Which place is cheaper, Montanita or Flores?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Flores and Montanita 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.
The town of Flores is located in Peten, Guatemala. The main hub is located on an island on Lago Peten Itza, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. On the other side of the causeway are the towns of Santa Elena and San Benito, however, all three are often referred to as Flores. Most people visit the area for its proximity to the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal, though the town itself is also charming with colonial buildings and historic churches lining the cobbled streets.
Montanita is a small village located on Manglaralto parish along the southern coast of Ecuador. The Pacific Coast of Ecuador is lined with beach towns, either small villages with local fisherman or larger towns more set up for foreign travellers like Montanita. With one of the best beaches in Ecuador, one of the best surf breaks in the region, and a great laid-back atmosphere Montanita is a great little getaway, especially for the hippies of the world. It has also become a popular weekend destination for English teachers and Spanish students coming from Guayaquil and Quito. The beachfront village of Montanita has a laid-back atmosphere and steady stream of cosmopolitan backpackers, with as many South Americans as gringos.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Day Tours in Guatemala, The Best 2-Week Tours in Guatemala, The Best G Adventures Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ecuador.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Flores is $33, while the average daily cost in Montanita is $96. 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 Flores and Montanita in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Flores or Montanita? 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.
Also for Flores, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Montanita and Flores 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.
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Flores's activities, tours, and tickets:
For Flores, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Flores are as follows:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Flores and Montanita, we can see that Montanita is more expensive. And not only is Flores much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Flores is in Central America and Montanita 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 Flores would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Flores 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 Montanita would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montanita than you might in Flores.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Flores Expensive? and Is Montanita Expensive?.