A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Puerto Natales vs. Lake Titicaca (Puno) for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Puerto Natales or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?

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 Puerto Natales and Lake Titicaca (Puno) can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Puerto Natales or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?

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.

Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Lake Titicaca, which directly translates to "puma stone" in Quechua, is located high in the Andes Mountains straddling Peru and Bolivia, with about 60% of the lake in Peru and 40% in Bolivia. Among the lake are three main islands, the most popular of which are the Uros Islands, also known as the floating islands, where the Uros people live on totora reeds that grow in the lake.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Chile, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, The Best Photography Tours in Peru, and The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Puerto Natales?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Natales is $82, while the average daily cost in Lake Titicaca (Puno) is $55. 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Puerto Natales $37
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $26
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Puerto Natales $74
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $52
Compare Hotels in Puerto Natales and Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Looking for a hotel in Puerto Natales or Lake Titicaca (Puno)? 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 Puerto Natales


Hotels in Lake Titicaca (Puno)


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: Puerto Natales Hotel Prices and Lake Titicaca (Puno) Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Puerto Natales $19
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $11

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: $65

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno):


  • Taxi
    $0.82

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno):

  • Direct Private Transfer From Puno to Cusco, English Local Speaking Driver: $207
  • Private Transfer From Puno to Cusco With 2 Stops: $251
  • Private Transfer From Puno to Oruro with English Speaking Driver: $243
  • Private Transfer from Hotel Puno to Puerto de Puno: $21
  • Private Transfer from Puno to Desaguadero: $195
  • Private Transfer from Puno to Frontera Kasani: $204
  • Private transfer airport-puno-viceverse: $60
  • Puno Airport Shared Transfer: $20

Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Natales or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?

Prices for flights to both Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Puerto Natales $27
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $15
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

Typical Food Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Some typical examples of dining costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:


  • Tamales
    $1.50

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Puerto Natales $28
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $30

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

Tours and Activities in Lake Titicaca (Puno)

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:

  • Half Day Tour to Sillustani from Puno : $22
  • Sillustani / 4-hour tour from Puno: $25
  • Walking City tour Puno: $25
  • Morning: Uros Floating Islands Tour from Puno: $25
  • Lake Titicaca Uros Floating Islands Half-Day Tour: $25
  • Uros Floating Island Tour: $26
  • Half Day Tour in Sillustani: $26
  • 3h Boat Tour to Uros Island from Puno: $38
  • Full Day Guided Tour of the Aymara Route from Puno: $40
  • Full Day Tour Uros and Taquile (Speed Boat): $40
  • Lake Titicaca Day Tour from Puno: $44
  • Tour to Uros and Taquile Islands in a Fast Boat: $45

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Puerto Natales $17
    Lake Titicaca (Puno) $13
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 Puerto Natales and Lake Titicaca (Puno), we can see that Puerto Natales is more expensive. And not only is Lake Titicaca (Puno) much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Lake Titicaca (Puno) would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno).

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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Puerto Natales or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?

Lake Titicaca (Puno) has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Puerto Natales. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Natales and Lake Titicaca (Puno), 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.