A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Antigua Guatemala vs. Pucon for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Antigua Guatemala or Pucon?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Antigua Guatemala or Pucon, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Antigua Guatemala or Pucon?

Antigua Guatemala

Before a disastrous earthquake in 1773, Antigua was the colonial capital of Guatemala. For 200 years it had reigned as so and today shows remnants of its glorious past with Spanish colonial buildings and other architectural landmarks still standing. Due to this large amount of preserved architecture, Antigua was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is now the most touristed city of Guatemala.

Pucon

A popular hub for adventure tourism, Pucon is a town in the Lake District of the South American nation of Chile. Located on Lake Villarirca with the snowcapped Villarrica volcano looming above and plenty of forested valleys below, the town has become a home base year-round for a full range of outdoor activities.

Check out our ultimate guide to Traveling in Patagonia.

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


Which place is cheaper, Pucon or Antigua Guatemala?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Antigua Guatemala is $63, while the average daily cost in Pucon is $100. 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 Antigua Guatemala and Pucon in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Antigua Guatemala $22
    Pucon $43
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Antigua Guatemala $44
    Pucon $86
Compare Hotels in Antigua Guatemala and Pucon

Looking for a hotel in Antigua Guatemala or Pucon? 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 Antigua Guatemala


Hotels in Pucon


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: Antigua Guatemala Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Antigua Guatemala $12
    Pucon $19

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Antigua Guatemala

Also for Antigua Guatemala, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • From Guatemala City: One-way Shared Transfer to Antigua: $20
  • Private Ground Transfer From Antigua To Guatemala City Airport: $23
  • Private Transfer from Antigua Guatemala to Puerto Quetzal Port: $27
  • Transfer Guatemala City to Aurora to Antigua Guatemala: $130

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pucon

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pucon:

  • Pucon Temuco Airport Private Transfer: $130
  • Pucon to Puerto Montt El Tepual Airport (PMC) -Departure Transfer: $114
  • Private Transfer Pucon Thermal Resorts to Temuco Airport: $49

Is it cheaper to fly into Antigua Guatemala or Pucon?

Prices for flights to both Pucon and Antigua Guatemala 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
    Antigua Guatemala $14
    Pucon $38
Typical Food Prices in Antigua Guatemala

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Antigua Guatemala:


  • Lunch
    $3.22
  • Lunch
    $7.72

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Antigua Guatemala

For Antigua Guatemala, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Make your own Mayan Pepian - Cooking class: $69
  • Antigua: Cooking Class with Local Family: $74
  • Street Food Tour Around Antigua: $75
  • Guatemalan Cooking Class & Market Tour: $85
  • Foodie & street food tour: $85
  • Authentic Guatemalan Cooking Class in Antigua: $90
  • Private Cooking Class of Typical Guatemalan Dishes: $95
  • Guatemalan Cooking Class and Market Tour: $98
  • From Guatemala City: Guatemala Cooking Class Tour: $110
  • Pacaya Volcano Luxury Sunset Horseback Riding Tour/ Dinner Cooked by-Lava Chef: $295

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Antigua Guatemala $15
    Pucon $37

Tours and Activities in Antigua Guatemala

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Antigua Guatemala.

  • Artisan Shoemaking & Leather Craft Tour: $10
  • Half-Day Walking Tour: $20
  • City Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $20
  • La Antigua Horror Stories Night Walking Tour: $20
  • Express tour in Antigua: $20
  • Antigua Walking Tour: $23
  • Chocolate workshop; gastronomic experience of cocoa.: $28
  • Antigua Guatemala Walking Group Tour: $30
  • Antigua Cultural Walking Tour : $35
  • Walking Tour Antigua, an open Museum: $35
  • Private Walking tour of Antigua Guatemala: $35
  • WORRY DOLL TOUR: $36

Tours and Activities in Pucon

Here are a few actual costs in Pucon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 3-Hour Rafting Experience in Pucon: $60
  • Full Day Excursion Tour to Quetrupillán Volcano: $177
  • Full Day Private Tour Ascending Sollipulli Volcano: $140
  • Half Day Tour to The Eyes Of Caburgua from Pucon: $93
  • Local Chile-Bavarian Culinary Pretzel Baking Experience n Sausage: $149
  • Private 3-Hour Canyoning Experience on the Correntoso River: $68
  • Private Half Day Andean Lakes Experience with pickup: $110
  • Sightseeing Tour in Pucon and Villarica: $93

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Antigua Guatemala $11
    Pucon $27


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

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


Which is Bigger, Antigua Guatemala or Pucon?

Antigua Guatemala has a larger population, and is about 46% larger than the population of Pucon. When comparing the sizes of Antigua Guatemala and Pucon, 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.