Which place is cheaper, Puerto Natales or Tulum?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Tulum or Puerto Natales?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Tulum and Puerto Natales can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Tulum or Puerto Natales?
Tulum
When you think of ancient ruins you probably picture dusty archaeological digs surrounded by sand and professors in khaki shorts. What if I told you there is a way to see ancient ruins and visit a tropical beach? That's exactly what you find in Tulum, Mexico.
Built near the end of Mayan era, the ruins of Tulum served as a port before the arrival of the Spanish. It may have been called Zama, meaning City of Dawn, given that these ruins face the sunrise. Because of Tulum's access to both land and sea routes, this spot was an important hub for the trade industry. It may have had another claim to fame, too. According to some murals and other works around the site, it seems this spot was an important site for the worship of the Diving or Descending God. Today, the area is the third most visited archaeological site in all of Mexico with daily tour buses dropping off visitors.
This area is usually packed with people looking to get a glimpse of the seaside ruins. To avoid crowds and capture the best view of the day, try to arrive as early as possible.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, The Best Historical Tours in Mexico, The Best Adventure Tours to Chile, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile.
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Tulum Prices
Mexico PricesPuerto Natales Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTulum $141Puerto Natales $112
The average daily cost (per person) in Tulum is $141, while the average daily cost in Puerto Natales is $112. 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 Tulum and Puerto Natales in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTulum $57Puerto Natales $41
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTulum $114Puerto Natales $82
Compare Hotels in Tulum and Puerto Natales
Looking for a hotel in Tulum 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: Tulum Hotel Prices and Puerto Natales Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tulum $27Puerto Natales $21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tulum
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Tulum are as follows:
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Scooter Rental$17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tulum
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tulum:
- Airport Transfer One Way - Cancun / Tulum - Private or Luxury: $119
- Departure Private Transfer from Tulum to Cancun Airport CUN by Minivan - Minibus: $155
- Economy Private Transfer from Tulum to Cancun Airport – Safe: $149
- One Way Private Transfer Tulum Zone - Cancun Int Airport: $170
- One Way Private Tulum Transfers to or from Cancun Airport: $180
- Private Transfer Cancun International Airport CUN to Tulum City: $125
- Private Transfer From Tulum to Cancun With a 2 Hour Stop: $208
- Private Transfer Tulum to Chichen Itza with Flexible Stops: $93
- Private Transfer Tulum-Bacalar with optional 2h in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve: $258
- Private Transfer from Tulum Airport to Playa del Carmen: $199
- Private Transfer from Tulum to Valladolid with a Cobá Detour: $107
- Private Transfer to Cancun Int'l Airport, from Tulum hotels: $199
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Natales
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Natales:
- Private transfer Airport x Lodging (Puerto Natales): $25
- Puerto Natales Airport Private Transfer: $43
- Transfer Puerto Natales Hotel Lago Grey Connection Navigation: $60
- Private Transfer Airport x Hotels inside the TORRES DEL PAINE Park: $100
- Shared transfer minibus Puerto Natales (CL) to El Calafate (ARG): $134
- Private Transfer: From Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales: $422
Is it cheaper to fly into Tulum or Puerto Natales?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Natales and Tulum 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 dayTulum $57Puerto Natales $51
Typical Food Prices in Tulum
Some typical examples of dining costs in Tulum are as follows:
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Lunch$2.88
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tulum
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tulum.
- Salsa Class,Mezcalita Workshop & Mexican Dinner: $88
- Tortilla & Taco Cooking Class – Mexican Cuisine from scratch: $94
- Mexican Cooking class experience in Tulum: $140
- Private Authentic Mayan Cooking Class with Tulum Hotel Transfers: $280
- Private transfer for 5 hours (go dinner,cenotes, shopping and more): $299
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$1.12
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Dinner$19
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Coke$1.12
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tulum $30Puerto Natales $31
Tours and Activities in Tulum
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tulum are as follows:
- Tulum Mayan Ruins GPS Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $9.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - The Return Home: $11
- Self Guided Audio Walking Tour of Tulum: $15
- Cenotes Casa Tortuga Admission Ticket: $15
- ATV Cenote and Ziplines Adventure in Tulum from Riviera Maya: $25
- Adrenaline Tulúm Tour: ATV, Zipline, and Cenote Adventure: $30
- Cancun: ATV Jungle Adventure, Cenote and Tulum Ruins Tour: $32
- Tulum Taco Tour: $36
- Tulum Extreme Mayan Adventure with ATV, Zipline and Cenote: $38
- Guided Day Tour to Chichén Itzá, Cenote Swim and Valladolid: $38
- Tulum Area Experiences Scooter Daily Rental: $45
- Tulum Area Experiences E-Bike Daily Rental: $45
Tours and Activities in Puerto Natales
Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Natales for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- City Bike Tour through Puerto Natales: $65
- Historical Tour: $65
- Full-Day Torres del Paine Tour: $77
- Torres del Paine Full Day Tour: $80
- Cerro Dorotea 8x8 Tour with Panoramic Views: $80
- Full day tour Torres del Paine: $80
- Torres del Paine Park Full-Day Tour from Puerto Natales: $83
- Torres del Paine : Full day Panoramic Tour: $83
- Torres del Paine Full Day Tour: $85
- Torres del Paine & Milodon cave. Day tour from Puerto Natales: $88
- Torres del Paine Base Full Day Trekking Tour: $90
- Full Day Tour to Torres del Paine National Park: $92
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTulum $24Puerto Natales $18
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 Tulum and Puerto Natales, we can see that Tulum is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Natales much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tulum is in North 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 Tulum would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tulum 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 Tulum Expensive? and Is Puerto Natales Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tulum or Puerto Natales?
Puerto Natales has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Tulum. When comparing the sizes of Tulum 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.