Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta 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.
Puerto Vallarta remains a popular tourist destination with Americans, particularly during spring break when students flock to the area. The area is quite beautiful and has many gorgeous beaches, interesting jungles and waterfalls nearby, and no shortage of luxury resorts and four star restaurants. Many of the locals speak English and are friendly and open to helping tourists with directions or general information. Puerto Vallarta's popularity means that its prices are some of the highest in Mexico, particularly during holidays when the area can get quite crowded.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Chile, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to 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 Puerto Vallarta is $115. 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 Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Natales or Puerto Vallarta? 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 Puerto Vallarta:
Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta 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:
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Natales for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Puerto Natales:
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Natales and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Vallarta 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 Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Puerto Vallarta has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Puerto Natales. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Natales and Puerto Vallarta, 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.