Which place is cheaper, Puerto Montt or David?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit David or Puerto Montt?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between David and Puerto Montt can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: David or Puerto Montt?
David
In the Pacific West of Panama, David is the capital city of Chiriqui province. The city's population of almost 150,000 is among the wealthiest in the country. There is a well established middle class and unemployment remains low in the area. The area has grown rapidly in recent years with growing commercial and banking sectors. The city is well connected to the rest of the country by the Pan American Highway.
Puerto Montt
The Lake District is a region of snow capped volcanoes, pale green lakes and endless miles of virgin and ancient forests. Found 1,016 km away from Santiago de Chile, Puerto Montt is famous for its beautiful lakes and its germanic architecture, old wooden houses and its legendary Iglesia Catedral, found on the town's main square, la Plaza de Armas. The monument, entirely built with alerce (cypress) wood, is the oldest building of the city. The capital of the Lake Region is a good starting point for many memorable excursions in the area.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Panama, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Panama, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDavid $32Puerto Montt $89
The average daily cost (per person) in David is $32, while the average daily cost in Puerto Montt is $89. 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 David and Puerto Montt in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDavid $12Puerto Montt $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDavid $24Puerto Montt $122
Compare Hotels in David and Puerto Montt
Looking for a hotel in David or Puerto Montt? 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: David Hotel Prices and Puerto Montt Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.David $12Puerto Montt $6.43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Montt
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Montt:
- Puerto Montt Airport(PMC) to Frutillar - Arrival Private Transfer: $21
- Puerto Tepual Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas - Arrival Transfer: $21
- Puerto Montt Airport(PMC) to Frutillar - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- Puerto Montt Airport Arrival Transfer to Hotel in Puerto Varas: $24
- Private Transfer from Puerto Montt Port to Puerto Airport (PMC): $27
- Private Transfer from Puerto Airport (PMC) to Puerto Montt Port: $31
- Private Transfer from Puerto Montt Port to Puerto Airport (PMC): $31
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas City- Arrival Transfer: $33
- Puerto Montt Shuttle Transfer: $34
- Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $42
- Puerto Airport (PMC) to Frutillar - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $42
- Cruce Andino Office Private Transfer from Puerto Montt: $44
Is it cheaper to fly into David or Puerto Montt?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Montt and David 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 dayDavid $10Puerto Montt $21
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.David $4.39Puerto Montt $14
Tours and Activities in Puerto Montt
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Montt are as follows:
- Frutillar Tour: $31
- Half day Llanquihue and Frutillar City tour : $44
- Private Tour: Puerto Montt Sightseeing: $47
- Frutillar & Llanquihue Tour from Puerto Montt: $56
- Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls Guided Tour: $62
- Osorno Volcano Tour+Petrohue Falls / Cruises / Spanish: $68
- Alerce Andino National Park/Alerce Millenario/Cruises: $77
- Private. City Tour Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas: $92
- Austral / Hornopiren Road Tour: $102
- Frutillar & Llanquihue Private Tour from Puerto Montt: $128
- 6 Hours Shared Tour in Calbuco and Millennial Forest : $130
- Tagua Tagua Lake and Wild Patagonia Tour: $133
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDavid -Puerto Montt $4.49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between David and Puerto Montt, we can see that Puerto Montt is more expensive. And not only is David much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since David is in Central America and Puerto Montt 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 David would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in David 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 Montt would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Montt than you might in David.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is David Expensive? and Is Puerto Montt Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, David or Puerto Montt?
Puerto Montt has a larger population, and is about 93% larger than the population of David. When comparing the sizes of David and Puerto Montt, 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.