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

Should you visit Manaus or Puerto Natales?

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

Should I visit Manaus 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: Manaus or Puerto Natales?

Manaus

Manaus is a Brazilian city, capital of the state of Amazonas, and is located on the Rio Negro a few miles before it meets the Rio Solimões to form the Amazon River. The city is a major departure point for those visiting the Amazon Rainforest, though there are a few sights worth seeing within the city itself as well.

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 Tours for Seniors to Brazil, The Best Contiki Tours to Brazil, The Best Adventure Tours to Chile, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Natales or Manaus?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Manaus is $59, 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 Manaus and Puerto Natales in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Manaus $42
    Puerto Natales $38
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Manaus $84
    Puerto Natales $76
Compare Hotels in Manaus and Puerto Natales

Looking for a hotel in Manaus 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 Manaus


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: Manaus Hotel Prices and Puerto Natales Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Manaus $7.94
    Puerto Natales $19

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manaus

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

  • Manaus to Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) -Departure Private Transfer: $21
  • 24-hour hotel transfer - airport in Manaus: $17
  • 24-hour private group transfer service airport -> hotel: $95
  • Manaus Airport (MAO) to Manaus hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $24
  • Manaus Airport(MAO) to Manaus hotels- Round-Trip Private Transfer: $48
  • Manaus hotels to Manaus Airport(MAO) - Departure Private Transfer: $24
  • Manaus private Airport transfer: $30
  • Manaus to Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) - Departure Private Transfer: $23
  • Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) to Manaus - Arrival Private Transfer: $21
  • Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) to Manaus - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
  • Private 24-hour transfer from the Hotel to the Airport in Manaus: $16
  • Private Transfer - Airport - Hotel / Hotel - Airport: $34

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Natales

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Natales:

  • From Torres del Paine Tour with Transfer: $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Manaus or Puerto Natales?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Natales and Manaus 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
    Manaus $12
    Puerto Natales $28

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manaus

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

  • Folklore Amazonian Dinner Show: $42
  • Food Tour: $50

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.
    Manaus -
    Puerto Natales $29

Tours and Activities in Manaus

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

  • Walking Tours in Manaus: $15
  • Like a Local Customized Guided Welcome Tour: $30
  • Manaus City Tour e Musa: $50
  • MUSA and INPA Museums with Observation Tower Tour: $50
  • City Tour in Manaus at Teatro Amazonas and Praça da Matriz: $50
  • Half-Day City Tour: $54
  • Full-Day Tour on the Amazon River: $55
  • Amazon Negro River Half-Day Expedition Tour: $55
  • Manaus Sightseeing Tour: $64
  • Solimoes River Piranha Fishing and Alligator Watching Tour: $66
  • Tour to Presidente Figueiredo Waterfalls: $68
  • Amazon Waterfalls Tour: $70

Tours and Activities in Puerto Natales

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

  • 2 Imperdible Tours Torres del Paine and Perito Moreno: $300
  • Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers Boat Tour and traditional lunch.: $199
  • Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers Sightseeing Cruise from Puerto Natales: $224
  • City Bike Tour in Puerto Natales: $58
  • From Torres del Paine National Park Day Tour: $80
  • Full Day Patagonia Tour from Puerto Natales: $100
  • Full Day Torres del Paine Tour: $99
  • Full Day Tour to Torres del Paine National Park: $92
  • Full day Torres del Paine Shared Tour From Puerto Natales only: $199
  • Full day tour Torres del Paine + Milodon cave: $88
  • Full-Day Hiking Tour to the Base of Paine Towers at Torres del Paine National Park: $189
  • Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park from Puerto Natales: $143

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Manaus $2.84
    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 Manaus and Puerto Natales, we can see that Puerto Natales is more expensive. And not only is Manaus much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Manaus would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Manaus 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 Manaus.

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


Which is Bigger, Manaus or Puerto Natales?

Manaus has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Puerto Natales. When comparing the sizes of Manaus 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.