Which place is cheaper, San Juan or Puerto Montt?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Montt 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 Puerto Montt 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: Puerto Montt or San Juan?
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.
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 Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Montt $89San Juan $179
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Montt is $89, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $179. 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 San Juan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Montt $61San Juan $124
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Montt $122San Juan $248
Compare Hotels in Puerto Montt and San Juan
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Montt 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: Puerto Montt Hotel Prices and San Juan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Montt $6.43San Juan $14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Montt
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Montt:
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Castro: $300
- Transfer Puerto Montt Airport to Castro: $277
- 4 Days Tour Los Lagos Region with Transfer Chiloe and Peulla: $177
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Frutillar: $80
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas - Round-Trip Transfer: $66
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas: $50
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Frutillar: Roundtrip Transfer: $46
- Cruce Andino Office Private Transfer from Puerto Montt: $44
- Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $42
- Puerto Airport (PMC) to Frutillar - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $42
- Puerto Montt Shuttle Transfer: $34
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas City- Arrival Transfer: $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to San Juan Airport: $22
- Mendoza: One-Way Private Transfer from Airport: $25
- Private Transportation in Puerto Rico From or To San Juan Airport(SJU) Transfers: $33
- San Juan hotels to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- Oneway Transfer- San Juan(SJU, hotel, airbnb, port) to Río Grande: $68
- Old Walking Tour with Shopping and Hotel Transfer: $70
- Roundtrip-Transfer from: SJU Airport,Cruises and Hotels in Puerto Rico LuxurySUV: $70
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Tesla Y Luxury SUV, Select Zone: $77
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Tesla S Lux Sedan, Select Zone: $79
- Oneway Transfer San Juan to Ceiba: Ferry, Vieques/Culebra Airport: $80
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Lexus Luxury Sedan, Select Zone: $81
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Ford Premium SUV, Select Zone: $87
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Montt or San Juan?
Prices for flights to both San Juan 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 $21San 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.Puerto Montt $14San Juan $49
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
- 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
- Private. City Tour Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas: $92
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 dayPuerto Montt $4.49San 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 Puerto Montt and San Juan, we can see that San Juan 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 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 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 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 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 San Juan Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Montt or San Juan?
San Juan has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Puerto Montt. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Montt 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 Puerto Montt or San Juan?
Puerto Montt 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 Puerto Montt or San Juan in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Puerto Montt as well as San Juan. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Juan throughout the year.
In January, Puerto Montt is generally much colder than San Juanin July. Daily temperatures in Puerto Montt average around 16°C (60°F), and San Juan fluctuates around 28°C (83°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Juan. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Puerto Montt this time of the year. In the summer, Puerto Montt often gets less sunshine than San Juanin July. Puerto Montt gets 204 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan receives 287 hours of full sun.
Puerto Montt usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as San Juanin July. Puerto Montt gets 90 mm (3.5 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 JulyPuerto Montt 16°C (60°F)San Juan 28°C (83°F)
Should I visit Puerto Montt or San Juan in the Autumn?
Both San Juan and Puerto Montt are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to San Juan because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Puerto Montt is much colder than San Juan in the autumn. The daily temperature in Puerto Montt averages around 11°C (51°F) in April, and San Juan fluctuates around 28°C (82°F)in October.
It's quite sunny in San Juan. Puerto Montt usually receives less sunshine than San Juan during autumn. Puerto Montt gets 104 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan receives 235 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in San Juan. It's quite rainy in Puerto Montt. In April, Puerto Montt usually receives around the same amount of rain as San Juanin October. Puerto Montt gets 143 mm (5.6 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 OctoberPuerto Montt 11°C (51°F)San Juan 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Puerto Montt or San Juan in the Winter?
Both San Juan and Puerto Montt during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Juan year-round.
In the winter, Puerto Montt is much colder than San Juan. Typically, the winter temperatures in Puerto Montt in July average around 7°C (45°F), and San Juan averages at about 25°C (77°F)in January.
In San Juan, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Puerto Montt often gets less sunshine than San Juanin January. Puerto Montt gets 67 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while San Juan receives 240 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Puerto Montt. Puerto Montt usually gets more rain in July than San Juanin January. Puerto Montt gets 229 mm (9 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 JanuaryPuerto Montt 7°C (45°F)San Juan 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Puerto Montt or San Juan in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Puerto Montt and San Juan. San Juan attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In October, Puerto Montt is generally much colder than San Juanin April. Daily temperatures in Puerto Montt average around 11°C (51°F), and San Juan fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Juan this time of the year. Puerto Montt usually receives less sunshine than San Juan during spring. Puerto Montt gets 151 hours of sunny skies, while San Juan receives 272 hours of full sun in the spring.
Puerto Montt gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Puerto Montt usually receives more rain than San Juanin April. Puerto Montt gets 121 mm (4.8 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 AprilPuerto Montt 11°C (51°F)San Juan 26°C (79°F)
Typical Weather for San Juan and Puerto Montt
| Puerto Montt | San Juan | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 16°C (60°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Feb | 15°C (59°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Mar | 13°C (55°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Apr | 11°C (51°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| May | 9°C (49°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Jun | 8°C (46°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jul | 7°C (45°F) | 229 mm (9 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
| Aug | 8°C (46°F) | 209 mm (8.2 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Sep | 9°C (47°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (51°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
| Nov | 12°C (54°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) |
| Dec | 14°C (58°F) | 103 mm (4.1 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.