Which place is cheaper, Puerto Montt or Punta del Este?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Punta del Este or Puerto Montt?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Punta del Este or Puerto Montt, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Punta del Este or Puerto Montt?
Punta del Este
Punta del Este with its many beaches, elegant seaside homes, yacht harbor, high-rise apartment buildings, pricey hotels, ardent night scene and glitzy restaurants is a chic beach resort town in Uruguay. Many tourists come from Brazil and Argentina, on the other side of the Rio de la Plata, to get some nice sun and lay on the beach for a weekend getaway. Punta del Este is more expensive than other areas in Uruguay and has been called the Monaco of South America. Tourist season varies wildly from totally deserted in the winter to very crowded in the summer.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best Adventure Tours to Uruguay, 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 dayPunta del Este $98Puerto Montt $89
The average daily cost (per person) in Punta del Este is $98, while the average daily cost in Puerto Montt is $89. 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 Punta del Este and Puerto Montt in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPunta del Este $55Puerto Montt $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPunta del Este $110Puerto Montt $122
Compare Hotels in Punta del Este and Puerto Montt
Looking for a hotel in Punta del Este or Puerto Montt? 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: Punta del Este Hotel Prices and Puerto Montt Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Punta del Este $22Puerto Montt $6.43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Punta del Este
Also for Punta del Este, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Montevideo city to Montevideo Cruise Port: $29
- Montevideo hotels to Carrasco International Airport (MVD) - Departure Transfer: $49
- Montevideo Hotels to Carrasco Airport MVD Departure Transfer: $49
- Private Transfer from Montevideo City to Montevideo Cruise Port: $54
- Private Transfer to Punta del Este Airport: $60
- Punta del Este Airport Private Transfer: $60
- Private Transfer from Montevideo hotels to Punta Del Este Port: $72
- Private Transfer from Punta Del Este Port to Montevideo hotels: $72
- Private Transfer from Montevideo to Punta Del Este Cruise Port: $85
- Private Transfer from Punta Del Este Cruise Port to Montevideo: $85
- Private Transfer - Punta Del Este Port to Carrasco Airport (MVD): $85
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
- Puerto Montt El Tepual Airport (PMC) to Pucon - Arrival Transfer: $114
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Frutillar: $80
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas - Round-Trip Transfer: $65
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas: $50
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Frutillar: Roundtrip Transfer: $46
- Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $41
- Puerto Airport (PMC) to Frutillar - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $41
- Puerto Montt Shuttle Transfer: $34
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas City- Arrival Transfer: $33
Is it cheaper to fly into Punta del Este or Puerto Montt?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Montt and Punta del Este 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 dayPunta del Este $31Puerto Montt $21
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Punta del Este $11Puerto Montt $14
Tours and Activities in Punta del Este
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Punta del Este.
- La Vista 360 ticket de admisión: $11
- Skip the Line: Casapueblo Museum Admission Ticket in Punta del Este: $15
- Guided Tour of the Winery Viña Edén: $18
- Punta del Este Classic City Tour with Sunset in Casapueblo: $30
- Guided Tour of Vineyards: $33
- Discovering Half-Day City Tour: $47
- Half-Day City Tour: $47
- Punta del Este City Tour for Cruisers: $50
- Punta del Este, City Tour: $50
- Bike Tour Peninsula - Punta del Este: $65
- City Tour Punta del Este: $95
- Private - Punta del Este City Tour for Cruisers: $120
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
- Excursion City tour Puerto Varas / Llanquihue and Frutillar: $77
- 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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPunta del Este $7.70Puerto Montt $4.49
Sample the Local Flavors in Punta del Este
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Punta del Este:
- Wine Tasting: $42
- Half Day Private Canelones Wine Tour from Montevideo : $157
When comparing the travel costs between Punta del Este and Puerto Montt, we can see that Punta del Este is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Punta del Este Expensive? and Is Puerto Montt Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Punta del Este or Puerto Montt?
Puerto Montt has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Punta del Este. When comparing the sizes of Punta del Este and Puerto Montt, 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 Punta del Este or Puerto Montt?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.
Should I visit Punta del Este or Puerto Montt in the Summer?
Both Puerto Montt and Punta del Este during the summer are popular places to visit.
In January, Punta del Este is generally a little warmer than Puerto Montt. Daily temperatures in Punta del Este average around 23°C (73°F), and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).
In Puerto Montt, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Punta del Este. In the summer, Punta del Este often gets more sunshine than Puerto Montt. Punta del Este gets 296 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Montt receives 204 hours of full sun.
Punta del Este usually gets less rain in January than Puerto Montt. Punta del Este gets 75 mm (3 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JanuaryPunta del Este 23°C (73°F)Puerto Montt 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Punta del Este or Puerto Montt in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Punta del Este and Puerto Montt.
Punta del Este is much warmer than Puerto Montt in the autumn. The daily temperature in Punta del Este averages around 17°C (63°F) in April, and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
Punta del Este usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Montt during autumn. Punta del Este gets 171 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Montt receives 104 hours of full sun in the autumn.
Puerto Montt receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In April, Punta del Este usually receives less rain than Puerto Montt. Punta del Este gets 84 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures AprilPunta del Este 17°C (63°F)Puerto Montt 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Punta del Este or Puerto Montt in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Punta del Este as well as Puerto Montt.
In the winter, Punta del Este is a little warmer than Puerto Montt. Typically, the winter temperatures in Punta del Este in July average around 10°C (50°F), and Puerto Montt averages at about 7°C (45°F).
In the winter, Punta del Este often gets more sunshine than Puerto Montt. Punta del Este gets 135 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Montt receives 67 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Puerto Montt. Punta del Este usually gets less rain in July than Puerto Montt. Punta del Este gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 229 mm (9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JulyPunta del Este 10°C (50°F)Puerto Montt 7°C (45°F)
Should I visit Punta del Este or Puerto Montt in the Spring?
Both Puerto Montt and Punta del Este are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
In October, Punta del Este is generally much warmer than Puerto Montt. Daily temperatures in Punta del Este average around 16°C (61°F), and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Punta del Este. Punta del Este usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Montt during spring. Punta del Este gets 248 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Montt receives 151 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Puerto Montt. In October, Punta del Este usually receives less rain than Puerto Montt. Punta del Este gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures OctoberPunta del Este 16°C (61°F)Puerto Montt 11°C (51°F)
Typical Weather for Puerto Montt and Punta del Este
| Punta del Este | Puerto Montt | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 23°C (73°F) | 75 mm (3 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Feb | 22°C (72°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Mar | 20°C (68°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| Apr | 17°C (63°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) |
| May | 14°C (57°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Jun | 11°C (52°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) |
| Jul | 10°C (50°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 229 mm (9 in) |
| Aug | 11°C (52°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 209 mm (8.2 in) |
| Sep | 13°C (55°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 9°C (47°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Nov | 19°C (66°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Dec | 21°C (70°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 103 mm (4.1 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.