Which place is cheaper, Puerto Varas or Oaxaca de Juarez?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Oaxaca de Juarez or Puerto Varas?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Oaxaca de Juarez 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: Oaxaca de Juarez or Puerto Varas?
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.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, 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 dayOaxaca de Juarez $46Puerto Varas $109
The average daily cost (per person) in Oaxaca de Juarez is $46, 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 Oaxaca de Juarez and Puerto Varas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOaxaca de Juarez $20Puerto Varas $67
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOaxaca de Juarez $40Puerto Varas $134
Compare Hotels in Oaxaca de Juarez and Puerto Varas
Looking for a hotel in Oaxaca de Juarez 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: Oaxaca de Juarez Hotel Prices and Puerto Varas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Oaxaca de Juarez $13Puerto Varas $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oaxaca de Juarez
Also for Oaxaca de Juarez, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 4 Day Oaxaca Excursion with Transfer included: $300
- From Oaxaca: Private Transfer to Huatulco: $408
- From Oaxaca: Transfer to Puerto Escondido: $402
- Oaxaca Airport OAX to Oaxaca Hotels Arrival Private Transfer: $36
- Oaxaca Airport OAX to Oaxaca Hotels Round Trip Private Transfer: $72
- Oaxaca Airport: Private Transfer Service: $130
- Oaxaca Hotels to Oaxaca Airport OAX Departure Private Transfer: $36
- Oaxaca International Airport - Private Transfer From/ to Oaxaca City: $56
- Oaxaca Xoxocotlan Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $36
- Oaxaca Xoxocotlan Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca hotels -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $72
- Oaxaca de Juárez to Xoxocotlan Airport (OAX)-Departure Transfer: $37
- Roundtrip Private/Shared Airport Transfer: $29
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 from Hotel in Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport: $24
- Transfer to Puerto Montt Airport: $22
- Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport - Departure Private Transfer: $21
Is it cheaper to fly into Oaxaca de Juarez or Puerto Varas?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Varas 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 $14Puerto Varas $25
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:
- Oaxaca Night Street Food Tour with Transfers and Tastings: $50
- Oaxaca: Night Street Food Tour with Transfers and Tastings: $52
- Oaxaca: Vegetarian Cooking Class: $70
- Oaxacan Vegetarian Cooking Class: $71
- Central de Abastos Market Food Tour : $72
- Flavors of Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu and Local Market Tour: $77
- AUTHENTIC OAXACA FOOD TOUR, eat like a local.: $89
- Food tour to the Tlacolula Market: $90
- Traditional Oaxaqueña Cooking with Grandma's Recipes: $90
- Cooking classes from the Isthmus with a Tehuana: $92
- Traditional Oaxacan Cooking Class (includes transportation): $94
- Traditional Cooking Class in Teotitlan Valle: $96
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Oaxaca de Juarez $13Puerto Varas $19
Tours and Activities in Oaxaca de Juarez
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Oaxaca de Juarez.
- MTB Bike Tour to the Tule Tree (Through the country-side): $6.00
- Oaxaca Art Walk Tour: $15
- Bicycle Tour through Oaxaca learning about its Urban Art and History: $19
- Bike tour to the Tule Tree and the Gastronomic Market: $20
- Oaxaca: Oaxaca City Beyond the Surface Walking Tour: $23
- Private Mexican Engraving Workshop Experience: $24
- Oaxaca Walking Tour: Beyond the Surface: $26
- Monte Alban Walking Tour: $29
- Half day tour Monte Alban: $32
- Monte Alban Guided Half Day Tour: $32
- Oaxaca: Monte Alban Guided Archaeological Tour: $33
- Tour Monte Albán: $33
Tours and Activities in Puerto Varas
Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Varas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Adventure Fullday Tour Osorno Volcano and Saltos de Petrohue National Park: $150
- From Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt: Chiloé Island Tour: $60
- From Osorno Volcano & Petrohue Falls Day Tour: $49
- Full-Day Osorno Vulcano and Petrohue Falls Small-Group Tour: $80
- Half-Day Small-Group Rafting Experience in Petrohué River: $52
- Lake Llanquihue Bike Tour in Puerto Varas: $129
- Petrohue Falls and Osorno Volcano Bike Tour: $124
- Peulla Full Day Tour from Puerto Varas: $68
- Premium Half Day Shared Tour Sunset at Osorno Volcano: $130
- Premium Small-Group Half day Tour to Frutillar in Puerto Varas: $144
- Private Rock Climbing Experience in Northern Patagonia: $100
- Full-Day Tour Chiloe Island: Castro and Dalcahue : $62
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOaxaca de Juarez $15Puerto Varas $6.51
Sample the Local Flavors in Oaxaca de Juarez
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Oaxaca de Juarez:
- Hierve el Agua, Tule Tree, Mitla and Mezcal Distillery Tour: $45
- Only Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery tour: $50
- Only Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery Tour: $50
- From Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery: $52
- Tour to Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery (Small groups): $66
- Personalized Tour to Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery: $107
- Artisanal Mezcal distillery in an authentic Zapotec village : $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Oaxaca de Juarez and Puerto Varas, we can see that Puerto Varas 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 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 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 Puerto Varas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Varas 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 Puerto Varas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Oaxaca de Juarez or Puerto Varas?
Oaxaca de Juarez has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Puerto Varas. When comparing the sizes of Oaxaca de Juarez 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.