Which place is cheaper, Pucon or Oaxaca de Juarez?
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 Oaxaca de Juarez or Pucon?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Oaxaca de Juarez or Pucon? 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: Oaxaca de Juarez or Pucon?
Oaxaca de Juarez
Officially known as Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca is the capital and largest city in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It's a beautiful colonial city in the foothills of the Sierra Madre. The city has beautiful architecture and a variety of festivals as well as a tree lined square called El Zocalo. Oaxaca's economy is heavily dependent on tourism and it is a wonderful place to see Mexican art and handicrafts. There are many artists and artisans in Oaxaca and the contemporary art scene is on the rise. The artists combine the area's rich indigenous culture and tradition with a modern twist. While you're in the area you should definitely make a point of experiencing the area's wonderful museums, interesting architecture, charming hotels and unique twist on Mexican cuisine.
Pucon
A popular hub for adventure tourism, Pucon is a town in the Lake District of the South American nation of Chile. Located on Lake Villarirca with the snowcapped Villarrica volcano looming above and plenty of forested valleys below, the town has become a home base year-round for a full range of outdoor activities.
Check out our ultimate guide to Traveling in Patagonia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Chile.
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Oaxaca de Juarez Prices
Mexico PricesPucon Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOaxaca de Juarez $54Pucon $137
The average daily cost (per person) in Oaxaca de Juarez is $54, while the average daily cost in Pucon is $137. 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 Oaxaca de Juarez and Pucon in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOaxaca de Juarez $19Pucon $46
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOaxaca de Juarez $38Pucon $92
Compare Hotels in Oaxaca de Juarez and Pucon
Looking for a hotel in Oaxaca de Juarez or Pucon? 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: Oaxaca de Juarez Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Oaxaca de Juarez $12Pucon $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oaxaca de Juarez
Also for Oaxaca de Juarez, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport transfers Oaxaca and private services: $41
- Comfortable Private Transfer from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido: $295
- From Oaxaca One way shared transfer to San Jose del Pacifico: $29
- From Oaxaca: Private Transfer to Huatulco: $436
- From Oaxaca: Transfer to Puerto Escondido: $408
- Oaxaca Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $59
- Oaxaca Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca de Juárez - Arrival Transfer: $30
- Oaxaca Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca de Juárez - Round-Trip Transfer: $59
- Oaxaca Airport: Private Transfer Service: $130
- Oaxaca Xoxocotlan Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca hotels -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $59
- Oaxaca city: Roundtrip Private/Shared Airport Transfer: $27
- Oaxaca hotels to Oaxaca Xoxocotlan Airport (OAX) - Departure Private Transfer: $30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pucon
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pucon:
- Pucon to Puerto Montt El Tepual Airport (PMC) -Departure Transfer: $266
- Pucon Temuco Airport Private Transfer: $127
- Private Transfer Pucon Thermal Resorts to Temuco Airport (ZCO): $83
Is it cheaper to fly into Oaxaca de Juarez or Pucon?
Prices for flights to both Pucon and Oaxaca de Juarez 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 dayOaxaca de Juarez $24Pucon $70
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Oaxaca de Juarez
For Oaxaca de Juarez, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Food Tour at the Mercado de Abastos: $57
- Taste Oaxaca Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Electric Bike Food Tour in Oaxaca: $59
- Tradicional Oaxacan Dinner on Agronomic Biodiversity_01: $60
- Oaxaca: Vegetarian Cooking Class: $65
- Oaxaca Streets Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $69
- Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu &Local Market Tour: $70
- Oaxacan Vegetarian Cooking Class: $70
- Bike Ride and Street Food Tour in Oaxaca: $71
- Central Oaxaca Food Tour: $71
- Flavors of Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu and Local Market Tour: $75
- Secret Food Tour: Oaxaca de Juárez: $75
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Oaxaca de Juarez $12Pucon $40
Tours and Activities in Oaxaca de Juarez
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Oaxaca de Juarez.
- Oaxaca Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self Guided Tour: $5.24
- Oaxaca: Colonial City Bus Tour: $5.45
- Oaxaca: Legends Tour Mezcalbús: $6.53
- Oaxaca: Monte Alban, Cuilapam, and Artisan Villages Tour: $20
- Oaxaca: Guided Bike Tour to the Largest Tree in the World: $20
- First Day in Oaxaca – Guided Walking Tour: $21
- Oaxaca: Oaxaca City Beyond the Surface Walking Tour: $22
- Monte Alban Only - Half Day Guided Tour - Oaxaca: $24
- Free Tour Oaxaca Essential : History and Tips of a Local Guide: $24
- Private Half Day Teotitlan Del Valle Village Walking Tour: $25
- Half Day Teotitlan Del Valle Village Shared Tour: $25
- Walking tour Mercado de Abastos: $27
Tours and Activities in Pucon
Here are a few actual costs in Pucon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Half Day Tour to The Eyes Of Caburgua from Pucon: $166
- Sightseeing Tour in Pucon and Villarica: $166
- Tour in Self-drive Electric Hot Tub Boat Nestled in nature!: $100
- Villarrica Volcano Hiking Experience with Craft Beer in Pucon: $280
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOaxaca de Juarez $14Pucon $29
Sample the Local Flavors in Oaxaca de Juarez
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Oaxaca de Juarez:
- Oaxaca Pub Crawl with Mezcal Shots and Live Music: $18
- Oaxaca Pub Crawl: $19
- Puerto Escondido Pub Crawl: $21
- Check out Hierve el Agua, Mitla, the Tule Tree, Rugs, and a Mezcal Distillery Tour: $49
- From Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery: $54
- Hierve el Agua, Tule Tree, Mitla and Mezcal Distillery Tour: $55
- Hierve el Agua and Distillery of Mezcal Tour: $60
- Hierve el Agua and distillery of mezcal tour: $60
- Distillery Tour and Agave Fields by Mal de Amor Mezcal: $71
- Personalized Tour to Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery: $106
- Oaxaca: Mezcal Distillery Tour with Tastings: $125
- Mezcal Distillery Day Trip: $142
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Oaxaca de Juarez and Pucon, we can see that Pucon is more expensive. And not only is Oaxaca de Juarez much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Oaxaca de Juarez is in North America and Pucon 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 Oaxaca de Juarez would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Oaxaca de Juarez 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 Pucon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pucon than you might in Oaxaca de Juarez.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Oaxaca de Juarez Expensive? and Is Pucon Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Oaxaca de Juarez or Pucon?
Oaxaca de Juarez has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Pucon. When comparing the sizes of Oaxaca de Juarez and Pucon, 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.