Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta or Montevideo?
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 Montevideo or Puerto Vallarta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Montevideo and Puerto Vallarta 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: Montevideo or Puerto Vallarta?
Montevideo
As the morning sun tinges the calm waters of the Rio de la Plata with a golden hue, the Rambla and its city awakens to life with new adventures for those near and far. From tanning on the luxurious beaches to peering into Uruguayan history at local museums, one can be far from bored while staying in Montevideo. Combining the quaintness of the countryside with the excitement of urban life, this city holds a unique trait that cannot easily be replicated.
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta remains a popular tourist destination with Americans, particularly during spring break when students flock to the area. The area is quite beautiful and has many gorgeous beaches, interesting jungles and waterfalls nearby, and no shortage of luxury resorts and four star restaurants. Many of the locals speak English and are friendly and open to helping tourists with directions or general information. Puerto Vallarta's popularity means that its prices are some of the highest in Mexico, particularly during holidays when the area can get quite crowded.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best Adventure Tours to Uruguay, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
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Montevideo Prices
Uruguay PricesPuerto Vallarta Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMontevideo $70Puerto Vallarta $136
The average daily cost (per person) in Montevideo is $70, while the average daily cost in Puerto Vallarta 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 Montevideo and Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMontevideo $38Puerto Vallarta $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMontevideo $76Puerto Vallarta $122
Compare Hotels in Montevideo and Puerto Vallarta
Looking for a hotel in Montevideo or Puerto Vallarta? 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: Montevideo Hotel Prices and Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Montevideo $7.04Puerto Vallarta $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montevideo
Also for Montevideo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer Montevideo Airport to Hotel O Hotel - Aero: $23
- Carrasco Airport (MVD) to Montevideo - Arrival Private Transfer: $37
- Montevideo to Carrasco Airport (MVD) - Departure Private Transfer: $37
- Private Transfer from Carrasco Airport to Montevideo: $40
- Private Transfer from or to Carrasco Airport in Montevideo: $40
- Carrasco Airport (MVD) to Montevideo - Arrival Private Transfer: $40
- Airport-Hotel or Hotel-Airport Transfers: $41
- Private Transfer from Montevideo Port to Carrasco Airport (MVD): $42
- Private Transfer from Montevideo Cruise Port to Montevideo city: $42
- Private Transfer from Montevideo city to Montevideo Cruise Port: $42
- Private 1-Way or Round Trip MVD Airport Transfer: $45
- Transfer from Carrasco International Aiport to Montevideo: $47
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- Puerto Vallarta Airport to Hotel Private Transfer by Minivan: $288
- Diva Tours VIP Airport Round-Trip Transfer San Pancho-Sayulita: $280
- Private Roundtrip Transfer Airport Hotel or Airbnb up to 12px: $245
- NAYARIT VIP Round Trip Transfers Airport - Bucerias - Airport: $209
- Privat Transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport PVR to Punta de Mita: $183
- Private Airport Transfers across Bahía de Banderas: $150
- Puerto Vallarta Port to Puerto Vallarta RoundTripPrivate Transfer: $143
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Puerto Vallarta Port-RoundTrip Private Transfer: $142
- Private Transfer from PVR to Puerto Vallarta / Punta de Mita / Sayulita: $140
- Punta de Mita to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) - Private Departure Transfer: $139
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Punta de Mita hotels - Private Arrival Transfer: $139
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Puerto Vallarta - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $138
Is it cheaper to fly into Montevideo or Puerto Vallarta?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta and Montevideo 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 dayMontevideo $22Puerto Vallarta $61
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montevideo
For Montevideo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Montevideo Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $65
- Private Uruguayan Cooking Class with Local Chef: $85
- Uruguayan Wine Pairing Dinner at City Winery Uruguay: $90
- Show + Dinner - El Milongon (No Transport): $93
- The best Montevideo Dinner Show. Tango and Candombe. El Milongon.: $98
- Dinner and Tango Show at Primuseum Restaurant: $100
- Dinner and Tango Show at the Historic Bar Fun Fun, Established in 1895: $100
- El Milongon Dinner & Show: Candombe, Tango and Folklore: $107
- Traditional Dinner & Tango Show at Primuseum: $110
- Food Tour with Asado, Chivito, and Mate: $221
- Montevideo private city tour with dinner included and tango show: $250
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Vallarta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
- Taco Adventure Evening Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $48
- Old Town Taco Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $49
- Versalles After Dark Food Tour with Vallarta Eats: $51
- Off The Beaten Path Food Tour, Breakfast in Pitillal: $55
- Bucerias Taco Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Vegan Food Tour in Vallarta: $59
- Winner 2026 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- 3-Hour Guided Food Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $59
- Puerto Vallarta Guided Food Tour with 8 Locals Favorites Tastings: $65
- Seafood Lover's Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $65
- Vallarta Tales Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $69
- Vallarta Flavours Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $69
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Montevideo $20Puerto Vallarta $18
Tours and Activities in Montevideo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Montevideo.
