Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta or Isla Mujeres?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Isla Mujeres or Puerto Vallarta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Isla Mujeres and Puerto Vallarta. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Isla Mujeres or Puerto Vallarta?
Isla Mujeres
About eight miles from the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Isla Mujeres is an island in the Mexican Caribbean Sea. The town, of the same name, has a population of about 13,000. Tourism has grown in the area since the 1970s and today it is a significant part of the island's economy. As such, there are plenty of amenities that cater specifically to visitors. The island's proximity to Cuba make it a common transit point for Cubans in route to the United States.
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 Historical Tours in Mexico, The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, and The Best Adventure Tours to Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIsla Mujeres $148Puerto Vallarta $115
The average daily cost (per person) in Isla Mujeres is $148, 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 Isla Mujeres and Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIsla Mujeres $78Puerto Vallarta $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIsla Mujeres $156Puerto Vallarta $126
Compare Hotels in Isla Mujeres and Puerto Vallarta
Looking for a hotel in Isla Mujeres 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: Isla Mujeres Hotel Prices and Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Isla Mujeres $35Puerto Vallarta $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Isla Mujeres
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Isla Mujeres:
- Private Transfer: Playa Mujeres to Cancun Airport CUN in SUV: $123
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- Puerto Vallarta Roundtrip Shuttle Airport Transfer: $32
- Water Taxi transfer from Paradise Village to Puerto Vallarta: $35
- Private transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport - Hotel Zone: $37
- Private Transfer from Hotel Zone - Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR): $37
- Private Airport Transfer to Marina Vallarta: $38
- Private Airport Transfer to Hotel Zone: $41
- Puerto Vallarta Cruise Port to Airport PVR Departure Transfer: $44
- Arrival Transfer from Airport to Cruise Port in Puerto Vallarta: $44
- From Puerto Vallarta Hotels to Cruise Port Departure Transfer: $44
- Puerto Vallarta Port to Puerto Vallarta Airport(PVR)-Departure Private Transfer : $44
- Puerto Vallarta hotels to Puerto Vallarta Cruise Port-Departure Private Transfer: $44
- Private Airport Transfer to Romantic Zone: $49
Is it cheaper to fly into Isla Mujeres or Puerto Vallarta?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta and Isla Mujeres 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 dayIsla Mujeres $46Puerto 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.
- 3-Hour Guided Food Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $45
- Off The Beaten Path Food Tour, Breakfast in Pitillal: $55
- Dinner Tacos Food Tour: $55
- Puerto Vallarta 3-Hour Food Tour of Authentic Local Cuisine: $55
- Downtown Puerto Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $55
- Taste of Pitillal Food Tour by Vallarta Food Tours : $55
- Taco Adventure Evening Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $55
- Off The Beaten Path Food Tour. Dinner in Pitillal : $55
- Puerta Vallarta: Seafood Lover's Food Tour: $56
- Mexican Cooking Class, Tequila Tasting & Unlimited Margaritas: $78
- Bucerias Bike and Food Tour: $90
- Mexican Cooking Class and Tequila Tasting: $97
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Isla Mujeres $21Puerto Vallarta $19
Tours and Activities in Isla Mujeres
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Isla Mujeres are as follows:
- Excursion Crystal Boat Tour at the Caribbean: $36
- Tour Isla Mujeres excursion in Collective Transparent Boat: $38
- “ Tour in Isla Mujeres “ Transparent boat ride: $40
- Crystal Boat Tour to Isla Mujeres and Reefs: $43
- Snorkel Tour at Musa and Manchones Reef: $45
- Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Adventure at the Underwater Museum: $47
- Clear Boat Tour "La Isla": $48
- Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Tour Adventure: $49
- Snorkel Experience in Underwater Museum: $54
- Cancun: Isla Mujeres 12 pm Catamaran Tour with Snorkeling: $59
- UNDER WATER MUSEUM CANCUN SNORKEL ISLA MUJERES - Experience with Ticket: $65
- Sunset Snorkeling Experience in Cancun: $70
Tours and Activities in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
- Puerto Vallarta City Tour: $20
- Mexico: Puerto Vallarta City Tour: $20
- Hop-On-Hop-Off City Bus Tour: $24
- Guided SUP Board Tour with Digital Photos: $24
- Hop On Hop Off Tour with Free Stops in Puerto Vallarta: $24
- Butterfly Sanctuary Guided Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $27
- 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: $32
- Stand Up Paddle Boarding Adventure in Puerto Vallarta: $33
- Chocolate Tour in Vallarta: $35
- Zipline Canopy Tour: $38
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIsla Mujeres $25Puerto Vallarta $24
Sample the Local Flavors in Isla Mujeres
Also in Isla Mujeres, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Isla Mujeres Golf Cart Bar Crawl : $175
Sample the Local Flavors in Puerto Vallarta
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:
- Fun Mexican Wine Tasting in Beautiful Garden of Puerto Vallarta: $40
- All you can drink Bar Crawl: $99
- Tequila Tasting and Tour at Puerto Vallarta Distillery: $109
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Isla Mujeres and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Isla Mujeres is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Vallarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Puerto Vallarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Vallarta 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 Isla Mujeres would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Isla Mujeres than you might in Puerto Vallarta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Isla Mujeres Expensive? and Is Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Isla Mujeres or Puerto Vallarta?
Puerto Vallarta has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Isla Mujeres. When comparing the sizes of Isla Mujeres 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.