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

Should you visit Medellin or Puerto Natales?

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

Should I visit Medellin 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: Medellin or Puerto Natales?

Medellin

In addition to big improvements in public safety, Medellin has witnessed a huge surge in urban development projects, including Colombia's first metro system and cable cars to service poorer neighborhoods located high on the mountain sides. There is an abundance of parks, libraries, museums and public spaces with many cultural events taking place. Many travelers also enjoy visiting the surrounding villages, where life is simple and landscapes and nature reserves are wonderful. Medellin has now become one of the "it" cities in the world, with tons of tourists visiting and foreigners settling and retiring here. Beautiful mountains, warm weather, friendly locals, and a vibrant culture are just a few of the reasons why you should visit Medellin.

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 Colombia, The Best Eco Tours in Colombia, The Best Adventure Tours to Chile, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Natales or Medellin?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Medellin is $22, while the average daily cost in Puerto Natales is $82. 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 Medellin and Puerto Natales in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Medellin $4.66
    Puerto Natales $37
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Medellin $9.32
    Puerto Natales $74
Compare Hotels in Medellin and Puerto Natales

Looking for a hotel in Medellin 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 Medellin


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: Medellin Hotel Prices and Puerto Natales Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Medellin $4.06
    Puerto Natales $19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Medellin

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Medellin:


  • Taxi
    $1.62

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Medellin

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Medellin:

  • Arrival Private Transfer from Medellin Airport to City by MiniSuv: $98
  • Downtown hotels to Medellin Airport (MDE) - Departure Transfer: $21
  • Medellín Airport shuttle - Airport Transfer: $25
  • Medellín to or from Guatapé Private Transfer: $63
  • Medellin Airport (MDE) to Downtown hotels - Arrival Transfer: $21
  • Medellin Airport (MDE) to Downtown hotels - Round-Trip Transfer: $42
  • Medellin Airport MDE to Downtown Arrival Private Transfer: $21
  • Medellin to Jose Maria Cordova Airport (MDE) - Departure Transfer: $21
  • Medellin to Olaya Herrera Airport(EOH)-Departure Private Transfer: $28
  • MiniSuv Departure Transfer from Medellin City to Medellin Airport: $98
  • Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH) to Medellin - Round-trip transfer: $55
  • PRIVATE Transfer Jose Maria Cordova Airport - Up to 10 People: $90

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Natales

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Natales:

  • From Torres del Paine Tour with Transfer: $65
  • Puerto Natales Airport Private Transfer: $18

Is it cheaper to fly into Medellin or Puerto Natales?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Natales and Medellin 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
    Medellin $9.43
    Puerto Natales $27
Typical Food Prices in Medellin

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


  • Lunch
    $2.06

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Medellin

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

  • Cooking Class Preparing Colombian Empanadas: $39
  • Sabor Colombiano Cooking Studio: $60
  • Community project cooking class and Medellin social transformation tour: $66
  • Homemade Paisa Dinner at a Local's Home in Medellín: $69
  • Half-Day Food Tour Visiting the Best Viewpoints in Medellín!: $75
  • Private tour: Street food tour, Eat like a Local in Medellin!: $85
  • Combo Tour: Street Art, Christmas Lights and Food Tour in Medellin: $131
  • Medellin Historical and Food Tour with Fernando Botero´s Plaza: $140
  • Comuna 13, Fruit & Street Food Tour: $166
  • Private tour: Medellin City – Pablo Escobar and Food Tour: $166
  • Combo Tour: Dark days & Christmas tour Including Lunch or Dinner: $166
  • A Night Out in Medellin with Dinner and Drinks Included: $175

Typical Food Prices in Puerto Natales

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


  • Cake
    $1.02
  • Dinner
    $18
  • Coke
    $1.02

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Medellin $13
    Puerto Natales $28

Tours and Activities in Medellin

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

  • Guided Nightlife Tour of Comuna Trece in Medellin : $5.00
  • Skip the Line: Museum of Antioquia Admission Ticket: $7.20
  • Shared Tour of El Poblado "Sin Taboos" in Medellin: $13
  • Shared Tour of the Historical and Cultural Center of Medellín: $13
  • Virtual Tour: Colonial Santa Fe de Antioquia: $14
  • Graffiti Tour | Comuna 13: $15
  • Walking Historical tour of Medellín, walking reality.: $15
  • Comuna 13 Tour. Graffiti Tour Medellín (Graffitour): $17
  • Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour And Enjoy Photos y Videos with Dron: $19
  • Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour and Street Food: $20
  • Comuna 13 History and Graffiti Tour with Cable Car: $20
  • Storytellers Tours: $21

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
  • Cerro Dorotea 8x8 Tour with Panoramic Views: $70
  • Patagonia: Torres del Paine Full-Day Guided Tour: $75
  • 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
  • Torres del Paine Park Full-Day Tour from Puerto Natales: $89
  • Full-Day Torres del Paine Tour: $90
  • Full Day Tour to Torres del Paine National Park: $92
  • Full day tour Torres del Paine: $93

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Medellin $7.07
    Puerto Natales $17

Sample the Local Flavors in Medellin

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

  • Live the Nightlife Rooftop Pub Crawl : $49
  • Medellin Private Bar Crawl: $89
  • Medellin Pub Crawl Including Food and City Tour: $139

Typical Alcohol Prices in Puerto Natales

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


  • Alcohol
    $12


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

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


Which is Bigger, Medellin or Puerto Natales?

Medellin has a larger population, and is about 100 times larger than the population of Puerto Natales. When comparing the sizes of Medellin 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.