Which place is cheaper, Puerto Montt or Managua?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Managua or Puerto Montt?
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 Managua and Puerto Montt can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Managua or Puerto Montt?
Managua
Managua is the capital, and largest city in Nicaragua. The economy is generally centered around the trade of coffee, cotton, and other types of agriculture. It also is a textile capital for the area. Managua is also a very reasonably priced destination in Central America. Restaurants and hotels are quite affordable and you'll find all kinds of international cuisine around the city. Transportation is also incredibly affordable and you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised at the cost of intercity bus rides.
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 Nicaragua, The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, 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 dayManagua $55Puerto Montt $89
The average daily cost (per person) in Managua is $55, 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 Managua and Puerto Montt in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personManagua $23Puerto Montt $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomManagua $46Puerto Montt $122
Compare Hotels in Managua and Puerto Montt
Looking for a hotel in Managua 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: Managua Hotel Prices and Puerto Montt Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Managua $20Puerto Montt $6.43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Managua
Also for Managua, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport private transfer from Managua.: $25
- Managua to Managua Augusto Airport (MGA) - Departure Transfer: $33
- Managua Augusto Sandino Airport(MGA) to Managua- Arrival Transfer: $33
- San Jorge Rivas Transfer: $47
- PRIVATE San Juan Del Sur Transfer: $56
- Granada: Managua to Granada Airport private transfer: $64
- Managua Augusto Airport (MGA) to Managua-Round-Trip Transfer: $66
- Rivas: Managua to Rivas Airport private transfer: $75
- Managua-Leon: Airport private transfer from to Managua /Leon: $85
- Transfer From Managua International Airport: $90
- Popoyo Beach Transfer: $90
- Private Transfer in Nicaragua: $110
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Montt
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Montt:
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Castro: $300
- Transfer Puerto Montt Airport to Castro: $277
- 4 Days Tour Los Lagos Region with Transfer Chiloe and Peulla: $177
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Frutillar: $80
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas - Round-Trip Transfer: $66
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas: $50
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Frutillar: Roundtrip Transfer: $46
- Cruce Andino Office Private Transfer from Puerto Montt: $44
- Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $42
- Puerto Airport (PMC) to Frutillar - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $42
- Puerto Montt Shuttle Transfer: $34
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas City- Arrival Transfer: $33
Is it cheaper to fly into Managua or Puerto Montt?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Montt and Managua 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 dayManagua $17Puerto Montt $21
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Managua $16Puerto Montt $14
Tours and Activities in Managua
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Managua.
- Private lava tour-Masaya Volcano from Managua: $49
- Masaya Volcano Night Tour: $53
- Laguna de Apoyo Day pass plus Masaya Volcano Night Tour: $60
- Granada Isletas and City tour: $68
- PRIVATE Laguna de apoyo day pass + masaya volcano lava tour: $70
- PRIVATE Boat ride + Colonial city tour at Granada+Catarina lookout: $80
- PRIVATE Day trip Granada Isletas +Colonial City tour from Managua: $80
- Managua City Tour: $84
- PRIVATE Boat tour + Granada City +Masaya Volcano Night Tour : $85
- full tour Somoto Canyon Nicaragua: $86
- PRIVATE Boat tour+Granada City and Catarina lookout from Managua: $88
- Managua City Tour: $88
Tours and Activities in Puerto Montt
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Montt are as follows:
- 6 Hours Shared Tour in Calbuco and Millennial Forest : $130
- Alerce Andino National Park/Alerce Millenario/Cruises: $77
- Austral / Hornopiren Road Tour: $102
- Frutillar & Llanquihue Private Tour from Puerto Montt: $128
- Frutillar & Llanquihue Tour from Puerto Montt: $56
- Frutillar Tour: $31
- Osorno Volcano Tour+Petrohue Falls / Cruises / Spanish: $68
- Private Day tour Petrohue Falls, Osorno Volcano & Puerto Varas: $250
- Private Shore Excursion Tour to Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas and Frutillar: $143
- Private Tour: Puerto Montt Sightseeing: $47
- Private Tour: Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas and Vicente Peres Rosales National Park: $164
- Private. City Tour Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas: $92
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayManagua $11Puerto Montt $4.49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Managua and Puerto Montt, we can see that Puerto Montt is more expensive. And not only is Managua much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Managua 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 Managua would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Managua 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 Montt would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Montt than you might in Managua.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Managua Expensive? and Is Puerto Montt Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Managua or Puerto Montt?
Managua has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Puerto Montt. When comparing the sizes of Managua 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 Managua or Puerto Montt?
Puerto Montt has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Managua experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Managua or Puerto Montt in the Summer?
Both Puerto Montt and Managua during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Managua because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the summer, Managua is much warmer than Puerto Montt. Typically, the summer temperatures in Managua in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Montt averages at about 16°C (60°F)in January.
In Puerto Montt, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Managua often gets less sunshine than Puerto Monttin January. Managua gets 175 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Montt receives 204 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Managua. Managua usually gets more rain in July than Puerto Monttin January. Managua gets 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryManagua 27°C (81°F)Puerto Montt 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Managua or Puerto Montt in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Managua and Puerto Montt. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Managua year-round.
In October, Managua is generally much warmer than Puerto Monttin April. Daily temperatures in Managua average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
Managua usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Montt during autumn. Managua gets 195 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Montt receives 104 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Puerto Montt receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Managua gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Managua usually receives more rain than Puerto Monttin April. Managua gets 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilManagua 27°C (81°F)Puerto Montt 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Managua or Puerto Montt in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Managua as well as Puerto Montt. Managua attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Managua is much warmer than Puerto Montt in the winter. The daily temperature in Managua averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 7°C (45°F)in July.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Managua this time of the year. In the winter, Managua often gets more sunshine than Puerto Monttin July. Managua gets 244 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Montt receives 67 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Puerto Montt. Managua usually gets less rain in January than Puerto Monttin July. Managua gets 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 229 mm (9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyManagua 26°C (79°F)Puerto Montt 7°C (45°F)
Should I visit Managua or Puerto Montt in the Spring?
Both Puerto Montt and Managua are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Managua throughout the year.
In the spring, Managua is much warmer than Puerto Montt. Typically, the spring temperatures in Managua in April average around 29°C (84°F), and Puerto Montt averages at about 11°C (51°F)in October.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Managua. Managua usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Montt during spring. Managua gets 242 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Montt receives 151 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Puerto Montt. In April, Managua usually receives less rain than Puerto Monttin October. Managua gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberManagua 29°C (84°F)Puerto Montt 11°C (51°F)
Typical Weather for Puerto Montt and Managua
| Managua | Puerto Montt | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.