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

Should you visit La Ceiba or Puerto Natales?

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

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 La Ceiba and Puerto Natales can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: La Ceiba or Puerto Natales?

La Ceiba

La Ceiba is the third largest city in Honduras, situated on the north Caribbean coast. The city has a population of about a quarter million people. Many people who visit this city do so before heading into Pico Bonito National Park. It hasn't had the best infrastructure for tourists in the past but is developing fast. It is about 200 kilometers from San Pedro Sula, another large city in Honduras.

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 The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Chile, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Natales or La Ceiba?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in La Ceiba is $65, while the average daily cost in Puerto Natales is $84. 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 La Ceiba and Puerto Natales in more detail.



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

Looking for a hotel in La Ceiba 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 La Ceiba


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: La Ceiba Hotel Prices and Puerto Natales Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    La Ceiba $32
    Puerto Natales $19

Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Ceiba

Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Ceiba:

  • Private Transfer from Goloson Airport (LCE) to Banana Coast Port: $78
  • Private Transfer from La Ceiba hotels to Banana Coast Cruise Port: $78

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Natales

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Natales:

  • Puerto Natales Airport Private Transfer: $18
  • From Torres del Paine Tour with Transfer: $80

Is it cheaper to fly into La Ceiba or Puerto Natales?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Natales and La Ceiba 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
    La Ceiba $18
    Puerto Natales $28

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.
    La Ceiba $22
    Puerto Natales $29

Tours and Activities in La Ceiba

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Ceiba are as follows:

  • ATV Tour : $110

Tours and Activities in Puerto Natales

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

  • Bus ticket to El Calafate, Argentina: $44
  • City Bike Tour in Puerto Natales: $58
  • Puerto Natales Sightseeing Bike Tour: $62
  • From Torres del Paine National Park Day Tour: $80
  • Torres del Paine Full Day Tour: $87
  • Full day tour Torres del Paine + Milodon cave: $88
  • Full-Day Torres del Paine Tour: $90
  • Full Day Tour to Torres del Paine National Park: $92
  • Full day tour Torres del Paine: $93
  • Torres del Paine Park Full-Day Tour from Puerto Natales: $95
  • Full Day Torres del Paine Tour: $99
  • Full Day Patagonia Tour from Puerto Natales: $100

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    La Ceiba $5.16
    Puerto Natales $17

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 La Ceiba and Puerto Natales, we can see that Puerto Natales is more expensive. And not only is La Ceiba much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Ceiba 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 La Ceiba would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Ceiba 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 La Ceiba.

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


Which is Bigger, La Ceiba or Puerto Natales?

La Ceiba has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Puerto Natales. When comparing the sizes of La Ceiba 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.