Which place is cheaper, Punta Arenas or Granada?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Granada or Punta Arenas?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Granada and Punta Arenas. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Granada or Punta Arenas?
Granada
Granada is Nicaragua's oldest colonial city, and arguably, the most beautiful city in the country. It sits on the northern edge of Lake Nicaragua (Lago Cocibolca) and has many beautifully colored buildings and nice churches. The city's beauty and colonial architecture, along with its relative safety and accessibility, make it one of Nicaragua's top tourist destinations. The city has long been a center for commerce, but today its economy depends heavily on tourism. The city is the sixth largest in Nicaragua and a real estate boom in the early 2000's brought a large number of expats to the town.
Punta Arenas
Punta Arenas is in the far south of Chile and has a long history of maritime commerce, oil extraction, and sheep farming. It's the most populated city on the Strait of Magellan and has all the facilities you might need as a traveler, including banks, markets, drugstores and equipment shops. With a population of about 130,000, the city is a comfortable place to spend time. It serves as a base for Antarctic expeditions, although many expeditions also start in Ushuaia, Argentina, and Christchurch New Zealand.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGranada $40Punta Arenas $63
The average daily cost (per person) in Granada is $40, while the average daily cost in Punta Arenas is $63. 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 Granada and Punta Arenas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGranada $17Punta Arenas $32
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGranada $34Punta Arenas $64
Compare Hotels in Granada and Punta Arenas
Looking for a hotel in Granada or Punta Arenas? 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: Granada Hotel Prices and Punta Arenas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Granada $8.57Punta Arenas $1.80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:
- One-Way Private Transfer From/To Airport or Hotels in Granada: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta Arenas
Also for Punta Arenas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer Punta Arenas Airport to/from Punta Arenas: $33
- Punta Arenas Airport (PUQ) to Punta Arenas - Arrival Transfer: $49
- Private Transfer from Punta Arenas Port to Punta Arenas hotels: $64
- Transfer from Punta Arenas (city or airport) to Puerto Natales: $267
Is it cheaper to fly into Granada or Punta Arenas?
Prices for flights to both Punta Arenas and Granada 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 dayGranada $14Punta Arenas $21
Typical Food Prices in Granada
Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:
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Pizza$2.29
Typical Food Prices in Punta Arenas
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Punta Arenas:
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Donut$1.05
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Dinner$25
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Granada $10Punta Arenas $6.44
Typical Entertainment Prices in Granada
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Granada are as follows:
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Lago de Nicaragua Boat Tour$8.17
Tours and Activities in Granada
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Granada are as follows:
- Bird Watching Tour: $90
- Boat Tour and Granada City Tour: $120
- Charming Granada Outdoor "Private Tour" : $92
- Experience Granadas Best Sights Carriage ride + Local Guide: $65
- Fabulous Night Tour in Masaya Volcano from Granada: $158
- From Full-Day Tour to 6 Attractions with Lunch incl: $125
- Full Day Tour Isletas + Pueblos Blancos + Laguna from Granada: $120
- Full Day Tour in Granada with Volcano Visit: $224
- Full-Day Tour: Masaya Volcano, Art Market and White Villages: $60
- Granada City Tour: $40
- Granada Colonial City Tour and Masaya Volcano: $130
- Granada Kayak Tour: $30
Tours and Activities in Punta Arenas
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Punta Arenas.
