A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Montanita vs. Cajamarca for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Montanita or Cajamarca?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Montanita or Cajamarca, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Montanita or Cajamarca?

Montanita

Montanita is a small village located on Manglaralto parish along the southern coast of Ecuador. The Pacific Coast of Ecuador is lined with beach towns, either small villages with local fisherman or larger towns more set up for foreign travellers like Montanita. With one of the best beaches in Ecuador, one of the best surf breaks in the region, and a great laid-back atmosphere Montanita is a great little getaway, especially for the hippies of the world. It has also become a popular weekend destination for English teachers and Spanish students coming from Guayaquil and Quito. The beachfront village of Montanita has a laid-back atmosphere and steady stream of cosmopolitan backpackers, with as many South Americans as gringos.

Cajamarca

Located in the northern highlands of Peru, Cajamarca is a town of about 100,000 people. The city's mild weather and fertile soil is ideal for agriculture, which is a major industry in the area. The city is also well known for its cheeses and dairy products. Cajamarca is the site of the Battle of Cajamarca which led to the execution of the Inca emperor Atahualpa and the end of the infamous Inca empire. Today, the area is appealing to visitors in part because of its lovely churches, nice hot springs, and interesting Inca Baths.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Ecuador, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ecuador, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Peru, and The Best Cultural Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Cajamarca or Montanita?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Montanita is $96, while the average daily cost in Cajamarca is $69. 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 Montanita and Cajamarca in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Montanita $41
    Cajamarca $24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Montanita $82
    Cajamarca $48
Compare Hotels in Montanita and Cajamarca

Looking for a hotel in Montanita or Cajamarca? 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 Montanita


Hotels in Cajamarca


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.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Montanita $39
    Cajamarca $17

Is it cheaper to fly into Montanita or Cajamarca?

Prices for flights to both Cajamarca and Montanita 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
    Montanita $28
    Cajamarca $28

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Montanita $31
    Cajamarca $26

Tours and Activities in Cajamarca

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

  • 3-Day Guided Cultural Tour of Cajamarca with Transportation: $202
  • City Tour: $67
  • Sulluscocha Extreme Adventure |Atv, Canopy, Climbing|: $65
  • || Tour of the Cajamarca Valley - San Nicolás lagoon ||: $40

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Montanita $7.86
    Cajamarca $16


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montanita and Cajamarca, we can see that Montanita is more expensive. And not only is Cajamarca much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cajamarca would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cajamarca 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 Montanita would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montanita than you might in Cajamarca.

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