A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Roatan vs. Punta Arenas for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Roatan or Punta Arenas?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Roatan and Punta Arenas. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Roatan or Punta Arenas?

Roatan

Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.

Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas is in the far south of Chile and has a long history of maritime commerce, oil extraction, and sheep farming. It's the most populated city on the Strait of Magellan and has all the facilities you might need as a traveler, including banks, markets, drugstores and equipment shops. With a population of about 130,000, the city is a comfortable place to spend time. It serves as a base for Antarctic expeditions, although many expeditions also start in Ushuaia, Argentina, and Christchurch New Zealand.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Punta Arenas or Roatan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $42, while the average daily cost in Punta Arenas is $79. 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 Roatan and Punta Arenas in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Roatan $11
    Punta Arenas $32
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Roatan $22
    Punta Arenas $64
Compare Hotels in Roatan and Punta Arenas

Looking for a hotel in Roatan or Punta Arenas? 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 Roatan


Hotels in Punta Arenas


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: Roatan Hotel Prices and Punta Arenas Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Roatan $18
    Punta Arenas $1.80
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan

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


  • Water Taxi
    $4.00

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta Arenas

Also for Punta Arenas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer Airport Punta Arenas : $30
  • Oneway Private Transfer from Punta Arenas Airport to Punta Arenas: $37
  • Transfer from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales: $267

Is it cheaper to fly into Roatan or Punta Arenas?

Prices for flights to both Punta Arenas and Roatan 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
    Roatan $15
    Punta Arenas $36

Typical Food Prices in Punta Arenas

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


  • Donut
    $1.05
  • Dinner
    $25

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Roatan $26
    Punta Arenas $6.44

Tours and Activities in Roatan

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

  • Monkeys and sloths, private tour , and beach: $89

Tours and Activities in Punta Arenas

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

  • Fort Bulnes Historical Tour: $39
  • City Tour: $60
  • City Tour Shore Excursion for Cruisers: $60
  • Punta Arenas City Tour Shore Excursion: $60
  • Cruises Shore Excursions : City tour Cruises Regular: $70
  • Fuerte Bulnes Shore Tour for Cruisers: $70
  • Bike Tour in Punta Arenas, 100% local tour.: $70
  • Fuerte Bulnes Shore Tour for Cruisers in Punta Arenas: $80
  • Full-Day Torres del Paine Tour: $88
  • Monte Tarn Trekking Tour with Guide: $129
  • Torres Del Paine and Milodon Cave Full Day Tour: $135
  • King Penguin & Tierra del Fuego Tour: $154

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Roatan $6.64
    Punta Arenas $4.86

Typical Alcohol Prices in Punta Arenas

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Punta Arenas:


  • Alcohol
    $7.33


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

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


Which is Bigger, Roatan or Punta Arenas?

Punta Arenas has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Roatan and Punta Arenas, 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.