Which place is cheaper, Puerto Montt or La Fortuna?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Fortuna or Puerto Montt?
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 La Fortuna and Puerto Montt. 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: La Fortuna or Puerto Montt?
La Fortuna
La Fortuna is in San Carlos, in the province of Alajuela. It is the closest town to Arenal Volcano, and the area is often simply refered to as Arenal. The volcano itself is active and has been constantly erupting since 1968. It erupts on average 41 times a day. This area of northern Costa Rica is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country.
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 Costa Rica, The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica, 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 dayLa Fortuna $104Puerto Montt $89
The average daily cost (per person) in La Fortuna is $104, 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 La Fortuna and Puerto Montt in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Fortuna $51Puerto Montt $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Fortuna $102Puerto Montt $122
Compare Hotels in La Fortuna and Puerto Montt
Looking for a hotel in La Fortuna 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: La Fortuna Hotel Prices and Puerto Montt Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Fortuna $21Puerto Montt $6.43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Fortuna
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Fortuna:
- La Fortuna or Monteverde: One-Way Boat Transfer: $39
- Transfer From Liberia Airport To Arenal La Fortuna San Carlos: $42
- Private Transfer From Liberia Airport to Arenal La Fortuna: $42
- White Water Tubing Tour with Guide and Transfers: $55
- Scenic Transfer to Monteverde via Arenal Lake: $56
- One-Way Transfer from La Fortuna to Monteverde through Arenal Lake: $57
- Arenal lake boat transfer from to Monteverde from La Fortuna: $60
- Arenal La Fortuna to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer : $63
- Sloth Watching Tour with Transfer and Snacks: $68
- From Lake Arenal Kayaking Trip with Transfer: $90
- One Way Private Transfer - La Fortuna to your Selected Location: $128
- Direct Transfer From La Fortuna to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $153
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 La Fortuna or Puerto Montt?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Montt and La Fortuna 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 dayLa Fortuna $27Puerto Montt $21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Fortuna
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in La Fortuna.
- 2 Hours Private Cooking Class in La Fortuna: $38
- Organic Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Cooking Class: $45
- Cooking Class and Sugar Cane Experience: $45
- Typical Costa Rican Cooking Classes in La Fortuna: $48
- Costa Rica Cooking, El Fogon de Chela: $50
- Costa Rican cuisine Cooking Class at Rancho Don Lelo: $60
- Cooking Class "Cook Like a Local" La Fortuna: $63
- Rainforest Night Walk and Authentic Costa Rican Dinner from La Fortuna: $65
- 3-Hour Costa Rican Cooking Class with Dinner: $68
- Private typical cooking class with a Costa Rican family: $70
- Private cooking class in organic farm at La Fortuna: $75
- Ceviche & Empanadas Cooking Class: $77
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Fortuna $44Puerto Montt $14
Tours and Activities in La Fortuna
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Fortuna are as follows:
- Two Destinations Tour - La Fortuna Top Destinations : $20
- Skip-the-Line La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket: $20
- Arenal Volcano Hike Experience (not guide included): $23
- Arenal Observatory Trails Admission Ticket: $29
- San Carlos: The Art of Chocolate Making Tour at Don Olivo: $30
- 1-Hour Private Sloth Tour in the Rainforest from Costa Rica: $30
- Private Sloth and Monkey Wildlife Tour: $30
- Rainforest Chocolate Tour: $30
- arenal fortuna city tour: $30
- Don Olivo Chocolate Tour: $30
- Sloth Tour: $30
- Night tour through the Tropical Forest at Tifakara : $32
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 dayLa Fortuna $11Puerto Montt $4.49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Fortuna and Puerto Montt, we can see that La Fortuna is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Montt much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Fortuna 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 Puerto Montt would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Montt 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 La Fortuna would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Fortuna than you might in Puerto Montt.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is La Fortuna Expensive? and Is Puerto Montt Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Fortuna or Puerto Montt?
Puerto Montt has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of La Fortuna. When comparing the sizes of La Fortuna 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.
When is the best time to visit La Fortuna or Puerto Montt?
Puerto Montt has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but La Fortuna experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit La Fortuna or Puerto Montt in the Summer?
Both Puerto Montt and La Fortuna are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to La Fortuna throughout the year.
La Fortuna is much warmer than Puerto Montt in the summer. The daily temperature in La Fortuna averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 16°C (60°F)in January.
It's quite sunny in Puerto Montt. La Fortuna usually receives less sunshine than Puerto Montt during summer. La Fortuna gets 164 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Montt receives 204 hours of full sun in the summer.
It's quite rainy in La Fortuna. In July, La Fortuna usually receives more rain than Puerto Monttin January. La Fortuna gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryLa Fortuna 28°C (82°F)Puerto Montt 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit La Fortuna or Puerto Montt in the Autumn?
Both Puerto Montt and La Fortuna during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to La Fortuna because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the autumn, La Fortuna is much warmer than Puerto Montt. Typically, the autumn temperatures in La Fortuna in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Montt averages at about 11°C (51°F)in April.
In the autumn, La Fortuna often gets more sunshine than Puerto Monttin April. La Fortuna gets 169 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Montt receives 104 hours of full sun.
Puerto Montt gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in La Fortuna. La Fortuna usually gets more rain in October than Puerto Monttin April. La Fortuna gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilLa Fortuna 27°C (81°F)Puerto Montt 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit La Fortuna or Puerto Montt in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both La Fortuna and Puerto Montt. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to La Fortuna year-round.
In January, La Fortuna is generally much warmer than Puerto Monttin July. Daily temperatures in La Fortuna average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 7°C (45°F).
In La Fortuna, it's very sunny this time of the year. La Fortuna usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Montt during winter. La Fortuna gets 264 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Montt receives 67 hours of full sun in the winter.
Puerto Montt receives a lot of rain in the winter. In January, La Fortuna usually receives less rain than Puerto Monttin July. La Fortuna gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 229 mm (9 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyLa Fortuna 27°C (81°F)Puerto Montt 7°C (45°F)
Should I visit La Fortuna or Puerto Montt in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to La Fortuna as well as Puerto Montt. La Fortuna attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
La Fortuna is much warmer than Puerto Montt in the spring. The daily temperature in La Fortuna averages around 29°C (85°F) in April, and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 11°C (51°F)in October.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in La Fortuna this time of the year. In the spring, La Fortuna often gets more sunshine than Puerto Monttin October. La Fortuna gets 255 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Montt receives 151 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Puerto Montt. La Fortuna usually gets less rain in April than Puerto Monttin October. La Fortuna gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberLa Fortuna 29°C (85°F)Puerto Montt 11°C (51°F)
Typical Weather for Puerto Montt and La Fortuna
| La Fortuna | Puerto Montt | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 229 mm (9 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 209 mm (8.2 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) | 9°C (47°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) |
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.