Which place is cheaper, Puerto Natales or San Miguel de Tucuman?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Miguel de Tucuman or Puerto Natales?
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 San Miguel de Tucuman and Puerto Natales can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: San Miguel de Tucuman or Puerto Natales?
San Miguel de Tucuman
The capital of the Tucuman Province in Argentina, San Miguel de Tucuman is the largest city in the country's northwest. The city is probably most well known as the sight where the Declaration of Independence from Spain took place on July 9, 1816. The location of this event, a colonial-style house called "Casa Historica" or "Casita de Tucuman", remains an important landmark in the city.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Photography Tours in Argentina, The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina, The Best Adventure Tours to Chile, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Miguel de Tucuman $11Puerto Natales $84
The average daily cost (per person) in San Miguel de Tucuman is $11, 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 San Miguel de Tucuman and Puerto Natales in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Miguel de Tucuman $4.85Puerto Natales $38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Miguel de Tucuman $9.70Puerto Natales $76
Compare Hotels in San Miguel de Tucuman and Puerto Natales
Looking for a hotel in San Miguel de Tucuman 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: San Miguel de Tucuman Hotel Prices and Puerto Natales Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Miguel de Tucuman $3.08Puerto Natales $19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Miguel de Tucuman:
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Taxi Ride$0.01
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Natales
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Natales:
- Private Transfer from Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas: $267
- From Torres del Paine Tour with Transfer: $80
Is it cheaper to fly into San Miguel de Tucuman or Puerto Natales?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Natales and San Miguel de Tucuman 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 daySan Miguel de Tucuman $4.01Puerto Natales $28
Typical Food Prices in San Miguel de Tucuman
For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Sandwich$0.01
Typical Food Prices in Puerto Natales
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Puerto Natales:
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Cake$1.05
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Dinner$18
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Coke$1.05
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Miguel de Tucuman $3.30Puerto Natales $29
Tours and Activities in San Miguel de Tucuman
For San Miguel de Tucuman, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Entrance ticket to Aerial Park, Zip Line and Palestra: $27
- Yungas Half-Day Tour from Tucuman: $51
- Tafi del Valle Half-Day Tour from Tucuman: $68
- Rio Hondo Hot Springs Full Day Tour from Tucuman: $82
- Discover Tafí del Valle and Quilmes Ruins in a Day Tour: $82
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Miguel de Tucuman $2.07Puerto Natales $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Puerto Natales
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Puerto Natales:
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Alcohol$13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Miguel de Tucuman and Puerto Natales, we can see that Puerto Natales is more expensive. And not only is San Miguel de Tucuman much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to San Miguel de Tucuman would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Miguel de Tucuman 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 Natales would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Natales than you might in San Miguel de Tucuman.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Miguel de Tucuman Expensive? and Is Puerto Natales Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Miguel de Tucuman or Puerto Natales?
San Miguel de Tucuman has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Puerto Natales. When comparing the sizes of San Miguel de Tucuman 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.
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.