The Short Version
Self-catered food in Patagonian gateway towns costs $8–15 per day; refugio meal packages inside Torres del Paine run $25–40 per day; restaurant dining in towns like Puerto Natales or El Chaltén averages $15–30 per day depending on how many meals you eat out. The gap between the cheapest and most expensive approach is the single biggest lever in a Patagonia trekking budget after accommodation itself.
Supermarket Self-Catering: The Budget Baseline
Puerto Natales, El Calafate, and El Chaltén all have reasonably well-stocked supermarkets with prices broadly in line with (sometimes slightly above) typical Chilean or Argentine city prices — not the extreme markup you'd see in more remote destinations. A day of trekking food bought here — instant noodles or pasta, canned tuna or lentils, crackers, dried fruit, chocolate, instant coffee — runs roughly $8–12 per person per day. Buy your trekking supplies in town before entering Torres del Paine specifically, since anything purchased inside the park carries a real markup.
Refugio Meal Packages
If you're staying in refugios along the W or O Circuit rather than camping, most offer meal packages — dinner and breakfast, sometimes a packed lunch — bundled with accommodation. These run $35–55 per night when purchased as a package, noticeably cheaper than paying for meals individually at the same refugio ($15–20 for dinner alone as a walk-in). If you're doing refugios, book the meal package in advance rather than planning to buy meals separately.
Restaurant Dining in Gateway Towns
Puerto Natales has a decent range of restaurants from budget ($8–12 for a set lunch menu) to mid-range ($20–35 for dinner with a drink). El Chaltén, being smaller and more remote, runs slightly higher — budget $12–18 for a casual meal, $25–35 for a proper restaurant dinner. El Calafate sits between the two. None of these towns are as expensive as Patagonia's remoteness might suggest, since they're well-established tourist hubs with real competition among restaurants.
A Realistic Daily Budget by Travel Style
Backpacker (self-catering, camping): $10–15/day on food. Mid-range (mix of self-catering and restaurant meals, refugio stays with occasional meal packages): $25–40/day. Comfortable (restaurant dining most meals, full refugio meal packages): $45–65/day. These figures are food only, separate from accommodation and transport costs.
Where the Savings Actually Compound
The real budget difference isn't day-to-day variation in restaurant prices — it's the structural choice between self-catering while camping versus refugio meal packages while trekking. Over a 5-day W Trek, that choice alone represents a $150–250 difference in total food spend, which is a bigger lever than shopping around for cheaper restaurants in town.
Practical Tips
Stock up on trekking food in Puerto Natales rather than El Calafate or smaller towns if your route allows — it's the largest of the gateway towns with the best supermarket selection and competitive pricing. Dehydrated or freeze-dried trekking meals are available in outdoor shops in Puerto Natales but carry a premium over supermarket alternatives — fine for convenience, not necessary for budget travel. Carrying a stove and self-cooking, even for just breakfast and one meal a day while otherwise eating at refugios, meaningfully reduces total food spend without sacrificing much comfort.
