A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Cali vs. Cafayate for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Cali or Cafayate?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Cali and Cafayate can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Cali or Cafayate?

Cali

Cali is Colombia's third largest city. Founded in 1536, can be explored on foot: walk under the shade of trees along the riverbank, admire the architecture of churches and other national monuments, and visit the city's many museums. Being the salsa capital of the world, Cali is primarily a destination for salsa and party but it also offers some great days out in the nearby natural surroundings. In Cali, travelers can enjoy music festivals, learn about sugarcane farming, and take in the mountainous landscapes.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bogota, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Colombia, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires.


Which place is cheaper, Cafayate or Cali?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Cali is $25, while the average daily cost in Cafayate is $12. 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 Cali and Cafayate in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cali $6.04
    Cafayate $4.50
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cali $12
    Cafayate $9.00
Compare Hotels in Cali and Cafayate

Looking for a hotel in Cali or Cafayate? 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 Cali


Hotels in Cafayate


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: Cali Hotel Prices and Cafayate Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cali $5.65
    Cafayate $2.44
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cali

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cali:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $1.00

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cali

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

  • Cali to Popayan Private Transfer: $272
  • Cali to Popayan Private Transfer: $272
  • Departure Private Transfer from Cali City to Cali Airport CLO by Minibus: $171
  • City Highlights Private Bus Tour with Transfer: $150
  • National Park Waterfalls Tour with Lunch & Transfer: $115
  • Arrival Transfer from Cali Airport CLO to Cali City by MiniSuv: $98
  • From Cali Airport: One-way Privater Transfer to Cali: $58
  • RoundTrip Transfer in Private Minivan Cali Airport (CLO) - Cali City: $51
  • Alfonso B.Aragon Airport (CLO) to Cali/Palmira-RoundTrip Transfer: $48
  • Airport Transfers Cali (per way): $34
  • Transfer in Private Minivan from Cali Airport (CLO) - Cali City: $25
  • Alfonso Aragon Airport CLO to Cali Palmira Arrival Transfer: $24

Is it cheaper to fly into Cali or Cafayate?

Prices for flights to both Cafayate and Cali 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
    Cali $8.60
    Cafayate $4.91

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cali

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

  • Alameda Market Cali Food Tour: $14
  • Street Food Tour: $21
  • Alameda Market Food Tour: $55
  • Flavors of Food tour at the local market: $59

Typical Food Prices in Cafayate

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Cafayate:


  • Dinner (Empanadas)
    $0.02
  • Sandwich
    $0.01
  • Pizza
    $0.02

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cali $11
    Cafayate $5.28

Tours and Activities in Cali

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

  • 4 Hours Private River Tour to Pance Cali Colombia : $60
  • A day to enjoy nature and have an adventure in the Jordan river: $65
  • Cali ATV tours - Take your adrenaline to the maximum on the road: $159
  • Cali Bike Park Tour: $95
  • Cali City Tour - The Best Of Cali In Comfort: $53
  • Cali City Tour by 3 Hours (transportation + guide): $182
  • Cali City Tour by 5 Hours (transportation + guide): $251
  • Cali City Tour by 8 Hours (transportation + guide): $374
  • Cali Downtown Walking Tour: $56
  • Cali Mountain Bike Tour: $95
  • Cali Salsa & Resistance Street Art Tour: $14
  • Cali Salsa Tour: Learn the history, dance and play instruments: $15

Tours and Activities in Cafayate

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cafayate.

  • From Salta: Cafayate, Cachi, & Hornocal 3-Day Tour: $136
  • From Salta: Cafayate, Humahuaca & Salinas Grandes 3-Day Tour: $106
  • From Salta: Cafayate, Salinas Grandes, & Hornocal Tour: $128
  • From Salta: Full-Day Wine and Valley Tour to Cafayate: $67
  • From Salta: Local Landscape, Winery, and Culture Tour: $134
  • Half-Day Wine Road Premium Tour From Cafayate: $68
  • Tour Quebrada De Las Conchas - Cafayate - Salta: $25

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cali $8.51
    Cafayate $4.96


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cali and Cafayate, we can see that Cali 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 Cali would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cali 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 Cali Expensive? and Is Cafayate Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Cali or Cafayate?

Cali has a larger population, and is about 200 times larger than the population of Cafayate. When comparing the sizes of Cali and Cafayate, 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.