A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Quepos vs. Puerto Vallarta for Resorts, Couples, Backpackers, and Food

Should you visit Quepos or Puerto Vallarta?

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

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 Quepos and Puerto Vallarta can help you decide which place is right for you.

Quepos

Quepos is a relaxed, local, and laid-back town. Other popular activities here include nightlife, food, and beaches. See Quepos travel costs.

Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is a coastal, colorful, and laid-back town. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food. See Puerto Vallarta travel costs.

Quepos and Puerto Vallarta: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Quepos or Puerto Vallarta?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Puerto Vallarta. Although Quepos and Puerto Vallarta are popular destinations, Puerto Vallarta has more sights and attractions for tourists. Puerto Vallarta is more touristy than Quepos and is popular for its natural beauty and vibrant nightlife. It is also well known for the Malecon. Quepos is famous for its big game sport fishing.

How is Quepos different from Puerto Vallarta?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Puerto Vallarta and Quepos. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Quepos or Puerto Vallarta?

Puerto Vallarta is very good for its museums and history. However, Quepos is lacking in good options for its museums and landmarks.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Puerto Vallarta. There are a number of historical sights around town like Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish.

Quepos offers a few options for museum-goers. You won't find much as far as museums go around town.

Is the Food Better in Quepos or Puerto Vallarta? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Puerto Vallarta is a very popular place for its restaurants. Also, Quepos is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

Puerto Vallarta has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The charming character combined with the authentic local cuisine makes for a wonderful culinary experience. There's everything from taco stands to romantic restaurants that you can try.

Quepos offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. You'll find a mix of cafes, fine dining, and seafood restaurants in the area. You can get traditional Costa Rican dishes as well as a more international flavor depending on your preference.

Is Quepos or Puerto Vallarta Better for Nightlife?

Puerto Vallarta is a very popular place for its evening party scene. Also, Quepos is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife.

Puerto Vallarta has a large number of nightlife venues. You'll find a mix of active clubs, cozy bars, and cosmopolitan cafes. Head to the Romantic Zone or Los Muertos Beach for some of the best places.

Quepos has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. You'll find a few bars and clubs around town, but it is a small town and the selection can be limited.

Is Quepos or Puerto Vallarta Better for Resorts?

Puerto Vallarta is a world-class destination for its luxury resorts. However, Quepos is lacking in good options for its resorts.

If you're looking for a fantastic resort destination, Puerto Vallarta is a perfect choice. There are many different places to stay from all-inclusive resorts to high end hotels or beachfront properties.

Quepos has a few resort options worth checking out. It's a fishing town with a local vibe, so you'll likely want to stay outside of town if you're looking for an upscale resort.

Is Quepos or Puerto Vallarta Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Puerto Vallarta is a very popular place for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Quepos is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

There is a nice variety of marine life that makes scuba diving and snorkeling great in Puerto Vallarta. Divers in the area may get to experience once in a lifetime opportunities like diving with manta rays, dolphins, whale sharks, hammerheads, or schools of jacks.

Quepos is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Quepos or Puerto Vallarta Better for Beaches?

Puerto Vallarta is a very popular place for the beach. Also, Quepos is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its beaches.

Puerto Vallarta is a very popular place to visit for its beaches. There are many beaches spread out around town that have soft sand and blue water. Most have all of the amenities you could need. Popular beaches include Playa de los Muertos, Playa Mismaloya, and Playa Conchas Chinas.

Quepos has a beach worth visiting. If you want to be close to the beach, you'll do better to stay at nearby Manuel Antonio. Quepos does have a waterfront and access to deep sea fishing.

Is the Shopping Better in Quepos or Puerto Vallarta?

Puerto Vallarta is a very popular place for its shopping areas. Also, Quepos is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Puerto Vallarta. There's a mix of shopping malls, open-air markets, boutiques, and international brands.

Quepos is a great destination for shopping. You'll find boutique shops around town that sell everything from clothing to art.

Is Quepos or Puerto Vallarta Better for Families?

