Which place is cheaper, La Serena or Puerto Montt?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Montt or La Serena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Puerto Montt and La Serena 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: Puerto Montt or La Serena?
Puerto Montt
The Lake District is a region of snow capped volcanoes, pale green lakes and endless miles of virgin and ancient forests. Found 1,016 km away from Santiago de Chile, Puerto Montt is famous for its beautiful lakes and its germanic architecture, old wooden houses and its legendary Iglesia Catedral, found on the town's main square, la Plaza de Armas. The monument, entirely built with alerce (cypress) wood, is the oldest building of the city. The capital of the Lake Region is a good starting point for many memorable excursions in the area.
La Serena
La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!
Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile, 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 dayPuerto Montt $89La Serena $87
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Montt is $89, while the average daily cost in La Serena is $87. 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 Puerto Montt and La Serena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Montt $61La Serena $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Montt $122La Serena $84
Compare Hotels in Puerto Montt and La Serena
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Montt or La Serena? 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: Puerto Montt Hotel Prices and La Serena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Montt $6.43La Serena $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Montt
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Montt:
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas: $50
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Frutillar: $80
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Castro: $300
- Transfer Puerto Montt Airport to Castro: $277
- Puerto Tepual Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas - Arrival Transfer: $21
- Puerto Montt Shuttle Transfer: $34
- Puerto Montt El Tepual Airport (PMC) to Pucon - Arrival Transfer: $114
- Puerto Montt Departure Transfer from Hotel: $23
- Puerto Montt Airport(PMC) to Frutillar - Arrival Private Transfer: $23
- Puerto Montt Airport(PMC) to Frutillar - Arrival Private Transfer: $21
- Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $41
- Puerto Montt Airport Arrival Transfer to Hotel in Puerto Varas: $24
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Montt or La Serena?
Prices for flights to both La Serena and Puerto Montt 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 dayPuerto Montt $21La Serena $27
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Montt $14La Serena $24
Tours and Activities in Puerto Montt
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Montt are as follows:
- 6 Hours Shared Tour in Calbuco and Millennial Forest : $130
- Alerce Andino National Park/Alerce Millenario/Cruises: $77
- Austral / Hornopiren Road Tour: $102
- Excursion City tour Puerto Varas / Llanquihue and Frutillar: $77
- Frutillar & Llanquihue Private Tour from Puerto Montt: $128
- Frutillar & Llanquihue Tour from Puerto Montt: $56
- Frutillar Tour: $31
- Osorno Volcano Tour+Petrohue Falls / Cruises / Spanish: $68
- Private Day tour Petrohue Falls, Osorno Volcano & Puerto Varas: $250
- Private Shore Excursion Tour to Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas and Frutillar: $143
- Private Tour: Puerto Montt Sightseeing: $47
- Private Tour: Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas and Vicente Peres Rosales National Park: $164
Tours and Activities in La Serena
For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Full Day History and Flavors Tour in the Elqui Valley: $50
- La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
- La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
- Full day Tour to Elqui Valley : $80
- Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $85
- Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $120
- La Serena & Coquimbo City Tour - Short excursion for cruise ships: $128
- Tour to the internationally renowned Pangue Observatory: $139
- Tour to Valle del Encanto Archeology, Petroglyphs, Flora, Fauna and Springs: $140
- Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $140
- Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
- Elqui Valley and Vicuña Private Tour Including Lunch: $183
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Montt $4.49La Serena $22
When comparing the travel costs between Puerto Montt and La Serena, we can see that Puerto Montt is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Puerto Montt Expensive? and Is La Serena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Montt or La Serena?
Puerto Montt has a larger population, and is about 4% larger than the population of La Serena. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Montt and La Serena, 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 Puerto Montt or La Serena?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.
Should I visit Puerto Montt or La Serena in the Summer?
Both La Serena and Puerto Montt during the summer are popular places to visit.
In January, Puerto Montt is generally cooler than La Serena. Daily temperatures in Puerto Montt average around 16°C (60°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).
In La Serena, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Puerto Montt. In the summer, Puerto Montt often gets less sunshine than La Serena. Puerto Montt gets 204 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 247 hours of full sun.
Puerto Montt usually gets more rain in January than La Serena. Puerto Montt gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JanuaryPuerto Montt 16°C (60°F)La Serena 18°C (64°F)
Should I visit Puerto Montt or La Serena in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Puerto Montt and La Serena.
Puerto Montt is cooler than La Serena in the autumn. The daily temperature in Puerto Montt averages around 11°C (51°F) in April, and La Serena fluctuates around 15°C (59°F).
Puerto Montt usually receives less sunshine than La Serena during autumn. Puerto Montt gets 104 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 159 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Puerto Montt gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Puerto Montt usually receives more rain than La Serena. Puerto Montt gets 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures AprilPuerto Montt 11°C (51°F)La Serena 15°C (59°F)
Should I visit Puerto Montt or La Serena in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Puerto Montt as well as La Serena.
In the winter, Puerto Montt is much colder than La Serena. Typically, the winter temperatures in Puerto Montt in July average around 7°C (45°F), and La Serena averages at about 12°C (54°F).
In the winter, Puerto Montt often gets less sunshine than La Serena. Puerto Montt gets 67 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 160 hours of full sun.
Puerto Montt receives a lot of rain in the winter. Puerto Montt usually gets more rain in July than La Serena. Puerto Montt gets 229 mm (9 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JulyPuerto Montt 7°C (45°F)La Serena 12°C (54°F)
Should I visit Puerto Montt or La Serena in the Spring?
Both La Serena and Puerto Montt are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
In October, Puerto Montt is generally cooler than La Serena. Daily temperatures in Puerto Montt average around 11°C (51°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).
Puerto Montt usually receives less sunshine than La Serena during spring. Puerto Montt gets 151 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 190 hours of full sun in the spring.
It's quite rainy in Puerto Montt. In October, Puerto Montt usually receives more rain than La Serena. Puerto Montt gets 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures OctoberPuerto Montt 11°C (51°F)La Serena 14°C (57°F)
Typical Weather for La Serena and Puerto Montt
| Puerto Montt | La Serena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 16°C (60°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Feb | 15°C (59°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Mar | 13°C (55°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Apr | 11°C (51°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| May | 9°C (49°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Jun | 8°C (46°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Jul | 7°C (45°F) | 229 mm (9 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Aug | 8°C (46°F) | 209 mm (8.2 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Sep | 9°C (47°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (51°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Nov | 12°C (54°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) |
| Dec | 14°C (58°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 3 mm (0.1 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.