Which place is cheaper, Bonaire or Puerto Vallarta?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Puerto Vallarta and Bonaire can help you decide which place is right for you.
Puerto Vallarta remains a popular tourist destination with Americans, particularly during spring break when students flock to the area. The area is quite beautiful and has many gorgeous beaches, interesting jungles and waterfalls nearby, and no shortage of luxury resorts and four star restaurants. Many of the locals speak English and are friendly and open to helping tourists with directions or general information. Puerto Vallarta's popularity means that its prices are some of the highest in Mexico, particularly during holidays when the area can get quite crowded.
An island municipality of the Netherlands, Bonaire resides in the Caribbean, east of Central America and north of Venezuela. It is a part of the ABC Islands together with Aruba and CuraƧao, and is best known as a tropical vacation destination with many great dive spots, beaches, lagoons, and wildlife.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Vallarta is $115, while the average daily cost in Bonaire is $256. 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 Vallarta and Bonaire in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Vallarta or Bonaire? 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.
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bonaire:
Prices for flights to both Bonaire and Puerto Vallarta 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.
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bonaire are as follows:
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Vallarta and Bonaire, we can see that Bonaire is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Vallarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Vallarta is in North America and Bonaire 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 Vallarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Vallarta 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 Bonaire would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bonaire than you might in Puerto Vallarta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Puerto Vallarta Expensive? and Is Bonaire Expensive?.
Puerto Vallarta has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Bonaire. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Vallarta and Bonaire, 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.