Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Puerto Natales?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Puerto Natales or San Juan?
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 San Juan can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Puerto Natales or San Juan?
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.
San Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Chile, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Natales $84San Juan $192
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Natales is $84, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $192. 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 San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Natales $38San Juan $124
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Natales $76San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Puerto Natales and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Natales or San Juan? 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.
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 San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Natales $19San Juan $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Natales
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Natales:
- From Torres del Paine Tour with Transfer: $80
- Puerto Natales Airport Private Transfer: $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Carabali Rain Forest Round Trip Private Taxi Transfer: $210
- Mendoza: One-Way Private Transfer from Airport: $25
- Old Walking Tour with Shopping and Hotel Transfer: $70
- Oneway Transfer San Juan to Ceiba: Ferry, Vieques/Culebra Airport: $80
- Oneway Transfer from San Juan (SJU, hotel, airbnb, port) to Ponce: $125
- Oneway Transfer- San Juan(SJU, hotel, airbnb, port) to Río Grande: $68
- Private Airport Transfers to Ceiba Ferry Terminal and Airport: $155
- Private Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to San Juan Airport: $22
- Private Transfer from SJU Airport to San Juan / Rio Grande: $105
- Private Transportation in Puerto Rico From or To San Juan Airport(SJU) Transfers: $33
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 11Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $103
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, 16Pax Mercedes Van, Select Zone: $130
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Natales or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan 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 dayPuerto Natales $28San Juan $36
Typical Food Prices in Puerto Natales
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Puerto Natales:
-
Cake$1.05
-
Dinner$18
-
Coke$1.05
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Old San Juan Sunset Food Tour with Drinks: $156
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walk and Food Tour: $159
- City Lights Sky High Dinner Experience: $165
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
- Private Local Food Tour in San Juan: $275
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Natales $29San Juan $49
Tours and Activities in Puerto Natales
Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Natales for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2 Imperdible Tours Torres del Paine and Perito Moreno: $300
- Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers Boat Tour and traditional lunch.: $199
- Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers Sightseeing Cruise from Puerto Natales: $224
- City Bike Tour in Puerto Natales: $58
- From Torres del Paine National Park Day Tour: $80
- Full Day Patagonia Tour from Puerto Natales: $100
- Full Day Torres del Paine Tour: $99
- Full Day Tour to Torres del Paine National Park: $92
- Full day Torres del Paine Shared Tour From Puerto Natales only: $199
- Full day tour Torres del Paine + Milodon cave: $88
- Full-Day Hiking Tour to the Base of Paine Towers at Torres del Paine National Park: $189
- Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park from Puerto Natales: $143
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
-
Horseback Riding Tour$40
-
Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
-
1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Historic Buildings: $5.99
- Discover Old In-App Audio Tour of History: $11
- Self-Guided Tour with Audio Guide: $14
- Group Transportation in airport, cruise ships, hotels, bnb's in San Juan, PR: $20
- Old Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $25
- History, Legends, & Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $30
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- Old San Juan Walking Tour with a Certified Guide: $30
- Old San Juan City Walking Tour: $39
- Old San Juan Walking Tour: $39
- Legacy Tour at Casa BarcadÍ in Puerto Rico: $45
- Walking tour of Oaxaca City: $48
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Natales $17San Juan $12
Typical Alcohol Prices in Puerto Natales
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Puerto Natales:
-
Alcohol$13
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Pinones Pub crawl in Puerto Rico: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Natales and San Juan, we can see that San Juan 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 San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Natales or San Juan?
San Juan has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Puerto Natales. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Natales and San Juan, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.