Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Pucon?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Pucon or San Juan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Pucon and San Juan 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: Pucon or San Juan?
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.
San Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPucon $100San Juan $185
The average daily cost (per person) in Pucon is $100, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $185. 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 Pucon and San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPucon $43San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPucon $86San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Pucon and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Pucon or San Juan? 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: San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pucon $19San Juan $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pucon
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pucon:
- Pucon Temuco Airport Private Transfer: $130
- Pucon to Puerto Montt El Tepual Airport (PMC) -Departure Transfer: $114
- Private Transfer Pucon Thermal Resorts to Temuco Airport: $49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Carabali Rain Forest Round Trip Private Taxi Transfer: $210
- Mendoza: One-Way Private Transfer from Airport: $25
- Old Walking Tour with Shopping and Hotel Transfer: $70
- Oneway Transfer San Juan to Ceiba: Ferry, Vieques/Culebra Airport: $80
- Oneway Transfer from San Juan (SJU, hotel, airbnb, port) to Ponce: $125
- Oneway Transfer- San Juan(SJU, hotel, airbnb, port) to Río Grande: $68
- Private Airport Transfers to Ceiba Ferry Terminal and Airport: $155
- Private Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to San Juan Airport: $22
- Private Transfer from SJU Airport to San Juan / Rio Grande: $105
- Private Transportation in Puerto Rico From or To San Juan Airport(SJU) Transfers: $33
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Private Transfers, 11Pax Lux Sprinter Van: $103
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, 16Pax Mercedes Van, Select Zone: $130
Is it cheaper to fly into Pucon or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan and Pucon 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 dayPucon $38San Juan $36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Old San Juan Sunset Food Tour with Drinks: $156
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walk and Food Tour: $159
- City Lights Sky High Dinner Experience: $165
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
- Private Local Food Tour in San Juan: $275
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pucon $37San Juan $49
Tours and Activities in Pucon
Here are a few actual costs in Pucon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3-Hour Rafting Experience in Pucon: $60
- Full Day Excursion Tour to Quetrupillán Volcano: $177
- Full Day Private Tour Ascending Sollipulli Volcano: $140
- Half Day Tour to The Eyes Of Caburgua from Pucon: $93
- Local Chile-Bavarian Culinary Pretzel Baking Experience n Sausage: $149
- Private 3-Hour Canyoning Experience on the Correntoso River: $68
- Private Half Day Andean Lakes Experience with pickup: $110
- Sightseeing Tour in Pucon and Villarica: $93
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Historic Buildings: $5.99
- Discover Old In-App Audio Tour of History: $11
- Self-Guided Tour with Audio Guide: $14
- Group Transportation in airport, cruise ships, hotels, bnb's in San Juan, PR: $20
- Old Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $25
- History, Legends, & Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $30
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- Old San Juan Walking Tour with a Certified Guide: $30
- Old San Juan City Walking Tour: $39
- Old San Juan Walking Tour: $39
- Legacy Tour at Casa BarcadÍ in Puerto Rico: $45
- Walking tour of Oaxaca City: $48
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPucon $27San Juan $12
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Pinones Pub crawl in Puerto Rico: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pucon and San Juan, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is Pucon much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Pucon is in South America and San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Pucon would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pucon 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan than you might in Pucon.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pucon Expensive? and Is San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Pucon or San Juan?
San Juan has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Pucon. When comparing the sizes of Pucon and San Juan, 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 Pucon or San Juan?
Pucon has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Juan experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Pucon or San Juan in the Summer?
Both San Juan and Pucon during the summer are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Juan year-round.
Pucon is much colder than San Juan in the summer. The daily temperature in Pucon averages around 16°C (61°F) in January, and San Juan fluctuates around 28°C (83°F)in July.
In San Juan, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Pucon. In the summer, Pucon often gets around the same amount of sunshine as San Juanin July. Pucon gets 296 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan receives 287 hours of full sun.
Pucon usually gets less rain in January than San Juanin July. Pucon gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyPucon 16°C (61°F)San Juan 28°C (83°F)
Should I visit Pucon or San Juan in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Pucon and San Juan. San Juan attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the autumn, Pucon is much colder than San Juan. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Pucon in April average around 11°C (52°F), and San Juan averages at about 28°C (82°F)in October.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Juan this time of the year. Pucon usually receives less sunshine than San Juan during autumn. Pucon gets 132 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan receives 235 hours of full sun in the autumn.
San Juan receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Pucon gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Pucon usually receives around the same amount of rain as San Juanin October. Pucon gets 133 mm (5.2 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberPucon 11°C (52°F)San Juan 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Pucon or San Juan in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Pucon as well as San Juan. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Juan throughout the year.
In July, Pucon is generally much colder than San Juanin January. Daily temperatures in Pucon average around 7°C (45°F), and San Juan fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Juan. In the winter, Pucon often gets less sunshine than San Juanin January. Pucon gets 66 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan receives 240 hours of full sun.
Pucon receives a lot of rain in the winter. Pucon usually gets more rain in July than San Juanin January. Pucon gets 312 mm (12.3 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryPucon 7°C (45°F)San Juan 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Pucon or San Juan in the Spring?
Both San Juan and Pucon are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to San Juan because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Pucon is much colder than San Juan in the spring. The daily temperature in Pucon averages around 11°C (52°F) in October, and San Juan fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in April.
It's quite sunny in San Juan. Pucon usually receives less sunshine than San Juan during spring. Pucon gets 198 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan receives 272 hours of full sun in the spring.
It's quite rainy in Pucon. In October, Pucon usually receives more rain than San Juanin April. Pucon gets 109 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while San Juan receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilPucon 11°C (52°F)San Juan 26°C (79°F)
Typical Weather for San Juan and Pucon
| Pucon | San Juan | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 16°C (61°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Feb | 17°C (62°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Mar | 14°C (57°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Apr | 11°C (52°F) | 133 mm (5.2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| May | 9°C (48°F) | 295 mm (11.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Jun | 8°C (46°F) | 297 mm (11.7 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jul | 7°C (45°F) | 312 mm (12.3 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
| Aug | 8°C (46°F) | 247 mm (9.7 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Sep | 9°C (48°F) | 162 mm (6.4 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (52°F) | 109 mm (4.3 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
| Nov | 13°C (55°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) |
| Dec | 16°C (60°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 92 mm (3.6 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.