Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta or Boquete?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Boquete or Puerto Vallarta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Boquete and Puerto Vallarta can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Boquete or Puerto Vallarta?
Boquete
Boquete is a village located in the pacific west of Panama. This town very recently became an attractive destination for tourists and expatriates. Before the early 2000's, it was a quiet town hidden away in the mountains with very little tourism. After the development of Valle Escondido, which is a largely residential area, many North Americans flocked to this town and an expat community developed. Boquete is known for it's near perfect year round temperature of about seventy degrees Fahrenheit, beautiful untouched nature, and world renowned coffee.
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta remains a popular tourist destination with Americans, particularly during spring break when students flock to the area. The area is quite beautiful and has many gorgeous beaches, interesting jungles and waterfalls nearby, and no shortage of luxury resorts and four star restaurants. Many of the locals speak English and are friendly and open to helping tourists with directions or general information. Puerto Vallarta's popularity means that its prices are some of the highest in Mexico, particularly during holidays when the area can get quite crowded.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Panama, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Panama, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBoquete $54Puerto Vallarta $115
The average daily cost (per person) in Boquete is $54, while the average daily cost in Puerto Vallarta is $115. 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 Boquete and Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBoquete $23Puerto Vallarta $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBoquete $46Puerto Vallarta $126
Compare Hotels in Boquete and Puerto Vallarta
Looking for a hotel in Boquete or Puerto Vallarta? 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: Boquete Hotel Prices and Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Boquete $5.23Puerto Vallarta $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- Puerto Vallarta Roundtrip Shuttle Airport Transfer: $32
- Private transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport - Hotel Zone: $37
- Private Airport Transfer to Marina Vallarta: $37
- Private Airport Transfer to Hotel Zone: $40
- Shared transfer from PVR airport to Downtown: $43
- Puerto Vallarta Cruise Port to Airport PVR Departure Transfer: $44
- Arrival Transfer from Airport to Cruise Port in Puerto Vallarta: $44
- Puerto Vallarta Port to Puerto Vallarta Airport(PVR)-Departure Private Transfer : $44
- Nuevo Vallarta: Private Airport Transfer to South Zone 2: $48
- Private Airport Transfer to Romantic Zone: $48
- Nuevo Vallarta:Private Airport Transfer to North Zone 3: $51
- Private Airport Transfer to Mismaloya: $51
Is it cheaper to fly into Boquete or Puerto Vallarta?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta and Boquete 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 dayBoquete $18Puerto Vallarta $37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Vallarta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
- Dinner Tacos Food Tour: $55
- Off The Beaten Path Food Tour. Dinner in Pitillal : $55
- Puerto Vallarta 3-Hour Food Tour of Authentic Local Cuisine: $59
- Downtown Puerto Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Puerta Vallarta: Seafood Lover's Food Tour: $59
- Signature Taco and Street Food Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $65
- Vallarta by Road Food Tour: $75
- Mexican Cooking Class, Tequila Tasting & Unlimited Margaritas: $75
- Bucerias Bike and Food Tour: $90
- Mexican Cooking Class and Tequila Tasting: $96
- Sayulita Tacos and Tequila Food Tour : $99
- Cooking Class and Market Tour: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Boquete $17Puerto Vallarta $19
Tours and Activities in Boquete
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boquete are as follows:
- Schumann's BOTANICAL PARK TOUR: $30
- Small Group Coffee Tour (Minimum 2 people): $40
- Boquete Private 360° View Tour: $40
- Self-Guided Half-Day Boquete Tour E-Bicycle: $46
- Guided Market Tour with Sensory Coffee Tasting Boquete: $48
- Boquete Adventure - E-Bike Tour (2 hrs.) (2 Person Min.): $55
- 2-Hour Private Mezcal and Geisha Liqueur Tasting Experience: $65
- The Local Flavors of Boquete E-Bike Tour (4 hrs.) (2 Person Min.): $80
- 3-Hour Private Tour to La Estrella Lake from Boquete on E Bike: $84
- Hiking Experience in Caldera Transportation Included: $90
- 3-hour Private Tour to the Peque Doraz Butterfly Garden by Ebike: $90
- Private honey tasting bike tour and butterfly garden walk: $130
Tours and Activities in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
- City Tour Puerto Vallarta - Churches, Tequila Test and more: $18
- Mexico: Puerto Vallarta City Tour: $20
- Hop-On-Hop-Off City Bus Tour: $23
- Guided SUP Board Tour with Digital Photos: $23
- Private Bike City Tour with Photo Session in Puerto Vallarta: $24
- Hop On Hop Off Tour with Free Stops in Puerto Vallarta: $24
- Hike and Yoga Jungle Experience in Mexico: $30
- City Tour, Tequila and Coffee Factory Tour: $31
- EcoHike experience through the jungle, mountains and hidden beach: $31
- Zipline Canopy Tour: $37
- Puerto Vallarta Local-Style Walking tour: $41
- Why Jalisco is Mexico? Puerto Vallarta Tour: $45
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBoquete $4.46Puerto Vallarta $24
Sample the Local Flavors in Puerto Vallarta
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:
- All you can drink Bar Crawl: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Boquete and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Puerto Vallarta is more expensive. And not only is Boquete much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Boquete is in Central America and Puerto Vallarta is in North 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 Boquete would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boquete 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 Vallarta would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Vallarta than you might in Boquete.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Boquete Expensive? and Is Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Boquete or Puerto Vallarta?
Puerto Vallarta has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Boquete. When comparing the sizes of Boquete and Puerto Vallarta, 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.