Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta or Guayaquil?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Guayaquil or Puerto Vallarta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Guayaquil or Puerto Vallarta, 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: Guayaquil or Puerto Vallarta?
Guayaquil
Guayaquil is Ecuador's largest city and seaport. From a tourist perspective, the city acts primarily as a transportation gateway to the country and the Galapagos Islands. While the city can be skipped altogether, should you have a free day to spend here, there are a few noteworthy things to do, as well as some terrific dining and nightlife options. Guayaquil’s main tourist attraction is Las Penas, a hill with old, colorfully painted buildings at the north end of the Malecon, where you can walk the 400 steps to the lighthouse at the top for good views of the city. The neighborhood is filled with cafes, bars, restaurants, and art galleries and is relatively safe. Other important sights include the Malecon 2000, a massive urban development project that has brought new life to the riverside in the city center and the Parque Seminario, filled with fountains, trees and iguanas, located at 10 de Agosto Ave and Chile Ave.
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 G Adventures Tours to Ecuador, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ecuador, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
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Guayaquil Prices
Ecuador PricesPuerto Vallarta Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayGuayaquil $116Puerto Vallarta $136
The average daily cost (per person) in Guayaquil is $116, while the average daily cost in Puerto Vallarta is $136. 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 Guayaquil and Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personGuayaquil $32Puerto Vallarta $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomGuayaquil $64Puerto Vallarta $122
Compare Hotels in Guayaquil and Puerto Vallarta
Looking for a hotel in Guayaquil 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: Guayaquil Hotel Prices and Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Guayaquil $15Puerto Vallarta $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guayaquil
Also for Guayaquil, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Guayaquil Airport to Hotel or vice versa: $13
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $17
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $18
- Guayaquil to Guayaquil Airport GYE Departure Private Transfer: $19
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $20
- Guayaquil PRIVATE Departure Transfer from Hotels to the Airport.: $20
- Private Airport Transfer from Guayaquil Airport to Hotel: $20
- Luxury VIP car transfers to hotels in Guayaquil and Ecuador: $30
- Guayaquil Airport (GYE) to Guayaquil hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $37
- Private Transfer Guayaquil Airport GYE to Guayaquil by Car or Van: $48
- Departure Private Transfer: Guayaquil City to Guayaquil Airport: $48
- Private Transfer from Guayaquil to Cuenca: $104
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- Sayulita hotels to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) – Private Departure Transfer: $152
- Punta de Mita to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) - Private Departure Transfer: $136
- Puerto Vallarta Roundtrip Shuttle Airport Transfer: $32
- Puerto Vallarta Port to Puerto Vallarta RoundTripPrivate Transfer: $140
- Puerto Vallarta Port to Puerto Vallarta Airport(PVR)-Departure Private Transfer: $70
- Puerto Vallarta Airport to Hotel Private Transfer by Minivan: $67
- Puerto Vallarta Airport Private Transfer to Multiple Destinations: $34
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Punta de Mita hotels - Private Arrival Transfer: $136
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Puerto Vallarta Port-RoundTrip Private Transfer: $140
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Puerto Vallarta Port Transfer: $70
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Puerto Vallarta - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $136
- Private Transfer to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR): $34
Is it cheaper to fly into Guayaquil or Puerto Vallarta?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta and Guayaquil 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 dayGuayaquil $50Puerto Vallarta $61
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guayaquil
For Guayaquil, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Wagyu Cooking Class in Guayaquil: $135
- Cooking Class, Wine & Chocolate Experience: $174
- Half Day of Cooking and Chocolate at Cocoa Farm from Guayaquil: $175
- Gastronomic workshop tour, live cooking, Learn about the Ecuadorian culinary art: $200
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Vallarta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
- Old Town Taco Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $49
- Ultimate Taco Tour in Puerto Vallarta with Vallarta Food Tours: $55
- Bucerias Taco Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Winner 2026 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- 3-Hour Guided Food Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $59
- Taco102 - dinner taco walk - all inclusive: $63
- Versalles de Noche Dinner Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $79
- Mexican Cooking Class & Unlimited Margaritas: $85
- Live Mexican Cooking Class with Local Chef: $85
- Bucerias Bike and Food Tour: $90
- Cook Like a Local: Vallarta Market & Cooking Experience: $95
- Sayulita Tacos and Tequila Food Tour: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Guayaquil $21Puerto Vallarta $18
Tours and Activities in Guayaquil
For Guayaquil, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Cultural Tour of the Museums of Guayaquil: $35
- City Highlights Tour with Cable Car Ride: $58
- Guayaquil Museum Tour: $64
- Half-Day City Tour—Iguana Park & Santa Ana Hill: $70
- Guayaquil to Cuenca one-way tour with Cajas Park and a Cacao Farm visit: $74
- Guayaquil City Tour Including the Light House of Santa Ana: $74
- Guayaquil City Tour Including the Light House of Cerro Santa Ana: $74
- Private Guayaquil City Tour: $77
- City Tour with Hotel Pickup and Drop-off: $80
- Historic Walking Tour Through Time & Culture: $83
- Half Day Guayaquil Historical Tour and Cocoa Culinary Experience: $85
- Personalized City Tour with Guide: $90
Tours and Activities in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
- 1/2 Day Puerto Vallarta Botanical Garden tour: $60
- 2 Hour Private Surfing Experience in Puerto Vallarta: $99
- 2 Hour and 30 Minutes Walking Tour in 5 De Diciembre: $50
- 2 Hours Catamaran Sunset Tour: $99
- ATV Adventure in Puerto Vallarta (Single): $107
- ATV Jorullo Bridge Tour: $174
- ATV Single Jungle Adventure-Waterfalls, Tequila & Local Culture": $107
- ATV Tour: $129
- ATV Tour Rio Cuale Sierra Madre Mountains and tequila tasting: $77
- ATV Tour in Puerto Vallarta, waterfall and tequila tasting.: $104
- ATV adventure through the mountains of Puerto Vallarta: $130
- ATV and RZR Glass Platform Experience in Puerto Vallarta: $155
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayGuayaquil $17Puerto Vallarta $23
Sample the Local Flavors in Guayaquil
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Guayaquil:
- Wine Tasting Experience with Tasting Menu: $65
- Premium Wine Tasting and 3-Course Pairing Menu in Guayaquil.: $86
- Craft Brewery Tour with Tasting: $428
Sample the Local Flavors in Puerto Vallarta
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:
- Puerto Vallarta Pub Crawl: $22
- Premium Tequila Tasting Puerto Vallarta Distillery: $24
- Brewery Bus Tour from Mexico: $85
- Secret Agave Bar Crawl in Vallarta: $98
- Cachasol Tequila Tasting & Raicilla Distillery Tour: $106
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Guayaquil and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Puerto Vallarta is more expensive. And not only is Guayaquil much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Guayaquil is in South 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 Guayaquil would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guayaquil 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 Guayaquil.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Guayaquil Expensive? and Is Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Guayaquil or Puerto Vallarta?
Guayaquil has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Puerto Vallarta. When comparing the sizes of Guayaquil 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.