- City Sightseeing and Monuments Guided Tour: $52
- Regular city cruise tour: $65
- Fort Bulnes cruises: $70
- Bike Tour in Punta Arenas, 100% local tour.: $70
- Punta Arenas Sightseeing Tour: $72
- King Penguin & Tierra del Fuego Tour: $145
- King Penguin & Tierra del Fuego Tour: $145
- Magdalena Island Penguin Tour by Boat from Punta Arenas: $153
- Punta Arenas Private City Tour Shore Excursion: $155
- Magallanes Reserva and City Tour. Private Shore Excursion.: $158
- Full day Torres del Paine from Punta Arenas ,Regular tours: $180
- Mountain Bike Adventure in Punta Arenas: $192
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGranada $7.50Punta Arenas $4.86
Typical Alcohol Prices in Granada
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Granada:
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Tequila$1.36
Typical Alcohol Prices in Punta Arenas
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Punta Arenas:
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Alcohol$7.34
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Granada and Punta Arenas, we can see that Punta Arenas is more expensive. And not only is Granada much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Granada is in Central America and Punta Arenas is in South America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Granada would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Granada 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 Punta Arenas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Punta Arenas than you might in Granada.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Granada Expensive? and Is Punta Arenas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Granada or Punta Arenas?
Punta Arenas has a larger population, and is about 31% larger than the population of Granada. When comparing the sizes of Granada and Punta Arenas, 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.
When is the best time to visit Granada or Punta Arenas?
Punta Arenas has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Granada experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Granada or Punta Arenas in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Granada as well as Punta Arenas. Granada attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Granada is much warmer than Punta Arenas in the summer. The daily temperature in Granada averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and Punta Arenas fluctuates around 11°C (52°F)in January.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Punta Arenas. In the summer, Granada often gets less sunshine than Punta Arenasin January. Granada gets 175 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Punta Arenas receives 208 hours of full sun.
Granada receives a lot of rain in the summer. Granada usually gets more rain in July than Punta Arenasin January. Granada gets 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain, while Punta Arenas receives 39 mm (1.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryGranada 27°C (81°F)Punta Arenas 11°C (52°F)
Should I visit Granada or Punta Arenas in the Autumn?
Both Punta Arenas and Granada are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Granada throughout the year.
In the autumn, Granada is much warmer than Punta Arenas. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Granada in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Punta Arenas averages at about 7°C (44°F)in April.
Granada usually receives more sunshine than Punta Arenas during autumn. Granada gets 195 hours of sunny skies, while Punta Arenas receives 119 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It's quite rainy in Granada. In October, Granada usually receives more rain than Punta Arenasin April. Granada gets 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain, while Punta Arenas receives 36 mm (1.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilGranada 27°C (81°F)Punta Arenas 7°C (44°F)
Should I visit Granada or Punta Arenas in the Winter?
Both Punta Arenas and Granada during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Granada because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Punta Arenas can be very cold during winter. In January, Granada is generally much warmer than Punta Arenasin July. Daily temperatures in Granada average around 26°C (79°F), and Punta Arenas fluctuates around 1°C (35°F).
It's quite sunny in Granada. In the winter, Granada often gets more sunshine than Punta Arenasin July. Granada gets 244 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Punta Arenas receives 70 hours of full sun.
Granada usually gets less rain in January than Punta Arenasin July. Granada gets 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Punta Arenas receives 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyGranada 26°C (79°F)Punta Arenas 1°C (35°F)
Should I visit Granada or Punta Arenas in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Granada and Punta Arenas. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Granada year-round.
Granada is much warmer than Punta Arenas in the spring. The daily temperature in Granada averages around 29°C (84°F) in April, and Punta Arenas fluctuates around 7°C (44°F)in October.
In Granada, it's very sunny this time of the year. Granada usually receives more sunshine than Punta Arenas during spring. Granada gets 242 hours of sunny skies, while Punta Arenas receives 183 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Granada usually receives less rain than Punta Arenasin October. Granada gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Punta Arenas receives 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberGranada 29°C (84°F)Punta Arenas 7°C (44°F)
Typical Weather for Punta Arenas and Granada
| Granada | Punta Arenas | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (80°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (84°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) |
| May | 29°C (84°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 4°C (39°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 196 mm (7.7 in) | 2°C (35°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 144 mm (5.7 in) | 1°C (35°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 151 mm (5.9 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 210 mm (8.3 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 24 mm (0.9 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 197 mm (7.8 in) | 7°C (44°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) |
| Nov | 31°C (88°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) |
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.