Which place is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Punta Arenas?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Punta Arenas or Cabo San Lucas? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Punta Arenas is in the far south of Chile and has a long history of maritime commerce, oil extraction, and sheep farming. It's the most populated city on the Strait of Magellan and has all the facilities you might need as a traveler, including banks, markets, drugstores and equipment shops. With a population of about 130,000, the city is a comfortable place to spend time. It serves as a base for Antarctic expeditions, although many expeditions also start in Ushuaia, Argentina, and Christchurch New Zealand.
Cabo San Lucas ("Cabo") is on the far southern end of the Baja Peninsula. It has countless resorts and activities for visitors. There are world class golf courses, fine dining options, and five star resorts. Prior to the 1980s, Cabo was a quiet fishing village but with the construction of a nearby airport in 1977, the city rapidly grew into one of Mexico's most popular resort vacation spots. Today, Cabo has one of the country's most vibrant nightlife scenes. It also has plenty of water sport activities, and a great beach scene.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Chile, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Punta Arenas is $63, while the average daily cost in Cabo San Lucas is $139. 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 Punta Arenas and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Punta Arenas or Cabo San Lucas? 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.
Also for Punta Arenas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas and Punta Arenas 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.
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Punta Arenas:
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cabo San Lucas.
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Punta Arenas.
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Punta Arenas:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cabo San Lucas:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Punta Arenas and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas is more expensive. And not only is Punta Arenas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Punta Arenas is in South America and Cabo San Lucas 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 Punta Arenas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Punta Arenas 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 Cabo San Lucas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cabo San Lucas than you might in Punta Arenas.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Punta Arenas Expensive? and Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive?.
Punta Arenas has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Cabo San Lucas. When comparing the sizes of Punta Arenas and Cabo San Lucas, 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.