Which place is cheaper, Saint Croix or Puerto Varas?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Varas or Saint Croix?
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 Saint Croix 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 Saint Croix?
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.
Saint Croix
Sometimes all you want out of a vacation is the warmth of the sun, the sound of the waves and the taste of a cold drink. No more. No less. That's exactly what you can expect in St. Croix.
The largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix is a place of our leisure and relaxation. It's a bit of an expensive lifestyle for its 50,000 residents and daily visitors, but when you're living on island time, money is never a worry. There are no worries on island time.
This once volcanic island is covered in incredible beaches, stunning mountains, palm tress in the wind and historic colonial towns. While they may be a bit old and rundown, the Danish architecture still stands as a unique part of this island's legacy. Don't expect much window-shopping, though. That was not a feature incorporated in this style of architecture. If you want to know if a store is open, just step on in, but remember, shop hours are also running on island time.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Chile, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Varas $109Saint Croix $236
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Varas is $109, while the average daily cost in Saint Croix is $236. 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 Saint Croix in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Varas $67Saint Croix $149
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Varas $134Saint Croix $298
Compare Hotels in Puerto Varas and Saint Croix
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Varas or Saint Croix? 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 Varas Hotel Prices and Saint Croix Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Varas $21Saint Croix $35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Varas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Varas:
- Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport - Departure Private Transfer: $21
- Transfer to Puerto Montt Airport: $22
- Transfer from Hotel in Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport: $24
- Transfer from Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport: $50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Croix
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Saint Croix:
- Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St.Croix - Round-Trip Transfer: $217
- Henry E.Rohlsen Airport(STX) to St. Croix island-Arrival Transfer: $109
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Airport to St. Croix Cruise Port : $71
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Cruise Port to St. Croix Airport: $71
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St. Croix : $164
- Private Transfer from St.Croix Cruise Port to St.Croix hotels: $49
- Private Transfer from St.Croix hotels to St. Croix Cruise Port : $49
- Saint Croix Airport (STX) to Saint Croix Hotels -Arrival Transfer: $109
- St Croix Airport to St Croix Hotels Private Round Trip Transfer: $217
- St. Croix to Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) - Departure Transfer: $109
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Varas or Saint Croix?
Prices for flights to both Saint Croix 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
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Food Meals for one dayPuerto Varas $25Saint Croix $56
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Croix
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Saint Croix.
- A Evening Cultural Experience Through Food Cooking Class St. Croix: $90
- Taste of Twin City Food Tour with VI Food Tours: $129
- C'sted Sip & Savor Mixology Class with VI Food Tours: $129
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Varas $19Saint Croix $58
Tours and Activities in Puerto Varas
Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Varas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Tour Frutillar: $31
- Half day Frutillar and Llanquihue Town tour: $34
- Half-Day Tour to Frutillar and Llanquihue: $35
- Half day Osorno Volcano tour: $35
- Todos los Santos Lake and Villa Peulla Tour: $48
- Todos los Santos Lake and Villa Peulla Tour: $48
- From Osorno Volcano & Petrohue Falls Day Tour: $49
- Half-Day Small-Group Rafting Experience in Petrohué River: $52
- From Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt: Chiloé Island Tour: $60
- FullDay Chiloe Island Tour Castro and dalcahue: $62
- Full-Day Tour Chiloe Island: Castro and Dalcahue : $62
- Peulla Full Day Tour from Puerto Varas: $68
Tours and Activities in Saint Croix
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Saint Croix are as follows:
- Grange Estate History and Heritage Private Tour and Luncheon : $60
- Private Sailing Tour of Pirate Waters and Shipwrecks: $75
- St Croix Island Tour: $100
- Parasail Experience in St Croix: $132
- 30 Minute Private Jetcar Experience in Virgin Islands: $150
- Horseback Riding Experience: $160
- 1 Hour Private Jetcar Experience in Virgin Islands : $250
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Varas $6.51Saint Croix $27
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Varas and Saint Croix, we can see that Saint Croix 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 Saint Croix 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 Saint Croix would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Croix 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 Saint Croix Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Puerto Varas or Saint Croix?
Puerto Varas has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Saint Croix experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Puerto Varas or Saint Croix in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Puerto Varas and Saint Croix. Saint Croix attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Puerto Varas is much colder than Saint Croix in the summer. The daily temperature in Puerto Varas averages around 16°C (60°F) in January, and Saint Croix fluctuates around 29°C (83°F)in July.
In January, Puerto Varas usually receives more rain than Saint Croixin July. Puerto Varas gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Saint Croix receives 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyPuerto Varas 16°C (60°F)Saint Croix 29°C (83°F)
Should I visit Puerto Varas or Saint Croix in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Puerto Varas as well as Saint Croix. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint Croix throughout the year.
In the autumn, Puerto Varas is much colder than Saint Croix. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Puerto Varas in April average around 11°C (51°F), and Saint Croix averages at about 28°C (82°F)in October.
It's quite rainy in Saint Croix. Puerto Varas receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Puerto Varas usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Saint Croixin October. Puerto Varas gets 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain, while Saint Croix receives 146 mm (5.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberPuerto Varas 11°C (51°F)Saint Croix 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Puerto Varas or Saint Croix in the Winter?
Both Saint Croix and Puerto Varas are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Saint Croix because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In July, Puerto Varas is generally much colder than Saint Croixin January. Daily temperatures in Puerto Varas average around 7°C (45°F), and Saint Croix fluctuates around 26°C (78°F).
It's quite rainy in Puerto Varas. In July, Puerto Varas usually receives more rain than Saint Croixin January. Puerto Varas gets 229 mm (9 in) of rain, while Saint Croix receives 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryPuerto Varas 7°C (45°F)Saint Croix 26°C (78°F)
Should I visit Puerto Varas or Saint Croix in the Spring?
Both Saint Croix and Puerto Varas during the spring are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint Croix year-round.
Puerto Varas is much colder than Saint Croix in the spring. The daily temperature in Puerto Varas averages around 11°C (51°F) in October, and Saint Croix fluctuates around 27°C (80°F)in April.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Puerto Varas. Puerto Varas usually gets more rain in October than Saint Croixin April. Puerto Varas gets 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain, while Saint Croix receives 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilPuerto Varas 11°C (51°F)Saint Croix 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Saint Croix and Puerto Varas
| Puerto Varas | Saint Croix | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 16°C (60°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Feb | 15°C (59°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Mar | 13°C (55°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Apr | 11°C (51°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) |
| May | 9°C (49°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jun | 8°C (46°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 7°C (45°F) | 229 mm (9 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Aug | 8°C (46°F) | 209 mm (8.2 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Sep | 9°C (47°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 127 mm (5 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (51°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Nov | 12°C (54°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 126 mm (4.9 in) |
| Dec | 14°C (58°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 71 mm (2.8 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.