Which place is cheaper, Puerto Varas or Leon?
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 Leon or Puerto Varas?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Leon and Puerto Varas 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.
Where Should I go: Leon or Puerto Varas?
Leon
Leon is one of the oldest city's in Nicaragua and you can see hints of its colonial past in the architecture around town. Tourism is not a major part of the economy in Leon, but the city is gaining popularity with budget travelers and backpackers and more recently tour groups are including Leon in their itinerary.
With a population of just over 200,000, Leon is the second largest city in Nicaragua, after Managua. During the university season the population grows dramatically as there is a heavy presence of students in Leon. It is a popular university town, and this young population gives the city plenty of energy and entertainment.
Puerto Varas
Puerto Varas is a city in Southern Chile, in the Los Lagos (Lakes) Region, Llanquihue Province. It is a charming town, only 23 km away from Puerto Montt and surrounded by the Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes as well as the impressive Llanquihue lake. In terms of landscape, accommodation and activities, Puerto Varas is well served! Kayak, paddle, canyoning, rock climbing, trekking, ski, fishing, you name it! If you decide to stop in that area, we recommend that you stay in Puerto Varas, as it provides the perfect starting point for many memorable excursions in the area.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, The Best Wildlife Tours to Chile, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Chile.
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Leon Prices
Nicaragua PricesPuerto Varas Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLeon $68Puerto Varas $127
The average daily cost (per person) in Leon is $68, while the average daily cost in Puerto Varas is $127. 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 Leon and Puerto Varas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLeon $16Puerto Varas $67
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLeon $32Puerto Varas $134
Compare Hotels in Leon and Puerto Varas
Looking for a hotel in Leon or Puerto Varas? 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: Puerto Varas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Leon $1.50Puerto Varas $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Leon
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Leon:
- From Granada: One way shared transfer to San Jorge: $39
- From San Jorge: One way shared transfer to Leon: $57
- One way shared transfer to San Juan del Sur: $57
- San Juan del Sur: One way shared transfer to Leon: $57
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Varas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Varas:
- Cruce Andino Office Shuttle Transfer from Puerto Varas: $19
- Frutillar to Puerto Montt Airport PMC- Departure Private Transfer: $47
- Puerto Varas Airport Shuttle Transfer: $38
- Puerto Varas Bus Terminal Private Transfer: $25
- Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) - Departure Transfer: $63
- Transfer to Puerto Montt Airport: $22
- Transfer from Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Leon or Puerto Varas?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Varas and Leon 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 dayLeon $21Puerto Varas $43
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Leon
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Leon.
- Tlakualli Food Tour: $25
- Cooking Workshop in Nicaragua: $25
- Nicaraguan Food Cooking Workshop & Market Tour: $40
- Cooking Class Private Tour: $55
- Nicaraguan Cooking Class with a Local Family at Leon City: $60
- Leon City: Cooking Class: $60
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Leon $5.80Puerto Varas $19
Tours and Activities in Leon
Here are a few actual costs in Leon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Leon city: Walking tour by our landmarks.: $15
- Leon Colonial City Tour: $39
- Colonial City Tour: $39
- Leon City Walking Private Tour : $48
- Half Day Tour of Cerro Negro's Volcano Boarding: $49
- Volcano Board Adventure on Cerro Negro: $65
- Hike El Hoyo Volcano "Private Tour" : $67
- La Camellada Tour, Hiking and Swimming: $70
- Volcano Boarding Private Tour : $84
- Volcano Sandboarding Private Experience in Leon: $89
- Momotombo Volcano Tour with Local Guide: $90
- Kayak Private tour at Juan Venado Island: $92
Tours and Activities in Puerto Varas
Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Varas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Scenic Catamaran Tour on Llanquihue lake: $8.50
- Tour Frutillar: $31
- Half-Day Tour to Frutillar and Llanquihue: $35
- Half day Frutillar and Llanquihue Town tour: $36
- Half day Osorno Volcano tour: $41
- From Osorno Volcano & Petrohue Falls Day Tour: $49
- Todos los Santos Lake and Villa Peulla Tour: $51
- Todos los Santos Lake and Villa Peulla Tour: $51
- Half-Day Small-Group Rafting Experience in Petrohué River: $52
- FullDay Chiloe Island Tour Castro and dalcahue: $59
- Full-Day Tour Chiloe Island: Castro and Dalcahue : $62
- From Chiloe Island Full-day Tour: $65
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLeon $3.52Puerto Varas $6.51
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Leon and Puerto Varas, we can see that Puerto Varas is more expensive. And not only is Leon much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Leon is in Central America and Puerto Varas 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 Leon would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Leon 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 Varas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Varas than you might in Leon.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Leon Expensive? and Is Puerto Varas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Leon or Puerto Varas?
Leon has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Puerto Varas. When comparing the sizes of Leon and Puerto Varas, 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 Leon or Puerto Varas?
Puerto Varas has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Leon experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Leon or Puerto Varas in the Summer?
Both Puerto Varas and Leon are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Leon throughout the year.
In the summer, Leon is much warmer than Puerto Varas. Typically, the summer temperatures in Leon in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Varas averages at about 16°C (60°F)in January.
It's quite sunny in Puerto Varas. Leon usually receives less sunshine than Puerto Varas during summer. Leon gets 175 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Varas receives 204 hours of full sun in the summer.
It's quite rainy in Leon. In July, Leon usually receives more rain than Puerto Varasin January. Leon gets 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryLeon 27°C (81°F)Puerto Varas 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Leon or Puerto Varas in the Autumn?
Both Puerto Varas and Leon during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Leon because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In October, Leon is generally much warmer than Puerto Varasin April. Daily temperatures in Leon average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
In the autumn, Leon often gets more sunshine than Puerto Varasin April. Leon gets 195 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Varas receives 104 hours of full sun.
Puerto Varas gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Leon. Leon usually gets more rain in October than Puerto Varasin April. Leon gets 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilLeon 27°C (81°F)Puerto Varas 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Leon or Puerto Varas in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Leon and Puerto Varas. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Leon year-round.
Leon is much warmer than Puerto Varas in the winter. The daily temperature in Leon averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 7°C (45°F)in July.
In Leon, it's very sunny this time of the year. Leon usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Varas during winter. Leon gets 244 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Varas receives 67 hours of full sun in the winter.
Puerto Varas receives a lot of rain in the winter. In January, Leon usually receives less rain than Puerto Varasin July. Leon gets 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 229 mm (9 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyLeon 26°C (79°F)Puerto Varas 7°C (45°F)
Should I visit Leon or Puerto Varas in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Leon as well as Puerto Varas. Leon attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the spring, Leon is much warmer than Puerto Varas. Typically, the spring temperatures in Leon in April average around 29°C (84°F), and Puerto Varas averages at about 11°C (51°F)in October.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Leon this time of the year. In the spring, Leon often gets more sunshine than Puerto Varasin October. Leon gets 242 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Varas receives 151 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Puerto Varas. Leon usually gets less rain in April than Puerto Varasin October. Leon gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberLeon 29°C (84°F)Puerto Varas 11°C (51°F)
Typical Weather for Puerto Varas and Leon
| Leon | Puerto Varas | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Feb | 27°C (80°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Mar | 28°C (82°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (84°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) |
| May | 29°C (84°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 196 mm (7.7 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 144 mm (5.7 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 229 mm (9 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 151 mm (5.9 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 209 mm (8.2 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 210 mm (8.3 in) | 9°C (47°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 197 mm (7.8 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Nov | 31°C (88°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (79°F) | 11 mm (0.4 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.