A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Puerto Montt vs. Puerto Viejo for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Puerto Montt or Puerto Viejo?

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 Puerto Viejo 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 Puerto Viejo?

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.

Puerto Viejo

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a small coastal town in Caribbean Costa Rica in the province of Limon. There are two gorgeous National Parks nearby - Cahuita and Manzanillo, and it rains more than on the Pacific side, which is why it is so lush and green with the rainforest coming down to the sea. Clear water, coconut palms, great surf and a laid-back Caribbean atmosphere make Puerto Viejo a favorite among travelers. Located on about an hour south of Limon, Puerto Viejo is the center of activity between the smaller villages of Cahuita and Manzanillo. The relaxed, seaside town is framed by jungle, turquoise seas, banana plantations and scenic rivers. It's known for the Salsa Brava surf break and beaches like black-sand Playa Negra, but this burgeoning party town is no longer a destination only for intrepid surfers; it's bustling with tourist activity. Stylish eateries serve global fusion, and intentionally rustic bamboo bars pump dancehall and reggaeton. With its blend of Afro-Caribbean descendants, expat Europeans and indigenous Costa Ricans, Puerto Viejo charms visitors with a unique mix of people and cultures. Rastafari culture has a firm foothold in the town, and many Rastas sell handmade jewelry and other wares along the town's vibrant roadside. Nearby you'll find rainforest fruit and cacao farms and wide-open beaches. If you're looking to chill a little, party a little and eat a little, you've come to the right place.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile, The Best 2-Week Tours in Costa Rica, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Costa Rica.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Montt and Puerto Viejo, we can see that Puerto Viejo is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Montt much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Montt is in South America and Puerto Viejo is in Central 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 Puerto Montt would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Montt 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 Viejo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Viejo than you might in Puerto Montt.

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 Puerto Viejo Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Puerto Montt or Puerto Viejo?

Puerto Montt has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Puerto Viejo experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Puerto Montt or Puerto Viejo in the Summer?

Both Puerto Viejo and Puerto Montt during the summer are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Puerto Viejo year-round.

In the summer, Puerto Montt is much colder than Puerto Viejo. Typically, the summer temperatures in Puerto Montt in January average around 16°C (60°F), and Puerto Viejo averages at about 26°C (79°F)in July.

It's quite sunny in Puerto Montt. In the summer, Puerto Montt often gets more sunshine than Puerto Viejoin July. Puerto Montt gets 204 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Viejo receives 124 hours of full sun.

Puerto Viejo gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Puerto Montt usually gets less rain in January than Puerto Viejoin July. Puerto Montt gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Puerto Viejo receives 408 mm (16.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Puerto Montt or Puerto Viejo in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Puerto Montt and Puerto Viejo. Puerto Viejo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In April, Puerto Montt is generally much colder than Puerto Viejoin October. Daily temperatures in Puerto Montt average around 11°C (51°F), and Puerto Viejo fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).

Puerto Montt usually receives less sunshine than Puerto Viejo during autumn. Puerto Montt gets 104 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Viejo receives 159 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Puerto Viejo receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Puerto Montt gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Puerto Montt usually receives less rain than Puerto Viejoin October. Puerto Montt gets 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain, while Puerto Viejo receives 198 mm (7.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Puerto Montt or Puerto Viejo in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Puerto Montt as well as Puerto Viejo. The warm climate attracts visitors to Puerto Viejo throughout the year.

Puerto Montt is much colder than Puerto Viejo in the winter. The daily temperature in Puerto Montt averages around 7°C (45°F) in July, and Puerto Viejo fluctuates around 25°C (77°F)in January.

In the winter, Puerto Montt often gets less sunshine than Puerto Viejoin January. Puerto Montt gets 67 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Viejo receives 159 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Puerto Viejo. Puerto Montt receives a lot of rain in the winter. Puerto Montt usually gets less rain in July than Puerto Viejoin January. Puerto Montt gets 229 mm (9 in) of rain, while Puerto Viejo receives 319 mm (12.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Puerto Montt or Puerto Viejo in the Spring?

Both Puerto Viejo and Puerto Montt are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Puerto Viejo because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In the spring, Puerto Montt is much colder than Puerto Viejo. Typically, the spring temperatures in Puerto Montt in October average around 11°C (51°F), and Puerto Viejo averages at about 26°C (79°F)in April.

Puerto Montt usually receives less sunshine than Puerto Viejo during spring. Puerto Montt gets 151 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Viejo receives 172 hours of full sun in the spring.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Puerto Viejo. It's quite rainy in Puerto Montt. In October, Puerto Montt usually receives less rain than Puerto Viejoin April. Puerto Montt gets 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain, while Puerto Viejo receives 287 mm (11.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Puerto Viejo and Puerto Montt