You'll find very good kid-friendly activities in either Quepos or Puerto Vallarta.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Quepos. Most of the beaches are kid-friendly and the children will love the wildlife. You'll also find zipline tours in the area as well as canopy walks.

Puerto Vallarta is a very family-friendly place to visit. Kids will love the water parks and thrilling activities, such as Aquaventuras Water Park or Los Veranos Canopy Tour. There's rock climbing and ropes courses at Las Animas Aventura Park. You'll also find horseback riding and even pirate boat tours in the area.

Is Quepos or Puerto Vallarta Better for Couples?

Quepos is renowned for couples. Also, Puerto Vallarta is not as famous, but is still a good town to visit for romance.

For those traveling as a couple, Quepos has plenty to offer. The beaches and resorts make this a favorite honeymoon destination for couples. There are many great restaurants and plenty of activities like horseback riding or surfing nearby.

Puerto Vallarta makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Couples looking for a romantic getaway will enjoy sunset boat trips, horseback riding, and adventure sports. There are also many restaurants where you can enjoy a romantic dinner or a refreshing drink.

Is Quepos or Puerto Vallarta Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Quepos is renowned for backpackers. Also, Puerto Vallarta is not as famous, but is still a good town to visit for backpackers and budget travelers.

Quepos is a very popular town to visit for backpackers. It's one of the more popular destinations in Costa Rica, so you'll find plenty of hostels and other backpackers to hang out with.

Puerto Vallarta is very popular with the backpacker crowd. There are hostels around, as well as many adventure sports or thrilling activities that backpackers will enjoy.

Is Quepos or Puerto Vallarta Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Visitors will find nice public transit in both Quepos and Puerto Vallarta.

Quepos has some public transit options. There are a number of buses that pass through town. There are also buses that travel between Quepos and Manuel Antonio.

You'll find some public transit in Puerto Vallarta, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There are blue, green or orange buses that travel around town.

Is Quepos or Puerto Vallarta a more walkable city?

Puerto Vallarta is a very popular place for its ease of walking around. Also, Quepos is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its walkability.

Puerto Vallarta is a very walkable destination. There are several walkable neighborhoods in town such as 5 de Diciembre, el Centro, and Zona Romantica.

Quepos is somewhat walkable. It is a relatively walkable town.

For even more information, also check out Is Quepos Worth Visiting? and Is Puerto Vallarta Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Puerto Vallarta or Quepos?

How long in Quepos or Puerto Vallarta?

In either Quepos or Puerto Vallarta, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time. Most visitors tend to spend more time in Puerto Vallarta than Quepos because of the overall number of sights and activities. Usually, 2-4 days is a good amount of time for Quepos, and 3-5 days is enough time in Puerto Vallarta.

Families should spend more time in Puerto Vallarta than Quepos. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Puerto Vallarta, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Puerto Vallarta than Quepos. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Puerto Vallarta that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Puerto Vallarta than Quepos if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Puerto Vallarta.

One day in Quepos or Puerto Vallarta?

The relaxed destination of Quepos offers food and shopping. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

Many travelers enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping when visiting the destination of Puerto Vallarta. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Quepos or Puerto Vallarta?

The town of Quepos offers shopping and nightlife. A weekend here is typical. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities.

Puerto Vallarta is a great place to explore. With so much to do, a weekend is probably not enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Quepos or Puerto Vallarta?

Quepos is a great place to explore. This town offers something for everyone. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Puerto Vallarta. For many, it makes a great getaway for five days. Most people come for the beaches. With all of its activities, you can easily fill five days here. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Quepos or Puerto Vallarta?

Many people enjoy the food and shopping when visiting Quepos. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the cultural destination of Puerto Vallarta. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Many visitors spend time at the beach while visiting the area. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.

When comparing the travel costs between Quepos and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Quepos 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. Even though Quepos is in Central America and Puerto Vallarta is in North America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

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

Which is Bigger, Quepos or Puerto Vallarta?

Puerto Vallarta has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Quepos. When comparing the sizes of Quepos and Puerto Vallarta, 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.