Which place is cheaper, Puerto Montt or Quito?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Quito or Puerto Montt?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Quito or Puerto Montt? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Quito or Puerto Montt?
Quito
Nestled between two mountain ranges lies the world's highest capital city, Quito, Ecuador. For history lovers, Quito is a very desirable destination as it's home to the Quito Historic Center – one of the largest and best-preserved historic centers in the Americas.
Even though Quito is full of people – in fact, it's the second most populous city in the country – very few of its inhabitants speak English. Luckily, however, the citizens of Quito tend to speak a slower and more clear Spanish than surrounding areas. This is the perfect place to practice what you read in your Intro to Spanish book.
Before visiting Quito, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, give yourself a few days to grow accustomed to the elevation. Staying 9,350 feet above sea level takes some getting used to. Second, don't be fooled into thinking that just because you're visiting a town on the equator that you'll need all your summer clothes. Because of the city's elevation, the area keeps a relatively cool climate year round.
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 Adventure Tours to Ecuador, The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile.
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Quito Prices
Ecuador PricesPuerto Montt Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayQuito $66Puerto Montt $107
The average daily cost (per person) in Quito is $66, while the average daily cost in Puerto Montt is $107. 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 Quito and Puerto Montt in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQuito $22Puerto Montt $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQuito $44Puerto Montt $126
Compare Hotels in Quito and Puerto Montt
Looking for a hotel in Quito 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: Quito Hotel Prices and Puerto Montt Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Quito $6.99Puerto Montt $6.60
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Quito
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Quito:
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Taxi from Bus Terminal to Hotel$10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quito
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Quito:
- Private Departure Transfer from Quito to the Airport - One Way: $20
- Transfer from or to UIO Airport to any Hotel in Quito: $20
- Quito hotels to Mariscal Sucre Quito Airport (UIO) - Departure Private Transfer: $21
- Quito Airport ↔ Quito Hotels Private Transfer Service: $27
- Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $28
- Quito PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from Airport to Hotels: $28
- Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $30
- Custom Transfers Across Ecuador (quote required): $30
- Private Transfer from the Airport to the city: $32
- Private Transfer IN or OUT Hotel-Aiport Quito or Aiport-Hotel: $35
- Private Transfer from/to Airport: $35
- Transfers To and From the Airport in Quito Ecuador: $35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Montt
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Montt:
- Private Transfer from Puerto Airport (PMC) to Puerto Montt Port: $56
- Private Transfer from Puerto Montt Port to Puerto Airport (PMC): $80
- Puerto Airport (PMC) to Frutillar - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $147
- Puerto Montt - Puerto Varas Airport English private transfer: $50
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas - Arrival Transfer: $41
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas - Round-Trip Transfer: $112
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas - Round-Trip Transfer: $82
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas City- Arrival Transfer: $56
- Puerto Montt Airport Arrival Transfer to Hotel: $25
- Puerto Montt Airport Arrival Transfer to Hotel in Puerto Varas: $24
- Puerto Montt Departure Transfer from Hotel: $23
- Puerto Montt El Tepual Airport (PMC) to Pucon - Arrival Transfer: $261
Is it cheaper to fly into Quito or Puerto Montt?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Montt and Quito 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 dayQuito $34Puerto Montt $38
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quito.
- Ecuadorian Gastronomy Tasting and Cooking Class in Quito: $12
- 3 Hours Local Food Tour in Quito: $38
- Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
- From Cayambe Traditional Cooking Class with Transfers: $60
- The Delicious Side of Quito Food Tour: $70
- Food Tour in quaint old town with tastings and lunch: $71
- Street Food Tour with Private Transport: $79
- Hidden Gems Food Tour with Cacao Tasting and Culture: $87
- Cooking Class in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and Transportation: $88
- Cooking Class with Chef, Market Tour & Transportation: $88
- Cooking Class with a chef and local market including hotel pickup: $89
- Ecuadorian Cooking Class with a chef and Local Market: $100
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Quito $16Puerto Montt $14
Typical Entertainment Prices in Quito
Here are a few typical costs in Quito for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entrance to Guyasimine Museum for Two$8.00
Tours and Activities in Quito
Here are a few actual costs in Quito for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Quito Old Town English Free Walking tour Cacao taste Small group: $5.00
- Quito Audio Guided Walking Tour 2h10 and 19 audio reviews: $6.88
- Night Tour in Quito with free time at Old Town: $15
- 2.5-Hour City Bus Tour: $15
- Discover the heart of the Historic Center - Walking tour: $25
- Instagram walking tour in Quito's Historic Center: $26
- Quito's Cultural Tour & Indigenous Perspectives of Old Town: $27
- Quito Old Town Tour: History, Market Visit & Ice Cream Tasting: $29
- Gastronomic and Cultural Walking Tour of Quito with Tastings: $30
- Walking Tour Quito: $30
- Old Town Walking Tour with Basilica Church Visit: $30
- La Mariscal and La Floresta Walking Tour: $30
Tours and Activities in Puerto Montt
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Montt are as follows:
- Puerto Varas: Half-Day City Tour, Puerto Montt Included: $33
- Half day Llanquihue and Frutillar City tour: $48
- Tour Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Jumps in Spanish: $68
- Classic Chiloe Tour: $68
- Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls Guided Tour: $69
- Shore Excursion: Osorno Volcano Private Tour from Puerto Montt: $70
- Private Tour of Puerto Montt with Stops: $82
- Explore Peulla Full Day Tour from Puerto Montt: $84
- Calbuco Island & Ancient Arrayán Forest Tour from Puerto Varas: $89
- Check out the Essential City Tour of Puerto Montt & Puerto Varas: $90
- Alerce Andino National Park/Alerce Millenario/Cruises: $105
- Cruises from the Puerto Montt cruise port: Petrohué Falls + Osorno Volcano and Puerto Varas: $120
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayQuito $17Puerto Montt $4.62
Typical Alcohol Prices in Quito
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Quito from other travelers:
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Beers for Two$9.00
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quito and Puerto Montt, we can see that Puerto Montt is more expensive. And not only is Quito much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Quito would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Quito 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 Puerto Montt would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Montt than you might in Quito.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Quito Expensive? and Is Puerto Montt Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Quito or Puerto Montt?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Puerto Montt. When comparing the sizes of Quito 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.
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.