Which place is cheaper, Puerto Montt or Cali?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cali or Puerto Montt?
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 Puerto Montt 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 Puerto Montt?
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.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bogota, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Colombia, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCali $25Puerto Montt $89
The average daily cost (per person) in Cali is $25, 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 Cali and Puerto Montt in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCali $6.16Puerto Montt $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCali $12Puerto Montt $122
Compare Hotels in Cali and Puerto Montt
Looking for a hotel in Cali 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.
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 Puerto Montt Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cali $5.76Puerto Montt $6.43
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cali
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cali:
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Short Taxi Ride$1.02
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cali
Also for Cali, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airport : $17
- Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airpot One Way Transfer: $19
- Transfer in Private Car from Cali Airport (CLO) -Cali City: $22
- Alfonso Airport CLO to Cali or Palmira Hotels Arrival Transfer: $24
- Alfonso Aragon Airport CLO to Cali Palmira Arrival Transfer: $24
- Cali/Palmira to Alfonso B.Aragon Airport (CLO) - Private Transfer: $24
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Cali City- Cali Airport (CLO): $25
- Airport Transfers Cali (per way): $34
- Alfonso B.Aragon Airport (CLO) to Cali/Palmira-RoundTrip Transfer: $48
- RoundTrip Transfer in Private Minivan Cali Airport (CLO) - Cali City: $51
- From Cali Airport: One-way Privater Transfer to Cali: $58
- National Park Waterfalls Tour with Lunch & Transfer: $114
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Montt
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Montt:
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas: $50
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Frutillar: $80
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Castro: $300
- Transfer Puerto Montt Airport to Castro: $277
- Puerto Tepual Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas - Arrival Transfer: $21
- Puerto Montt Shuttle Transfer: $34
- Puerto Montt El Tepual Airport (PMC) to Pucon - Arrival Transfer: $114
- Puerto Montt Departure Transfer from Hotel: $23
- Puerto Montt Airport(PMC) to Frutillar - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- Puerto Montt Airport(PMC) to Frutillar - Arrival Private Transfer: $21
- Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $41
- Puerto Montt Airport Arrival Transfer to Hotel in Puerto Varas: $24
Is it cheaper to fly into Cali or Puerto Montt?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Montt 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
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Food Meals for one dayCali $8.77Puerto Montt $21
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
- Patio Santo Style Rumba Dinner: $168
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cali $11Puerto Montt $14
Tours and Activities in Cali
For Cali, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cali's Cultural and Historical Walking Tour: $14
- Cali Salsa Tour: Learn the history, dance and play instruments: $15
- Cali Salsa & Resistance Street Art Tour: $16
- Walking Tour in the Historic Center of Cali City: $25
- The Cali Street Food Walking Tour: $30
- Cali Bike Tour: $32
- Medicinal Plant Private Tour in La Galeria Alameda of Cali: $35
- Coffee Tasting Experience in Cali Colombia : $35
- Walking Tour: $35
- Private half day tour in Siloé Cali: $35
- Walking tour of the historic center: $37
- Private Relaxing Massage Experience in Cali: $43
Tours and Activities in Puerto Montt
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Montt are as follows:
- 6 Hours Shared Tour in Calbuco and Millennial Forest : $130
- Alerce Andino National Park/Alerce Millenario/Cruises: $77
- Austral / Hornopiren Road Tour: $102
- Excursion City tour Puerto Varas / Llanquihue and Frutillar: $77
- Frutillar & Llanquihue Private Tour from Puerto Montt: $128
- Frutillar & Llanquihue Tour from Puerto Montt: $56
- Frutillar Tour: $31
- Osorno Volcano Tour+Petrohue Falls / Cruises / Spanish: $68
- Private Day tour Petrohue Falls, Osorno Volcano & Puerto Varas: $250
- Private Shore Excursion Tour to Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas and Frutillar: $143
- Private Tour: Puerto Montt Sightseeing: $47
- Private Tour: Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas and Vicente Peres Rosales National Park: $164
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCali $8.68Puerto Montt $4.49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cali and Puerto Montt, we can see that Puerto Montt is more expensive. And not only is Cali much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cali would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cali 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 Cali.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cali Expensive? and Is Puerto Montt Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cali or Puerto Montt?
Cali has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Puerto Montt. When comparing the sizes of Cali 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.
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.