A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Salta vs. Puerto Varas for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Salta or Puerto Varas?

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 Puerto Varas can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Salta or Puerto Varas?

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.

Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas is a city in Southern Chile, in the Los Lagos (Lakes) Region, Llanquihue Province. It is a charming town, only 23 km away from Puerto Montt and surrounded by the Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes as well as the impressive Llanquihue lake. In terms of landscape, accommodation and activities, Puerto Varas is well served! Kayak, paddle, canyoning, rock climbing, trekking, ski, fishing, you name it! If you decide to stop in that area, we recommend that you stay in Puerto Varas, as it provides the perfect starting point for many memorable excursions in the area.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Photography Tours in Argentina, The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina, The Best G Adventures Tours to Chile, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Varas or Salta?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Salta is $9.77, while the average daily cost in Puerto Varas is $106. 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 Puerto Varas in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Salta $3.52
    Puerto Varas $66
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Salta $7.04
    Puerto Varas $132
Compare Hotels in Salta and Puerto Varas

Looking for a hotel in Salta or Puerto Varas? 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.

Hotels in Salta


Hotels in Puerto Varas


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 and Puerto Varas Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Salta $4.06
    Puerto Varas $21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Salta

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Salta are as follows:


  • 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
  • Salta Airport One-Way or Round-Trip Transfers: $20
  • Salta Airport Private Transfer: $47
  • Salta Airport Shuttle Transfer: $13
  • 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 Puerto Varas

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Varas:

  • Transfer from Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport: $50
  • Transfer from Hotel in Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport: $24
  • Transfer to Puerto Montt Airport: $22
  • Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport - Departure Private Transfer: $21

Is it cheaper to fly into Salta or Puerto Varas?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Varas 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Salta $3.32
    Puerto Varas $24
Typical Food Prices in Salta

For Salta, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Emplanadas
    $0.01
  • Ice Cream
    $0.01
  • Lunch
    $0.68
  • Coffee
    $0.14

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Salta $3.45
    Puerto Varas $19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Salta

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Salta's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Gondola Ride
    $0.02
  • Pool
    $0.06
  • Wine and Cheese night
    $4.21

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 and San Lorenzo on a half-day tour: $18
  • From City Tour of the city on a half-day ride: $18
  • Salta City 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: $29
  • From Full-day tour to Cachi and Los Cardones National Park: $33
  • From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate, Land of Wines: $33
  • From Cachi and Los Cardones National Park Tour: $33
  • From Full-Day Scenic Tour to Cachi: $33

Tours and Activities in Puerto Varas

Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Varas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Chiloé Island Tour: $60
  • From Osorno Volcano & Petrohue Falls Day Tour: $49
  • Full-Day Osorno Vulcano and Petrohue Falls Small-Group Tour: $80
  • Half-Day Small-Group Rafting Experience in Petrohué River: $50
  • Lake Llanquihue Bike Tour in Puerto Varas: $129
  • Osorno Volcano Tour: $31
  • Petrohue Falls and Osorno Volcano Bike Tour: $124
  • Peulla Full Day Tour from Puerto Varas: $68
  • Premium Half Day Shared Tour Sunset at Osorno Volcano: $130
  • Premium Small-Group Half day Tour to Frutillar in Puerto Varas: $144
  • Private Sightseeing Tour in Puerto Varas & Puerto Montt: $99
  • Puerto Varas Mountain Biking Experience: $67

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Salta $1.39
    Puerto Varas $6.36
Typical Alcohol Prices in Salta

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Salta are as follows:


  • Beer
    $0.01
  • 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: $124
  • Full-Day Private Calchaquí Valley & Cafayate Wine Tour from Salta: $203


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Salta and Puerto Varas, we can see that Puerto Varas 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 Puerto Varas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Varas 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 Puerto Varas Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Salta or Puerto Varas?

Salta has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Puerto Varas. When comparing the sizes of Salta and Puerto Varas, 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.