A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Guatemala City vs. Puerto Natales for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Guatemala City or Puerto Natales?

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

Should I visit Guatemala City or Puerto Natales? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Guatemala City or Puerto Natales?

Guatemala City

Referred to by the locals as "Guate," Guatemala City is the largest and most modern city in Guatemala, as well as its capital. While the atmosphere of the place is big, dirty, and dangerous with city fumes and skyscrapers, it is the hub of the country. It is the place where travelers first step foot into Guatemala and, though it is a place of modern chaos, it does have some of the best galleries and museums as well as a selection of bars, cafes, and restaurants.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Guatemala, The Best Adventure Tours to Guatemala, The Best Luxury Tours to Chile, and The Best Budget Tours to Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Natales or Guatemala City?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Guatemala City Prices
    Guatemala Prices
    Puerto Natales Prices
    Chile Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Guatemala City $56
    Puerto Natales $105

The average daily cost (per person) in Guatemala City is $56, while the average daily cost in Puerto Natales is $105. 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 Guatemala City and Puerto Natales in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Guatemala City $24
    Puerto Natales $38
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Guatemala City $48
    Puerto Natales $76
Compare Hotels in Guatemala City and Puerto Natales

Looking for a hotel in Guatemala City or Puerto Natales? 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 Guatemala City


Hotels in Puerto Natales


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: Guatemala City Hotel Prices and Puerto Natales Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Guatemala City $6.25
    Puerto Natales $19

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guatemala City

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guatemala City:

  • Airport Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $33
  • Guatemala Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $56
  • Guatemala City Airport (GUA) to Quetzaltenango-Arrival Transfer: $167
  • Private Airport Transfer La Aurora airport to Guatemala: $26
  • Private Airport Transfer from Guatemala to La Aurora airport: $26
  • Private Airport Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $25
  • Private Arrival Transfer: La Aurora International Airport to Antigua Hotel: $35
  • Private Ground Transfer Airport - Antigua Guatemala: $25
  • Private Ground Transfer Guatemala City To Panajachel, LakeAtitlan: $80
  • Private Transfer - Guatemala Airport (GUA) to Puerto Quetzal Port: $209
  • Private Transfer From La Aurora AirPort to Panajachel Atitlan : $67
  • Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Antigua: $74

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Natales

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Natales:

  • Private transfer Airport x Lodging (Puerto Natales): $25
  • Puerto Natales Airport Private Transfer: $30
  • Private Transfer Airport x Hotels inside the TORRES DEL PAINE Park: $100
  • Private Transfer: From Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales: $422

Is it cheaper to fly into Guatemala City or Puerto Natales?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Natales and Guatemala City 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
    Guatemala City $27
    Puerto Natales $48

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guatemala City

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guatemala City.

  • PRIVATE MAYAN COOKING CLASS WITH CHEF EN Guatemala City: $65
  • Small-Group Cooking Class in Antigua from Guatemala City: $120
  • Pacaya Volcano Vistas + Enjoy Pizza Surrounded by The Volcano: $175
  • Antigua Market, Cooking Class and Choco Museum from Guatemala City: $188

Typical Food Prices in Puerto Natales

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Puerto Natales:


  • Cake
    $1.05
  • Dinner
    $18
  • Coke
    $1.05

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Guatemala City $1.22
    Puerto Natales $29

Tours and Activities in Guatemala City

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

  • Half Day Guatemala City Tour: $27
  • 2-Hour Culture and Historical Tour From Guatemala: $29
  • Half Day Antigua Guatemala Tour: $30
  • Guatemala city Walking Tour and public bus: $30
  • Walking Tour of Guatemala City's Historical Center: $35
  • Graffiti Walking Tour in 4 Grados Norte Guatemala City : $35
  • Private Tour: Antigua Guatemala Walking Tour from Antigua Guatemala: $35
  • Guatemala city walking tour on afternoon 14.00, 2 persons and up: $39
  • Private Tour in the Historic Center of Guatemala City: $45
  • City walking tour Guatemala City and Relieff Map: $47
  • Private Night City Photo Tour in Guatemala: $50
  • Historical and natural bike tour in Guatemala City: $50

Tours and Activities in Puerto Natales

Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Natales for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • City Bike Tour through Puerto Natales: $65
  • Historical Tour: $65
  • Full-Day Torres del Paine Tour: $77
  • Full Day Guided Tour in Torres del Paine and Milodon Cave: $80
  • Torres del Paine Full Day Tour: $80
  • Cerro Dorotea 8x8 Tour with Panoramic Views: $80
  • Torres del Paine Park Full-Day Tour from Puerto Natales: $83
  • Torres del Paine : Full day Panoramic Tour: $83
  • Torres del Paine Full Day Tour: $85
  • Full day tour Torres del Paine: $86
  • Full Day Tour to Torres del Paine National Park: $92
  • Torres del Paine & Milodon cave day tour from Puerto Natales : $92

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Guatemala City $6.93
    Puerto Natales $17

Sample the Local Flavors in Guatemala City

Also in Guatemala City, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Guatemala City Legends Tour + Craft Beers at El Cadejo Brewery: $105

Typical Alcohol Prices in Puerto Natales

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Puerto Natales:


  • Alcohol
    $13


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

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


Which is Bigger, Guatemala City or Puerto Natales?

Guatemala City has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Puerto Natales. When comparing the sizes of Guatemala City and Puerto Natales, 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.