Which place is cheaper, Puerto Natales or Quepos?
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 Quepos and Puerto Natales can help you decide which place is right for you.
Quepos is both a district and the capital of Aguirre canton in the Puntareanas Province of Costa Rica. The town is quite small, and the district has a population of about 22,000 people. Quepos is a popular tourist destination in Costa Rica due to its close proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific Coast. The town's economy is centered around tourism and there is no shortage of bars and restaurants in the area. The town also has a lively nightlife for such a small community.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Adventure Tours to Chile, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Quepos is $117, while the average daily cost in Puerto Natales is $84. 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 Quepos and Puerto Natales in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Quepos or Puerto Natales? 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 Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Natales:
Prices for flights to both Puerto Natales and Quepos 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.
For Quepos, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
For Quepos, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Puerto Natales:
For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Natales for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Puerto Natales:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quepos and Puerto Natales, we can see that Quepos is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Natales much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Quepos is in Central America and Puerto Natales is in South 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 Quepos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quepos 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 Quepos Expensive? and Is Puerto Natales Expensive?.
Puerto Natales has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Quepos. When comparing the sizes of Quepos and Puerto Natales, 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.