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

Should you visit Puerto Varas or Bonaire?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Puerto Varas and Bonaire 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 Varas or Bonaire?

Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas is a city in Southern Chile, in the Los Lagos (Lakes) Region, Llanquihue Province. It is a charming town, only 23 km away from Puerto Montt and surrounded by the Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes as well as the impressive Llanquihue lake. In terms of landscape, accommodation and activities, Puerto Varas is well served! Kayak, paddle, canyoning, rock climbing, trekking, ski, fishing, you name it! If you decide to stop in that area, we recommend that you stay in Puerto Varas, as it provides the perfect starting point for many memorable excursions in the area.

Bonaire

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 Wildlife Tours to Chile, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Bonaire or Puerto Varas?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Varas is $127, while the average daily cost in Bonaire is $299. 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 Varas and Bonaire in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Puerto Varas $67
    Bonaire $155
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Puerto Varas $134
    Bonaire $310
Compare Hotels in Puerto Varas and Bonaire

Looking for a hotel in Puerto Varas 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.

Hotels in Puerto Varas


Hotels in Bonaire


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 Varas Hotel Prices and Bonaire Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Puerto Varas $21
    Bonaire $65

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Varas

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Varas:

  • Cruce Andino Office Shuttle Transfer from Puerto Varas: $19
  • Transfer to Puerto Montt Airport: $22
  • Puerto Varas Bus Terminal Private Transfer: $25
  • Puerto Varas Airport Shuttle Transfer: $38
  • Frutillar to Puerto Montt Airport PMC- Departure Private Transfer: $47
  • Transfer from Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport: $50
  • Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) - Departure Transfer: $63

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bonaire

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bonaire:

  • Airport Transfer Return Included: $80
  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk Cruise Port to Kralendijk city : $59
  • Private Transfer from Kralendijk Port to Bonaire Airport (BON): $59
  • Private Transfers between Bonaire airport and any local address : $40

Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Varas or Bonaire?

Prices for flights to both Bonaire and Puerto Varas 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Puerto Varas $43
    Bonaire $101

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bonaire

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bonaire.

  • Dinner at Sea: $95
  • Discover the Flavors of Bonaire with the Bonaire Snack Food Tour: $130

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Puerto Varas $19
    Bonaire $40

Tours and Activities in Puerto Varas

Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Varas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Scenic Catamaran Tour on Llanquihue lake: $8.50
  • Tour Frutillar: $31
  • Half-Day Tour to Frutillar and Llanquihue: $35
  • Half day Frutillar and Llanquihue Town tour: $36
  • Half day Osorno Volcano tour: $41
  • From Osorno Volcano & Petrohue Falls Day Tour: $49
  • Todos los Santos Lake and Villa Peulla Tour: $51
  • Todos los Santos Lake and Villa Peulla Tour: $51
  • Half-Day Small-Group Rafting Experience in Petrohué River: $52
  • FullDay Chiloe Island Tour Castro and dalcahue: $59
  • Full-Day Tour Chiloe Island: Castro and Dalcahue : $62
  • From Chiloe Island Full-day Tour: $65

Tours and Activities in Bonaire

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bonaire are as follows:

  • Semi Submarine Boat Experience to Klein Bonaire: $33
  • Walking Tours & Private Tours on Bonaire: $36
  • 4 Hours Open Air Party Bus Tour with Beach Stop in Caribbean: $39
  • Half-Day Bonaire Island Tour with Hotel Pickup and Drop-off: $46
  • Bonaire Essentials Island Tour: $49
  • Walking Tour with Lunch & Ice Cream: $55
  • Yacht tour with local guide & snorkeling activities: $57
  • Clearbottom Mangrove Kayak & Snorkel tour: $59
  • Highlights of Bonaire & Cultural Experience: $59
  • Tour in North and South Bonaire Guided : $63
  • Explore North & South Tour: $65
  • Small-Group Guided North & South Tour of Bonaire with Pick Up: $65

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Puerto Varas $6.51
    Bonaire $33


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Varas and Bonaire, we can see that Bonaire is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Varas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Varas is in South 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 Varas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Varas 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 Varas.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Puerto Varas Expensive? and Is Bonaire Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Puerto Varas or Bonaire?

Puerto Varas has a larger population, and is about 86% larger than the population of Bonaire. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Varas 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.