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

Should you visit Cajamarca 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 Cajamarca and Puerto Montt can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Cajamarca or Puerto Montt?

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.

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 Sightseeing Tours in Peru, The Best Cultural Tours in Peru, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Montt or Cajamarca?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Cajamarca is $69, while the average daily cost in Puerto Montt is $89. 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 Puerto Montt in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cajamarca $24
    Puerto Montt $61
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cajamarca $48
    Puerto Montt $122
Compare Hotels in Cajamarca and Puerto Montt

Looking for a hotel in Cajamarca 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.

Hotels in Cajamarca


Hotels in Puerto Montt


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: Puerto Montt Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cajamarca $17
    Puerto Montt $6.43

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Montt

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Montt:

  • Puerto Montt Airport(PMC) to Frutillar - Arrival Private Transfer: $21
  • Puerto Tepual Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas - Arrival Transfer: $21
  • Puerto Montt Departure Transfer from Hotel: $23
  • Puerto Montt Airport(PMC) to Frutillar - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
  • Puerto Montt Airport Arrival Transfer to Hotel in Puerto Varas: $24
  • Private Transfer from Puerto Montt Port to Puerto Airport (PMC): $27
  • Private Transfer from Puerto Airport (PMC) to Puerto Montt Port: $30
  • Private Transfer from Puerto Montt Port to Puerto Airport (PMC): $30
  • Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas City- Arrival Transfer: $33
  • Puerto Montt Shuttle Transfer: $34
  • Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $41
  • Puerto Airport (PMC) to Frutillar - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $41

Is it cheaper to fly into Cajamarca or Puerto Montt?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Montt 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 $28
    Puerto Montt $21

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cajamarca $26
    Puerto Montt $14

Tours and Activities in Cajamarca

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

  • || Tour of the Cajamarca Valley - San Nicolás lagoon ||: $40
  • Sulluscocha Extreme Adventure |Atv, Canopy, Climbing|: $65
  • Sulluscocha Extreme Adventure |Atv, Canopy, Climbing|: $65
  • City Tour: $67
  • 3-Day Guided Cultural Tour of Cajamarca with Transportation: $202

Tours and Activities in Puerto Montt

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

  • Frutillar Tour: $31
  • Half day Llanquihue and Frutillar City tour : $44
  • Private Tour: Puerto Montt Sightseeing: $47
  • Frutillar & Llanquihue Tour from Puerto Montt: $56
  • Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls Guided Tour: $62
  • Osorno Volcano Tour+Petrohue Falls / Cruises / Spanish: $68
  • Alerce Andino National Park/Alerce Millenario/Cruises: $77
  • Excursion City tour Puerto Varas / Llanquihue and Frutillar: $77
  • Private. City Tour Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas: $92
  • Austral / Hornopiren Road Tour: $102
  • Frutillar & Llanquihue Private Tour from Puerto Montt: $128
  • 6 Hours Shared Tour in Calbuco and Millennial Forest : $130

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cajamarca $16
    Puerto Montt $4.49


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cajamarca and Puerto Montt, we can see that Puerto Montt is more expensive. And not only is Cajamarca much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cajamarca would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cajamarca 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 Cajamarca.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cajamarca Expensive? and Is Puerto Montt Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Cajamarca or Puerto Montt?

Puerto Montt has a larger population, and is about 19% larger than the population of Cajamarca. When comparing the sizes of Cajamarca 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.