Which place is cheaper, Puerto Varas or Montego Bay?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay 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: Montego Bay or Puerto Varas?
Montego Bay
As with most places around the tropical oasis of Jamaica, Montego Bay (or "MoBay") is an ideal place to visit for a Caribbean getaway. It is Jamaica's second largest city and the capital of St. James parish on the northern coast. Montego Bay is considered to be the tourist capital of the country and is where the largest airport is located, bringing in many international travelers.
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.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMontego Bay $203Puerto Varas $109
The average daily cost (per person) in Montego Bay is $203, while the average daily cost in Puerto Varas is $109. 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 Montego Bay and Puerto Varas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMontego Bay $104Puerto Varas $67
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMontego Bay $208Puerto Varas $134
Compare Hotels in Montego Bay and Puerto Varas
Looking for a hotel in Montego Bay 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: Montego Bay Hotel Prices and Puerto Varas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Montego Bay $15Puerto Varas $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montego Bay
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Montego Bay:
- Airport Transfer To Hotels in Negril : $60
- Airport Transfer To S Hotel (Round-trip): $35
- Airport Transfer to Montego Bay Hotels (Round-Trip): $54
- Airport Transfers to Iberostar Hotel (Round-trip): $53
- MBJ Airport Private Round Trip Transfer to Hotels in Montego Bay Area: $27
- Riu Reggae , Riu Palace & Riu Mobay Montego Bay Airport Transfers: $11
- Round-Trip Transfer Airport Transfer to Hotels in Montego Bay : $41
- Roundtrip Transfer from Montego Bay Airport to Meliá Braco Hotel: $80
- Shared Airport Transfer To Montego Bay Hotels: $55
- 2727lounge/Magarativille/Pier1 & taboo nightlife private transfer: $35
- Airport Transfer To Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa: $60
- Airport Transfer to Excellence Oyster Bay and Royalton: $35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Varas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Varas:
- Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport - Departure Private Transfer: $21
- Transfer to Puerto Montt Airport: $22
- Transfer from Hotel in Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport: $24
- Transfer from Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport: $50
Is it cheaper to fly into Montego Bay or Puerto Varas?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Varas and Montego Bay 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 dayMontego Bay $84Puerto Varas $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montego Bay
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Montego Bay.
- Private Transportation to DINNER or NIGHT CLUBS: $55
- Lunch or Dinner with Pickup from Montego Bay : $81
- Night cruise and swim the Falmouth Mystic Lagoon, Dinner and Rum Punch Inclusive: $85
- Rick’s Cafe Cliff Diving, Sunset & Dinner Tour with Transportation : $130
- Sunset Boat Ride in the Falmouth Luminous Lagoon swim and Dinner : $165
- Sunset Boat Cruise in Falmouth Luminous Lagoon, Swim and Dinner : $170
- Restaurant Transportation for Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner Montego Bay: $180
- Houseboat Restaurant and Grill for Dinner Private Transportation : $180
- Private Sea-Food Tour & Floyds Pelican Bar from Montego Bay or ..: $185
- [PRIVATE] Premium Jamaican Food Tour of Local Cuisine: $190
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Montego Bay $32Puerto Varas $19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Montego Bay
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Montego Bay are as follows:
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Admission to Doctor's Cave Beach$2.74
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Snorkeling Trip$19
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One Tank Dive$38
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1.5 Hr Horseback Ride$44
Tours and Activities in Montego Bay
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Montego Bay are as follows:
- Greenwood Great House Entry Ticket: $20
- Cinnamon Hill Great House Tour - Home of Johnny Cash: $23
- Skip the Line: Rose Hall Great House & Garden Tour Ticket: $30
- Private Shopping Tour in Montego Bay with Hotel Pickup: $35
- Montego Bay Sightseeing Tour and Souvenir Shopping: $35
- Rose Hall Great House Haunted Night Tour: $35
- Skip the Line: Ahhh Ras Natango Gallery and Garden Admission Tickets: $35
- Shopping and Sightseeing Tour of Montego Bay City: $39
- Shopping and Sightseeing Local Guided Tour In Montego Bay: $40
- Bamboo Rafting, Hip-Strip & Margaritaville Tour from Montego Bay: $40
- Montego Bay Walking Tour: $40
- Private Montego Bay Shopping Tour with Transportation: $45
Tours and Activities in Puerto Varas
Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Varas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Tour Frutillar: $31
- Half day Frutillar and Llanquihue Town tour: $34
- Half-Day Tour to Frutillar and Llanquihue: $35
- Half day Osorno Volcano tour: $35
- Todos los Santos Lake and Villa Peulla Tour: $48
- Todos los Santos Lake and Villa Peulla Tour: $48
- From Osorno Volcano & Petrohue Falls Day Tour: $49
- Half-Day Small-Group Rafting Experience in Petrohué River: $52
- From Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt: Chiloé Island Tour: $60
- FullDay Chiloe Island Tour Castro and dalcahue: $62
- Full-Day Tour Chiloe Island: Castro and Dalcahue : $62
- Peulla Full Day Tour from Puerto Varas: $68
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMontego Bay $13Puerto Varas $6.51
Sample the Local Flavors in Montego Bay
Also in Montego Bay, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Appleton Estate Admission Ticket & Distillery Tour with Tastings: $39
- Montego Bay Jamaica Rum Distillery Tour Private Driver: $215
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montego Bay and Puerto Varas, we can see that Montego Bay is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Varas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montego Bay 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 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 Montego Bay would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay Expensive? and Is Puerto Varas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Montego Bay or Puerto Varas?
