Which place is cheaper, Pucon or Salta?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Salta or Pucon?
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 Salta and Pucon can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Salta or Pucon?
Salta
Located in the heart of the famous Northwest region of Argentina, at 1200m of elevation and at the foot of the Cerro San Bernardo, Salta is the largest city of the region and perhaps the most beautiful colonial city of Argentina. Founded in 1582 by the Spanish, Salta was an important stop for merchants who followed the usual trade road through Bolivia and Peru. Argentines call this city nestled in the foothills of the Andes and surrounded by mountains, of just over half a million inhabitants, Salta La Linda (Salta the Beautiful) and it's easy to see why. Young and traditional at the same time, Salta and its renowned museums, plaza side cafes and live musica folklorica of its bustling penas, is a sophisticated and lively city day and night.
Pucon
A popular hub for adventure tourism, Pucon is a town in the Lake District of the South American nation of Chile. Located on Lake Villarirca with the snowcapped Villarrica volcano looming above and plenty of forested valleys below, the town has become a home base year-round for a full range of outdoor activities.
Check out our ultimate guide to Traveling in Patagonia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Photography Tours in Argentina, The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySalta $9.62Pucon $100
The average daily cost (per person) in Salta is $9.62, while the average daily cost in Pucon is $100. 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 Salta and Pucon in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSalta $3.47Pucon $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSalta $6.94Pucon $86
Compare Hotels in Salta and Pucon
Looking for a hotel in Salta or Pucon? 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: Salta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Salta $4.00Pucon $19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Salta
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Salta are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$0.01
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salta
Also for Salta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- From Cafayate and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $88
- From Salinas and Hornocal 2-Day Tour with Transfer: $99
- Full Day Tour Cafayate + Humahuaca + Transfer in/out: $169
- Round Trip Shared Transfer Salta Airport/Downtown Hotel: $13
- Salta Airport One-Way or Round-Trip Transfers: $20
- Salta Airport Private Transfer: $47
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $5.50
- Shared 1-Way or Round Trip SLA Airport Transfer: $5.50
- Train to the Clouds Experience with Transfers from Salta Hotels: $265
- Yungas : full day with gauchos - transfer inc. from Salta: $189
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pucon
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pucon:
- Pucon to Puerto Montt El Tepual Airport (PMC) -Departure Transfer: $114
- Pucon Temuco Airport Private Transfer: $130
- Private Transfer Pucon Thermal Resorts to Temuco Airport: $49
Is it cheaper to fly into Salta or Pucon?
Prices for flights to both Pucon and Salta 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
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Food Meals for one daySalta $3.27Pucon $38
Typical Food Prices in Salta
For Salta, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Emplanadas$0.01
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Ice Cream$0.01
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Lunch$0.67
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Coffee$0.14
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Salta $3.40Pucon $37
Typical Entertainment Prices in Salta
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Salta's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Gondola Ride$0.02
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Pool$0.06
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Wine and Cheese night$4.15
Tours and Activities in Salta
For Salta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 4-Hour Guided Highlights City Tour: $15
- From City Tour of the city on a half-day ride: $18
- Salta City Half Day Tour: $20
- From City Tour and San Lorenzo on a half-day tour: $20
- Andes Mountain Half or Full Day Trekking Tour: $22
- Best of Guided City Tour: $27
- Guided Half-Day City Tour with Cathedral and Museum: $27
- Half-Day City Tour of Salta: $27
- From Full-day tour to Cachi and Los Cardones National Park: $30
- From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate, Land of Wines: $30
- Full-Day Tour Cafayate Calchaqui Valleys with Wine: $32
- From Full-Day Scenic Tour to Cachi: $33
Tours and Activities in Pucon
Here are a few actual costs in Pucon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3-Hour Rafting Experience in Pucon: $60
- Full Day Excursion Tour to Quetrupillán Volcano: $177
- Full Day Private Tour Ascending Sollipulli Volcano: $140
- Half Day Tour to The Eyes Of Caburgua from Pucon: $93
- Local Chile-Bavarian Culinary Pretzel Baking Experience n Sausage: $149
- Private 3-Hour Canyoning Experience on the Correntoso River: $68
- Private Half Day Andean Lakes Experience with pickup: $110
- Sightseeing Tour in Pucon and Villarica: $93
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySalta $1.37Pucon $27
Typical Alcohol Prices in Salta
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Salta are as follows:
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Beer$0.01
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Alcohol$0.35
Sample the Local Flavors in Salta
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Salta:
- From Cafayate Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $30
- Full-day Cafayate, Lerma Valley, and Wine Tasting from Salta: $30
- From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate with Wine Tasting: $33
- Half Day Wine Tasting in Salta: $122
- Full-Day Private Calchaquí Valley & Cafayate Wine Tour from Salta: $200
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Salta and Pucon, we can see that Pucon is more expensive. And not only is Salta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Salta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salta 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 Pucon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pucon than you might in Salta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Salta Expensive? and Is Pucon Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Salta or Pucon?
Salta has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Pucon. When comparing the sizes of Salta and Pucon, 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.