A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Mandeville vs. Puerto Varas for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Mandeville or Puerto Varas?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Mandeville or Puerto Varas? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Mandeville or Puerto Varas?

Mandeville

Mandeville is a small, quiet town in the mountains of Jamaica with a population of about 50,000. The town is situated on a plateau west of Kingston. It is the largest town in the parish of Manchester and the fifth largest urban center in the country.

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 G Adventures Tours to Chile, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mandeville and Puerto Varas, we can see that Puerto Varas is more expensive. And not only is Mandeville much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mandeville is in Caribbean Islands 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 Mandeville would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mandeville 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 Mandeville.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mandeville Expensive? and Is Puerto Varas Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Mandeville or Puerto Varas?

Mandeville has a larger population, and is about 89% larger than the population of Puerto Varas. When comparing the sizes of Mandeville 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 Mandeville or Puerto Varas?

Puerto Varas has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Mandeville experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Mandeville or Puerto Varas in the Summer?

Both Puerto Varas and Mandeville during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Mandeville because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

Mandeville is much warmer than Puerto Varas in the summer. The daily temperature in Mandeville averages around 29°C (83°F) in July, and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 16°C (60°F)in January.

In Puerto Varas, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Mandeville. In the summer, Mandeville often gets more sunshine than Puerto Varasin January. Mandeville gets 257 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Varas receives 204 hours of full sun.

Mandeville usually gets less rain in July than Puerto Varasin January. Mandeville gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Mandeville or Puerto Varas in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Mandeville and Puerto Varas. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Mandeville year-round.

In the autumn, Mandeville is much warmer than Puerto Varas. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Mandeville in October average around 28°C (82°F), and Puerto Varas averages at about 11°C (51°F)in April.

In Mandeville, it's very sunny this time of the year. Mandeville usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Varas during autumn. Mandeville gets 233 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Varas receives 104 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Puerto Varas receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Mandeville gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Mandeville usually receives more rain than Puerto Varasin April. Mandeville gets 160 mm (6.3 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Mandeville or Puerto Varas in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Mandeville as well as Puerto Varas. Mandeville attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In January, Mandeville is generally much warmer than Puerto Varasin July. Daily temperatures in Mandeville average around 26°C (79°F), and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 7°C (45°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Mandeville this time of the year. In the winter, Mandeville often gets more sunshine than Puerto Varasin July. Mandeville gets 226 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Varas receives 67 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Puerto Varas. Mandeville usually gets less rain in January than Puerto Varasin July. Mandeville gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 229 mm (9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Mandeville or Puerto Varas in the Spring?

Both Puerto Varas and Mandeville are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Mandeville throughout the year.

Mandeville is much warmer than Puerto Varas in the spring. The daily temperature in Mandeville averages around 26°C (80°F) in April, and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 11°C (51°F)in October.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Mandeville. Mandeville usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Varas during spring. Mandeville gets 225 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Varas receives 151 hours of full sun in the spring.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Puerto Varas. In April, Mandeville usually receives less rain than Puerto Varasin October. Mandeville gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Puerto Varas and Mandeville