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

Should you visit Mandeville or Punta Arenas?

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

Should I visit Mandeville or Punta Arenas? 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 Punta Arenas?

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.

Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas is in the far south of Chile and has a long history of maritime commerce, oil extraction, and sheep farming. It's the most populated city on the Strait of Magellan and has all the facilities you might need as a traveler, including banks, markets, drugstores and equipment shops. With a population of about 130,000, the city is a comfortable place to spend time. It serves as a base for Antarctic expeditions, although many expeditions also start in Ushuaia, Argentina, and Christchurch New Zealand.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Chile.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mandeville and Punta Arenas, we can see that Mandeville is more expensive. And not only is Punta Arenas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mandeville is in Caribbean Islands and Punta Arenas 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 Punta Arenas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Punta Arenas 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 Mandeville would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mandeville than you might in Punta Arenas.

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

Which is Bigger, Mandeville or Punta Arenas?

Punta Arenas has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Mandeville. When comparing the sizes of Mandeville and Punta Arenas, 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 Punta Arenas?

Punta Arenas 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 Punta Arenas in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Mandeville and Punta Arenas. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Mandeville year-round.

In the summer, Mandeville is much warmer than Punta Arenas. Typically, the summer temperatures in Mandeville in July average around 29°C (83°F), and Punta Arenas averages at about 11°C (52°F)in January.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Punta Arenas this time of the year. In Mandeville, it's very sunny this time of the year. Mandeville usually receives more sunshine than Punta Arenas during summer. Mandeville gets 257 hours of sunny skies, while Punta Arenas receives 208 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Mandeville usually receives more rain than Punta Arenasin January. Mandeville gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Punta Arenas receives 39 mm (1.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Mandeville or Punta Arenas in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Mandeville as well as Punta Arenas. Mandeville attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In October, Mandeville is generally much warmer than Punta Arenasin April. Daily temperatures in Mandeville average around 28°C (82°F), and Punta Arenas fluctuates around 7°C (44°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Mandeville this time of the year. In the autumn, Mandeville often gets more sunshine than Punta Arenasin April. Mandeville gets 233 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Punta Arenas receives 119 hours of full sun.

Mandeville receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Mandeville usually gets more rain in October than Punta Arenasin April. Mandeville gets 160 mm (6.3 in) of rain, while Punta Arenas receives 36 mm (1.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Mandeville or Punta Arenas in the Winter?

Both Punta Arenas and Mandeville are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Mandeville throughout the year.

Punta Arenas can get quite cold in the winter. Mandeville is much warmer than Punta Arenas in the winter. The daily temperature in Mandeville averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Punta Arenas fluctuates around 1°C (35°F)in July.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Mandeville. Mandeville usually receives more sunshine than Punta Arenas during winter. Mandeville gets 226 hours of sunny skies, while Punta Arenas receives 70 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Mandeville usually receives more rain than Punta Arenasin July. Mandeville gets 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Punta Arenas receives 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Mandeville or Punta Arenas in the Spring?

Both Punta Arenas and Mandeville during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Mandeville because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In the spring, Mandeville is much warmer than Punta Arenas. Typically, the spring temperatures in Mandeville in April average around 26°C (80°F), and Punta Arenas averages at about 7°C (44°F)in October.

It's quite sunny in Mandeville. In the spring, Mandeville often gets more sunshine than Punta Arenasin October. Mandeville gets 225 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Punta Arenas receives 183 hours of full sun.

Mandeville usually gets more rain in April than Punta Arenasin October. Mandeville gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Punta Arenas receives 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Punta Arenas and Mandeville