Which place is cheaper, Ponce or La Serena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Serena or Ponce?
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 La Serena and Ponce can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: La Serena or Ponce?
La Serena
La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!
Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.
Ponce
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Serena $87Ponce $205
The average daily cost (per person) in La Serena is $87, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $205. 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 Serena and Ponce in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Serena $42Ponce $151
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Serena $84Ponce $302
Compare Hotels in La Serena and Ponce
Looking for a hotel in La Serena or Ponce? 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 Serena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Serena $20Ponce $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
- Vega Baja to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $170
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Transfer SJU Airport to Humacao and Nagüabo. Vice Versa One Way Trip: $185
- Single ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $189
- San juan Puerto Rico PrivateTransfers Airport,Hotels,Cruise Ports: $60
- San Juan hotels to San Juan PR Cruise Port - Departure Transfer: $46
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $92
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- San Juan PR Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Transfer: $46
- San Juan Departure Share Transfer: $27
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
Is it cheaper to fly into La Serena or Ponce?
Prices for flights to both Ponce and La Serena 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 Serena $27Ponce $35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.
- Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
- Private Half-Day Food Tour : $130
- Private San Juan Cooking Class with a Local Expert: $146
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.La Serena $24Ponce $56
Tours and Activities in La Serena
For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full Day History and Flavors Tour in the Elqui Valley: $50
- La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
- La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
- Full day Tour to Elqui Valley : $80
- Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $85
- Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $120
- La Serena & Coquimbo City Tour - Short excursion for cruise ships: $128
- Tour to the internationally renowned Pangue Observatory: $139
- Tour to Valle del Encanto Archeology, Petroglyphs, Flora, Fauna and Springs: $140
- Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $140
- Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
- Elqui Valley and Vicuña Private Tour Including Lunch: $183
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
- Half-Day El Yunque Rainforest Tour from Fajardo: $65
- Scuba Boat Diving Experience in Gilligan's Island at Copamarina: $160
- 1 Hour Historical UTV Tour in San Juan: $200
- 2-Hour Private UTV Can-Am Beach Tour in San Juan, Puerto Rico: $264
- 2.5-Hour Historical Walking Tour of Old San Juan: $65
- 5 hours Tour in La Parguera Private Boat Charter: $200
- 7 Hours River Tour with Beach and Learn to Make Piña Colada : $195
- 90 Minute Portrait Photoshoot Experience in the Caribbean: $129
- ATV Adventure at Hacienda Campo Rico: $136
- Adventure Trail Tour in the foothills of the National Rainforest: $110
- Afro-Boriken-Loiza: Food, Cave & Art Tour: $140
- All Inclusive Cordillera Cay’s Sailing Catamaran Beach & Snorkeling Tour: $150
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLa Serena $22Ponce $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Ponce
Also in Ponce, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Artisan Puertorrican Winery and Distillery Tour: $50
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- Local Puerto Rican Rum Distillery Tour - Ron Pepon: $90
- Rum Distillery and Old San Juan Tour: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Serena and Ponce, we can see that Ponce is more expensive. And not only is La Serena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Serena is in South America and Ponce is in Caribbean Islands, 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 La Serena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in La Serena 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 Ponce would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ponce than you might in La Serena.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is La Serena Expensive? and Is Ponce Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Serena or Ponce?
La Serena has a larger population, and is about 1% larger than the population of Ponce. When comparing the sizes of La Serena and Ponce, 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 Serena or Ponce?
La Serena has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Ponce experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit La Serena or Ponce in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to La Serena as well as Ponce. The warm climate attracts visitors to Ponce throughout the year.
In the summer, La Serena is much colder than Ponce. Typically, the summer temperatures in La Serena in January average around 18°C (64°F), and Ponce averages at about 28°C (83°F)in July.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Ponce. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in La Serena this time of the year. In the summer, La Serena often gets less sunshine than Poncein July. La Serena gets 247 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ponce receives 287 hours of full sun.
La Serena usually gets less rain in January than Poncein July. La Serena gets 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyLa Serena 18°C (64°F)Ponce 28°C (83°F)
Should I visit La Serena or Ponce in the Autumn?
Both Ponce and La Serena are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Ponce because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In April, La Serena is generally much colder than Poncein October. Daily temperatures in La Serena average around 15°C (59°F), and Ponce fluctuates around 28°C (82°F).
It's quite sunny in Ponce. La Serena usually receives less sunshine than Ponce during autumn. La Serena gets 159 hours of sunny skies, while Ponce receives 235 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Ponce. In April, La Serena usually receives less rain than Poncein October. La Serena gets 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberLa Serena 15°C (59°F)Ponce 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit La Serena or Ponce in the Winter?
Both Ponce and La Serena during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Ponce year-round.
La Serena is much colder than Ponce in the winter. The daily temperature in La Serena averages around 12°C (54°F) in July, and Ponce fluctuates around 25°C (77°F)in January.
In Ponce, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, La Serena often gets less sunshine than Poncein January. La Serena gets 160 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ponce receives 240 hours of full sun.
La Serena usually gets less rain in July than Poncein January. La Serena gets 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryLa Serena 12°C (54°F)Ponce 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit La Serena or Ponce in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both La Serena and Ponce. Ponce attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the spring, La Serena is much colder than Ponce. Typically, the spring temperatures in La Serena in October average around 14°C (57°F), and Ponce averages at about 26°C (79°F)in April.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Ponce this time of the year. La Serena usually receives less sunshine than Ponce during spring. La Serena gets 190 hours of sunny skies, while Ponce receives 272 hours of full sun in the spring.
In October, La Serena usually receives less rain than Poncein April. La Serena gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilLa Serena 14°C (57°F)Ponce 26°C (79°F)
Typical Weather for Ponce and La Serena
| La Serena | Ponce | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 18°C (64°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Feb | 18°C (64°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Mar | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (59°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| May | 13°C (55°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Jun | 12°C (54°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jul | 12°C (54°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
| Aug | 12°C (54°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Sep | 13°C (55°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Oct | 14°C (57°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) |
| Dec | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 92 mm (3.6 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.