Which place is cheaper, Puerto Natales or Ushuaia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ushuaia or Puerto Natales?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ushuaia or Puerto Natales? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Ushuaia or Puerto Natales?
Ushuaia
Ushuaia is a city on the Tierra del Fuego island of Argentina on the Beagle Strait. The city is considered to be one of the southernmost cities in the world and is often used as a base for cruises to Antarctica. Ushuaia's close proximity to Antarctica and their amazing hiking trails have made it a popular tourist destination over the past few decades.
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 Wildlife Tours to Argentina, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, The Best Adventure Tours to Chile, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayUshuaia $11Puerto Natales $84
The average daily cost (per person) in Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia and Puerto Natales in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personUshuaia $5.64Puerto Natales $38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomUshuaia $11Puerto Natales $76
Compare Hotels in Ushuaia and Puerto Natales
Looking for a hotel in Ushuaia 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: Ushuaia Hotel Prices and Puerto Natales Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ushuaia -Puerto Natales $19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ushuaia
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Ushuaia are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$0.03
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ushuaia
Also for Ushuaia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Airport and Hotel Transfer in Ushuaia: $139
- Private Embarkation Debarkation Transfer: $129
- Private Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Ushuaia): $120
- Private Transfer Airport-Port or Port-Airport (Ushuaia): $55
- Private Transfer Hotel-Bus Station or Bus Station-Hotel (Ushuaia): $27
- Private Transfer from Ushuaia Airport (USH) to Ushuaia Port : $25
- Private Transfer from Ushuaia Airport(USH) to Ushuaia Cruise Port: $28
- Private Transfer from Ushuaia Cruise Port to Ushuaia Airport(USH): $28
- Private Transfer from Ushuaia Port to Ushuaia Airport (USH): $25
- Shared Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Ushuaia): $37
- Transfer Cerro Castor (Round Trip): $25
- Transfer Ushuaia Airport - Hotel in Ushuaia - Ushuaia Airport : $35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Natales
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Natales:
- From Torres del Paine Tour with Transfer: $80
Is it cheaper to fly into Ushuaia or Puerto Natales?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Natales and Ushuaia 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 dayUshuaia $2.18Puerto Natales $28
Typical Food Prices in Ushuaia
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ushuaia:
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Lunch for Two$0.06
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ushuaia
For Ushuaia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Ushuaia at night: A Snow and Fire dinner, sledding and adventure: $280
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.Ushuaia $13Puerto Natales $29
Tours and Activities in Ushuaia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ushuaia.
- Panoramic City Train Tour: $10
- Guided Tour of the City of Ushuaia: $20
- Exploring Double Decker Bus Tour: $22
- Double-Decker Sightseeing Tour: $24
- Ushuaia City Tour: $26
- Ushuaia City Half-Day Tour: $31
- An Hour Tour in the City of Ushuaia: $32
- City Tour of Ushuaia: $42
- Beagle Channel & Sea Wolves Island Catamaran Cruise: $45
- End of the World Train Ticket: $45
- Half-Day Tierra del Fuego National Park (NOT CRUISE): $59
- Escondido & Fagnano Lake Tour: $60
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 dayUshuaia -Puerto Natales $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Ushuaia
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Ushuaia are as follows:
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Wine$0.05
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Beer$0.01
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 Ushuaia and Puerto Natales, we can see that Puerto Natales is more expensive. And not only is Ushuaia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ushuaia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ushuaia Expensive? and Is Puerto Natales Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ushuaia or Puerto Natales?
Ushuaia has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Puerto Natales. When comparing the sizes of Ushuaia 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.