Which place is cheaper, Puerto Natales or San Cristobal de Las Casas?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit San Cristobal de Las Casas or Puerto Natales?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit San Cristobal de Las Casas 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: San Cristobal de Las Casas or Puerto Natales?
San Cristobal de Las Casas
Far away from the luxuries of Cancun and Cabo, Mexico's San Cristobal de las Casas is a stunning colonial city located in the southern state of Chiapas. Due to its strategic location, the town is commonly used as a transfer point for travelers looking to cross the border between Guatemala and Mexico. San Cristobal also has an immensely strong appeal among budget-minded travelers as it's one of Mexico's most affordable cities.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best Luxury Tours to Chile, and The Best Budget Tours to Chile.
-
San Cristobal de Las Casas Prices
Mexico PricesPuerto Natales Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Cristobal de Las Casas $107Puerto Natales $105
The average daily cost (per person) in San Cristobal de Las Casas is $107, while the average daily cost in Puerto Natales is $105. 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 Cristobal de Las Casas and Puerto Natales in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Cristobal de Las Casas $42Puerto Natales $38
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Cristobal de Las Casas $84Puerto Natales $76
Compare Hotels in San Cristobal de Las Casas and Puerto Natales
Looking for a hotel in San Cristobal de Las Casas 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 Cristobal de Las Casas Hotel Prices and Puerto Natales Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Cristobal de Las Casas $29Puerto Natales $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Cristobal de Las Casas
Also for San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer Hotel in San Cristobal de las Casas to TGZ Airport: $53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Natales
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Natales:
- Puerto Natales Airport Private Transfer: $30
- Private transfer Airport x Lodging (Puerto Natales): $25
- Private Transfer: From Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales: $422
- Private Transfer Airport x Hotels inside the TORRES DEL PAINE Park: $100
Is it cheaper to fly into San Cristobal de Las Casas or Puerto Natales?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Natales and San Cristobal de Las Casas 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 daySan Cristobal de Las Casas $37Puerto Natales $48
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Cristobal de Las Casas
For San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- City Tour with Dinner Pizza and Wine: $71
Typical Food Prices in Puerto Natales
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Puerto Natales:
-
Cake$1.05
-
Dinner$18
-
Coke$1.05
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Cristobal de Las Casas $13Puerto Natales $29
Tours and Activities in San Cristobal de Las Casas
For San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Rancho Nuevo Caves and Arcotete Ecotourism Center: $23
- Tour of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan: $28
- Tour to San Juan Chamula & Zinacantan Indian communities: $35
- Adventure through the Grottos del Arcotete, and Rancho Nuevo: $39
- Tour Sumidero Canyon and Magic Town of Chiapa de Corzo: $42
- Adventure to the Sumidero Canyon Viewpoints and Chiapa de Corzo: $42
- Maya Cultural Tour From San Cristobal: Chamula, Zinacantan: $45
- Private Tour in San Cristobal de las Casas: $48
- Montebello Lakes and Chiflon Waterfalls Tour: $48
- Tour to the Viewpoints, Sumidero Canyon and Chiapa de Corzo: $50
- Tour to the Chiflón Waterfalls and Montebello Lagoons: $50
- Sink Canyon and Chiapa de Corzo Tour : $50
Tours and Activities in Puerto Natales
Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Natales for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers Boat Tour and traditional lunch.: $237
- Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers Sightseeing Cruise from Puerto Natales: $271
- City Bike Tour through Puerto Natales: $65
- Fjord electric bike tour, full day: $176
- From Grey Glacier Tour: $251
- From Torres del Paine National Park Day Tour: $110
- Full Day Guided Tour in Torres del Paine and Milodon Cave: $80
- Full Day Land of Sheep Experience Tourism: $199
- Full Day Patagonia Tour from Puerto Natales: $95
- Full Day Torres del Paine Tour: $99
- Full Day Torres del Paine Tour from Puerto Natales with Pickup: $119
- Full Day Tour to Torres del Paine National Park: $92
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Cristobal de Las Casas $27Puerto Natales $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Puerto Natales
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Puerto Natales:
-
Alcohol$13
When comparing the travel costs between San Cristobal de Las Casas and Puerto Natales, we can see that San Cristobal de Las Casas is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though San Cristobal de Las Casas is in North America and Puerto Natales is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Cristobal de Las Casas Expensive? and Is Puerto Natales Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Cristobal de Las Casas or Puerto Natales?
San Cristobal de Las Casas has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Puerto Natales. When comparing the sizes of San Cristobal de Las Casas 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.