Should you visit Cajamarca or Puerto Natales?
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 Natales can help you decide which place is right for you.
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 Natales
Puerto Natales is a beautiful town located in the Chilean Patagonia on the Senoret Channel. The city is often used as a base camp for trips to the surrounding national parks due to their plentiful restaurant options and access to internet. Puerto Natales is also known for being the base city to the Torres del Paine National Park, which was named the 5th most beautiful place in the world by National Geographic.
Which city is cheaper, Puerto Natales or Cajamarca?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cajamarca is $54, while the average daily cost in Puerto Natales 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Cajamarca and Puerto Natales in more detail.
Accommodation
Cajamarca's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $38. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $19.
Puerto Natales's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $80. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $40.
Food
The average traveler spends about $22 per day in Cajamarca for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
Puerto Natales food costs typically run travelers around $29 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Cajamarca $22
Puerto Natales $29
Typical Food prices in Puerto Natales
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Puerto Natales:
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Cake
$1.38
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Dinner
$24
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Coke
$1.38
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Cajamarca is $13 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $20 per day to get around in Puerto Natales.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Natales
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Natales:
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Puerto Natales Airport Private Transfer:
$19
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Shared Transfer From Puerto Natales To Villa Serrano And Lago Grey Round Trip Or One Way:
$55
Entertainment
Cajamarca's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $20 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $31 per person, per day in Puerto Natales. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Cajamarca
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Cajamarca are as follows:
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Cajamarca city tour - Private tour:
$47
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Inca's Bath - Private tour:
$52
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Ventanillas de Otuzco - private tour:
$53
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Tour of the Port of Callao and fort Real Felipe:
$60
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Cumbemayo, the stone forest - Private tour:
$75
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Porcón farm - Private tour:
$76
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3-Day Guided Cultural Tour of Cajamarca with Transportation:
$189
Tours and Activities in Puerto Natales
Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Natales for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Bus ticket to El Calafate, Argentina:
$44
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Excursion City Tour By Bike:
$45
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Bus ticket from Puerto Natales (Chile) to El Calafate (Argentina):
$56
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Puerto Natales Sightseeing Bike Tour:
$60
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City Bike Tour in Puerto Natales:
$66
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Full day tour Torres del Paine:
$67
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Full day tour Torres del Paine:
$71
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Full-Day Tour to Torres del Paine National Park from Puerto Natales(First Class):
$98
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Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park from Puerto Natales:
$155
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Full-Day Hiking Tour to the Base of Paine Towers at Torres del Paine National Park:
$160
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Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers Sightseeing Cruise from Puerto Natales:
$173
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Private Tour: Torres del Paine National Park and Milodon Cave with Lunch:
$372
Alcohol
The average person spends about $13 on alcoholic beverages in Cajamarca per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Puerto Natales may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $18 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typical Alcohol prices in Puerto Natales
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Puerto Natales:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cajamarca and Puerto Natales, we can see that Puerto Natales 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 Natales would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Natales than you might in Cajamarca.
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