Which place is cheaper, Puerto Varas or Mexico City?
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 Mexico City or Puerto Varas?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Mexico City 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: Mexico City or Puerto Varas?
Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.
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 Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best Wildlife Tours to Chile, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Chile.
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Mexico City Prices
Mexico PricesPuerto Varas Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMexico City $225Puerto Varas $136
The average daily cost (per person) in Mexico City is $225, while the average daily cost in Puerto Varas is $136. 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 Mexico City and Puerto Varas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMexico City $41Puerto Varas $72
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMexico City $82Puerto Varas $144
Compare Hotels in Mexico City and Puerto Varas
Looking for a hotel in Mexico City 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: Mexico City Hotel Prices and Puerto Varas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mexico City $13Puerto Varas $23
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:
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Metro$1.15
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Uber Ride$4.03
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City
Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Aguascalientes Airport (AGU) Aguascalientes - RoundTrip Transfer: $83
- Airport Transfer: Mexico Airport MEX to Mexico by Luxury SUV: $105
- Airport Transfer: Mexico Airport NLU to Mexico by Luxury SUV: $211
- Airport Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Business Car: $94
- Airport Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport NLU by Luxury SUV: $211
- Arrival Private Transfer Mexico City Airport MEX to Mexico by Car: $93
- CDMX: Fly over Teotihuacan in a hot air balloon, with transfers and breakfast included.: $219
- Departure Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport MEX by Luxury SUV: $105
- Departure Transfer: Mexico to Mexico Airport NLU by Luxury SUV: $211
- Ixtapan de La Sal to Mexico Airport (MEX)-Departure Transfer: $108
- Luxury Executive Transfers in Mexico City: $296
- Mexico Airport (MEX) to Cuernavaca - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $199
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Varas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Varas:
- Transfer from Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport: $50
- Transfer to Puerto Montt Airport: $22
- Puerto Varas Bus Terminal Private Transfer: $25
- Puerto Varas Airport Private Transfer: $69
- Cruce Andino Office Shuttle Transfer from Puerto Varas: $20
- Cruce Andino Office Private Transfer from Puerto Varas: $27
Is it cheaper to fly into Mexico City or Puerto Varas?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Varas and Mexico City 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 dayMexico City $46Puerto Varas $46
Typical Food Prices in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$13
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Coffee and Snacks$4.49
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Dinner for 2$26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Street Food Tour Mexico City - Best rated: $35
- Art and Food Tour with Lunch: $54
- Coyoacan Market Food Tour Urban Eats & Local Legends: $55
- 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $65
- Old Town Food Tour of 7 Tastings & Secret Dish: $66
- Frida Kahlo Museum & Coyoacan Tacos & Food Tour: $69
- Mexico City Food Tour: Historic Center, Heritage on a Plate: $70
- Vegan & Veggie Market Tour with Cooking Lesson: $71
- Tamales Cooking Class in Mumu’un Baj: $71
- 4h Cooking Class in 8 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $75
- Mexico City Food Tour in Coyoacán: Bohemian Bites & Sites: $76
- La Roma Authentic Downtown Food Tour: Tacos and Local Flavors: $78
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mexico City $15Puerto Varas $20
Tours and Activities in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- CDMX: Museum of Memory and Tolerance - Children in Silence (Admission ticket): $1.36
- MUCHO Museum of Chocolate Entrance Ticket: $4.36
- Mexico City (Coyoacan) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $5.18
- Mexico City Self-Guided Audio Experience: $6.00
- CDMX: Museum of Memory and Tolerance - Anne Frank (Entrance ticket): $6.81
- Hidden Gems of Exploration Game and Tour: $7.40
- Double Decker Bus Night Tour: $8.17
- Mexico City Ancient and Modern Guided tour: $8.27
- Night City Tour in a Double Decker Bus: $11
- KidZania Santa Fe Entrance Ticket: $11
- KidZania Cuicuilco Entrance Ticket: $11
- Night Bus Tour: $11
Tours and Activities in Puerto Varas
Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Varas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Chiloe Island - Puñihuil Tour: $90
- From Chiloe Island Full-day Tour: $65
- From Osorno Volcano & Petrohue Falls Day Tour: $49
- Full-Day Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Falls Small-Group Tour: $90
- Guided Tour to Termas del Sol and Cochamo with Transportation Included: $56
- Half-Day Small-Group Rafting Experience in Petrohué River: $52
- Petrohué Bike Tour: $140
- Petrohue Falls and Osorno Volcano Private Full Day Tour: $200
- Premium Full Day Shared Tour Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Falls: $230
- Premium Full day Tour to Osorno Volcano and Petrohue in Puerto Varas: $240
- Premium Half Day Shared Tour Sunset at Osorno Volcano: $130
- Private Full-Day Tour: Llanquihue Lake & Waterfalls Experience: $229
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMexico City $20Puerto Varas $6.99
Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:
- Guided Pub Crawl with Party Games: $23
- Zona Rosa Pub Crawl Experience: $94
- The Mexican Wine Tasting and Pairing: $127
- Private Cheese and Wine Tour to Queretaro: $479
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mexico City and Puerto Varas, we can see that Mexico City is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Varas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mexico City is in North 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 Puerto Varas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Varas 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 Mexico City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mexico City than you might in Puerto Varas.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mexico City Expensive? and Is Puerto Varas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mexico City or Puerto Varas?
Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 450 times larger than the population of Puerto Varas. When comparing the sizes of Mexico City 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.
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.