Montego Bay has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Puerto Varas. When comparing the sizes of Montego Bay 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 Montego Bay or Puerto Varas?
Puerto Varas has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Montego Bay experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Montego Bay or Puerto Varas in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Montego Bay and Puerto Varas. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Montego Bay year-round.
Montego Bay is much warmer than Puerto Varas in the summer. The daily temperature in Montego Bay averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 16°C (60°F)in January.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Puerto Varas this time of the year. In Montego Bay, it's very sunny this time of the year. Montego Bay usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Varas during summer. Montego Bay gets 257 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Varas receives 204 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Montego Bay usually receives less rain than Puerto Varasin January. Montego Bay gets 60 mm (2.4 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 JanuaryMontego Bay 28°C (82°F)Puerto Varas 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Montego Bay or Puerto Varas in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Montego Bay as well as Puerto Varas. Montego Bay attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the autumn, Montego Bay is much warmer than Puerto Varas. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Montego Bay in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Varas averages at about 11°C (51°F)in April.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Montego Bay this time of the year. In the autumn, Montego Bay often gets more sunshine than Puerto Varasin April. Montego Bay gets 233 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Varas receives 104 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Puerto Varas. Montego Bay receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Montego Bay usually gets less rain in October than Puerto Varasin April. Montego Bay gets 130 mm (5.1 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 AprilMontego Bay 27°C (81°F)Puerto Varas 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Montego Bay or Puerto Varas in the Winter?
Both Puerto Varas and Montego Bay are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Montego Bay throughout the year.
In January, Montego Bay is generally much warmer than Puerto Varasin July. Daily temperatures in Montego Bay average around 24°C (75°F), and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 7°C (45°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Montego Bay. Montego Bay usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Varas during winter. Montego Bay gets 226 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Varas receives 67 hours of full sun in the winter.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Puerto Varas. In January, Montego Bay usually receives less rain than Puerto Varasin July. Montego Bay gets 70 mm (2.8 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 JulyMontego Bay 24°C (75°F)Puerto Varas 7°C (45°F)
Should I visit Montego Bay or Puerto Varas in the Spring?
Both Puerto Varas and Montego Bay during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Montego Bay because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Montego Bay is much warmer than Puerto Varas in the spring. The daily temperature in Montego Bay averages around 25°C (77°F) in April, and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 11°C (51°F)in October.
It's quite sunny in Montego Bay. In the spring, Montego Bay often gets more sunshine than Puerto Varasin October. Montego Bay gets 225 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Varas receives 151 hours of full sun.
Puerto Varas gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Montego Bay usually gets less rain in April than Puerto Varasin October. Montego Bay gets 60 mm (2.4 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 OctoberMontego Bay 25°C (77°F)Puerto Varas 11°C (51°F)
Typical Weather for Puerto Varas and Montego Bay
| Montego Bay | Puerto Varas | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (75°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (75°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Mar | 25°C (77°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| Apr | 25°C (77°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) |
| May | 26°C (79°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Jun | 27°C (81°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 229 mm (9 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 209 mm (8.2 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 9°C (47°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (77°F) | 100 mm (3.9 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.