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

Should you visit Tilcara or Puerto Montt?

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 Tilcara and Puerto Montt can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Tilcara or Puerto Montt?

Tilcara

Tilcara signifies shooting star in Quechua. At 2465m of altitude, the little town of Tilcara is one of the most animated place of the area of the quebrada de humahuaca. Many South American backpackers and tourists from all around the world come to visit Tilcara and its pucara, the forteresse built by the Incas at the top of the hill, providing a stunning walk around the town. Tilcara hosts many festivals for different occasions such as the celebration of the Pachamama in August, the semana santa (Holy Week) in April, and the Enero Tilcareno, held in January as its name indicates, which is probably the busiest month of the year for the little town. If you enjoy concerts, parades and folklorique parties then definitely try to visit Tilcara during a festival month and avoid them if you prefer a calm and more relaxed holiday. There are many available activities around Tilcara including horseback riding, VTT, and you could also even try a ride in a caravan pulled by llamas.

Puerto Montt

The Lake District is a region of snow capped volcanoes, pale green lakes and endless miles of virgin and ancient forests. Found 1,016 km away from Santiago de Chile, Puerto Montt is famous for its beautiful lakes and its germanic architecture, old wooden houses and its legendary Iglesia Catedral, found on the town's main square, la Plaza de Armas. The monument, entirely built with alerce (cypress) wood, is the oldest building of the city. The capital of the Lake Region is a good starting point for many memorable excursions in the area.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Argentina, The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Montt or Tilcara?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Tilcara is $8.37, while the average daily cost in Puerto Montt is $87. 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 Tilcara and Puerto Montt in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Tilcara $3.30
    Puerto Montt $60
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Tilcara $6.60
    Puerto Montt $120
Compare Hotels in Tilcara and Puerto Montt

Looking for a hotel in Tilcara or Puerto Montt? 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 Tilcara


Hotels in Puerto Montt


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: Tilcara Hotel Prices and Puerto Montt Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Tilcara $2.23
    Puerto Montt $6.28
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tilcara

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Tilcara:


  • Taxi Ride
    $0.01

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Montt

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Montt:

  • Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Castro: $300
  • Transfer Puerto Montt Airport to Castro: $277
  • 4 Days Tour Los Lagos Region with Transfer Chiloe and Peulla: $177
  • Puerto Montt El Tepual Airport (PMC) to Pucon - Arrival Transfer: $115
  • Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Frutillar: $80
  • Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas - Round-Trip Transfer: $66
  • Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas: $50
  • Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Frutillar: Roundtrip Transfer: $46
  • Cruce Andino Office Private Transfer from Puerto Montt: $44
  • Puerto Airport (PMC) to Frutillar - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $42
  • Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $42
  • Puerto Montt Shuttle Transfer: $34

Is it cheaper to fly into Tilcara or Puerto Montt?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Montt and Tilcara 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
    Tilcara $3.46
    Puerto Montt $21
Typical Food Prices in Tilcara

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Tilcara:


  • Sandwich
    $0.01
  • Burger
    $0.01
  • Fruit
    $0.01
  • Sandwich
    $0.01

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tilcara

For Tilcara, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Northern Argentine cooking experience: $70

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Tilcara $1.98
    Puerto Montt $13

Tours and Activities in Tilcara

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tilcara.

  • Purmamarca Night Experience: $18
  • 2 hours cycling tour trough the rural area: $20
  • Serranías del Hornocal + Citytour Humahuaca: $30
  • Bike Adventure through Juella with lunch: $35
  • Half day mountain bike tour with lunch: $35
  • Private Full Day Tour to Salinas de Grandes and Barrancas: $130
  • Full-Day Tour to Laguna de los Pozuelos from Tilcara: $162

Tours and Activities in Puerto Montt

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Montt are as follows:

  • 6 Hours Shared Tour in Calbuco and Millennial Forest : $130
  • Alerce Andino National Park/Alerce Millenario/Cruises: $77
  • Austral / Hornopiren Road Tour: $102
  • Excursion City tour Puerto Varas / Llanquihue and Frutillar: $77
  • Frutillar & Llanquihue Private Tour from Puerto Montt: $118
  • Frutillar & Llanquihue Tour from Puerto Montt: $56
  • Frutillar Tour: $31
  • Osorno Volcano Tour+Petrohue Falls / Cruises / Spanish: $68
  • Private Day tour Petrohue Falls, Osorno Volcano & Puerto Varas: $250
  • Private Shore Excursion Tour to Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas and Frutillar: $143
  • Private Tour: Puerto Montt Sightseeing: $47
  • Private Tour: Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas and Vicente Peres Rosales National Park: $164

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Tilcara $1.08
    Puerto Montt $4.39


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tilcara and Puerto Montt, we can see that Puerto Montt is more expensive. And not only is Tilcara much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tilcara would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tilcara 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 Montt would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Montt than you might in Tilcara.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tilcara Expensive? and Is Puerto Montt Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Tilcara or Puerto Montt?

Puerto Montt has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Tilcara. When comparing the sizes of Tilcara and Puerto Montt, 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.