Day Guided Cultural Tour of Cajamarca with Transportation: $202
  • City Tour: $67

Tours and Activities in Mendoza

For Mendoza, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Walking City Tour: $14
  • City tour with visit to General San Martin Park: $14
  • Mendoza City Tour: $16
  • Mendoza Half-Day Sightseeing Tour: $17
  • Tour autoguiado en bicicleta por Luján de Cuyo (Mendoza): $19
  • Malbec Experience in Bodega Tierras Altas: $20
  • Renacer Winery Experience: $20
  • Half-Day Sightseeing City Tour: $21
  • Half Day Mendoza City Sightseeing Tour: $22
  • Lujan experience of whose: $31
  • Villavicencio Natural Reserve Half-Day Tour from Mendoza: $35
  • Mendoza River Rafting Adventure: $43

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cajamarca $16
    Mendoza $3.06

Typical Alcohol prices in Mendoza

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Mendoza:


  • Beer
    $0.02

Sample the Local Flavors in Mendoza

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

  • Half-Day Wine Tour with Tastings: $28
  • Vineyards with Wine Tasting in Mendoza: $33
  • Premium Wine Tasting In the Center of the City: $58
  • Interactive Boutique Wine Tasting in a secret bar in Mendoza: $65
  • Argentinean Asado with Local Host and Wine Tasting: $115
  • Luján de Cuyo best Wines- Ultimate Wine Tour: $130
  • Ultimate Uco Valley Wine Tour: $140
  • wine tours in wine country mendoza Argentina: $160
  • All Day, Small Group, Luxury Wine Tour with Gourmet Lunch: $160
  • Full Day Wine Tour with 3 Course Lunch: $165
  • Wine Tour with Lunch from Mendoza: $166
  • Wine Tour with Lunch and Transport in Mendoza: $170


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cajamarca and Mendoza, we can see that Cajamarca is more expensive. And not only is Mendoza much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Mendoza would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mendoza 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 Cajamarca would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cajamarca than you might in Mendoza.

Which is Bigger, Cajamarca or Mendoza?

Mendoza is bigger, and its population is about 6.5 times larger than the population of Cajamarca. When comparing the population of Cajamarca vs. Mendoza, 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 and the activities 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.
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Cajamarca vs. Mendoza Travel Comparison

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