Which place is cheaper, Ensenada or Puerto Natales?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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 Puerto Natales and Ensenada can help you decide which place is right for you.
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.
Ensenada is on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, south of Tijuana. It's the only deep water port in the state of Baja California and as such, it is an important commerical fishing port as well as a cruise ship destination. The city has a population of almost 500,000 and is located just 78 miles south of San Diego. The city sits between the ocean and a small mountain range. The surrounding area is known for its wine production, which produces some of the best wine in Mexico.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Chile, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Mexico, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Natales is $84, while the average daily cost in Ensenada is $99. 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 Puerto Natales and Ensenada in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Natales or Ensenada? 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.
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.
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Natales:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ensenada:
Prices for flights to both Ensenada and Puerto Natales 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.
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Puerto Natales:
Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Natales for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
Here are a few actual costs in Ensenada for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Puerto Natales:
Also in Ensenada, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Natales and Ensenada, we can see that Ensenada is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Natales much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Natales is in South America and Ensenada is in North 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 Puerto Natales would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Natales 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 Ensenada would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ensenada than you might in Puerto Natales.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Puerto Natales Expensive? and Is Ensenada Expensive?.
Ensenada has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Puerto Natales. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Natales and Ensenada, 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.