- Montevideo's Culture and History: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.00
- El Juguetero Museum Entry Ticket: $7.00
- Museo Andes 1972 / Crash Memorial Admission Ticket: $8.00
- Guided Tour of the National Hat Factory: $10
- Palacio Salvo Official Ticket with Guided Tour: $13
- Complete Half-Day Tour with Guide and 6 Stops: $20
- Experience the Local Magic at a Bohemian Nightclub with a Live Show: $20
- Tourist Bus Discover Montevideo: $25
- Montevideo Jogging Tour: $25
- Bodegas Carrau Winery Tour with Tastings: $25
- Half-Day City Tour with Live Guide: $25
- Half-day Regular City Tour at Montevideo: $25
Tours and Activities in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
- 1/2 Day Puerto Vallarta Botanical Garden tour: $60
- 2 Hour Private Surfing Experience in Puerto Vallarta: $99
- 2 Hours Catamaran Sunset Tour: $99
- ATV Adventure in Puerto Vallarta (Single): $107
- ATV Jorullo Bridge Tour: $174
- ATV Jungle and River Adventure in Puerto Vallarta (3.5 Hours): $166
- ATV Single Jungle Adventure-Waterfalls, Tequila & Local Culture": $107
- ATV Tour: $129
- ATV Tour Rio Cuale Sierra Madre Mountains and tequila tasting: $77
- ATV Tour in Puerto Vallarta, waterfall and tequila tasting.: $104
- ATV and RZR Jorullo Bridge Experience in Puerto Vallarta: $169
- ATV, Zipline and Horse Back Riding Experience: $235
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMontevideo -Puerto Vallarta $23
Sample the Local Flavors in Montevideo
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Montevideo:
- Bodega Pizzorno wine tasting in Montevideo: $45
- Wine tasting of 4 wines from 4 wineries & empanadas in Montevideo: $50
- Pizzorno Winery with Lunch and Wine Tasting: $125
- Wine tour - Lunch & Tasting with Wine Explorers: $198
- Private Wine Tours by Wine Explorers Uruguay: $205
- Wine Tasting & Countryside Lunch Experience: $220
- Wine Tasting Tour for Cruise Passengers: $450
Sample the Local Flavors in Puerto Vallarta
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:
- Puerto Vallarta Pub Crawl: $22
- Premium Tequila Tasting Puerto Vallarta Distillery: $24
- Brewery Bus Tour from Mexico: $85
- Secret Agave Bar Crawl in Vallarta: $98
- Cachasol Tequila Tasting & Raicilla Distillery Tour: $101
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Montevideo and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Puerto Vallarta is more expensive. And not only is Montevideo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Montevideo is in South America and Puerto Vallarta is in North 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 Montevideo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Montevideo 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 Vallarta would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Vallarta than you might in Montevideo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Montevideo Expensive? and Is Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Montevideo or Puerto Vallarta?
Montevideo has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Puerto Vallarta. When comparing the sizes of Montevideo and Puerto Vallarta, 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.