Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta or Roatan?
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 Roatan or Puerto Vallarta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Roatan and Puerto Vallarta. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Roatan or Puerto Vallarta?
Roatan
Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta remains a popular tourist destination with Americans, particularly during spring break when students flock to the area. The area is quite beautiful and has many gorgeous beaches, interesting jungles and waterfalls nearby, and no shortage of luxury resorts and four star restaurants. Many of the locals speak English and are friendly and open to helping tourists with directions or general information. Puerto Vallarta's popularity means that its prices are some of the highest in Mexico, particularly during holidays when the area can get quite crowded.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
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Roatan Prices
Honduras PricesPuerto Vallarta Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRoatan $42Puerto Vallarta $136
The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $42, while the average daily cost in Puerto Vallarta is $136. 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 Roatan and Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRoatan $10Puerto Vallarta $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRoatan $20Puerto Vallarta $122
Compare Hotels in Roatan and Puerto Vallarta
Looking for a hotel in Roatan or Puerto Vallarta? 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 Vallarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Roatan $17Puerto Vallarta $18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$3.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:
- Transfers to West End by night from hotels in West Bay or Sandy Bay: $25
- Airport, Hotel or Cruise Port, Ferry Roatan Private Transfer: $35
- Mahogany Bay Cruise Port to Roatan - Arrival Private Transfer: $56
- Roatan Island hotels to Mahogany Bay Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $61
- Mahogany Bay Cruise Port to Roatan Island hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $61
- Roatan West Bay Beach Break with Roundtrip Transfer: $75
- Let's Go Native Roatan City Cultural Tour, Transfer: $80
- King Kong Extreme Zipline, City Tour and Transfer: $80
- West Bay Beach Day Pass & Private Transfer – Roatán: $89
- Roatan East End Cultural Experience, Island Lunch & Private Transfer: $95
- Roatan Private Transfers: Airport, Cruise Port or Hotel: $110
- Honduras Roatan Airport (RTB) to Roatan -Round-Trip Transfer: $113
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- Puerto Vallarta Roundtrip Shuttle Airport Transfer: $32
- Puerto Vallarta Airport Private Transfer to Multiple Destinations: $34
- PVR VIP Round trip transfers - Airport - Marina hotels - Airport: $49
- PVR VIP Round trip transfers - Airport - Zona Hotelera - Airport: $54
- PVR VIP Round trip transfers Airport - Old part of Town - Airport: $54
- PVR VIP Round trip transfers Airport - Downtown - Airport: $59
- Puerto Vallarta Airport to Hotel Private Transfer by Minivan: $67
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Puerto Vallarta-Arrival Transfer: $68
- PVR VIP Round trip transfers Airport - Zona Romantica - Airport: $69
- Private Transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport(PVR) to Cruise Port: $70
- Puerto Vallarta Port to Puerto Vallarta Airport(PVR)-Departure Private Transfer: $71
- Private Transfer from Cruise Port to Puerto Vallarta Airport(PVR): $71
Is it cheaper to fly into Roatan or Puerto Vallarta?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta and Roatan 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 dayRoatan $15Puerto Vallarta $61
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.
- Cooking classes from a Local!: $245
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Vallarta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
- Old Town Taco Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $49
- Ultimate Taco Tour in Puerto Vallarta with Vallarta Food Tours: $55
- Bucerias Taco Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Taco Adventure Evening Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Taste of Pitillal Food Tour by Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Winner 2026 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- 3-Hour Guided Food Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $59
- Taco102 - dinner taco walk - all inclusive: $63
- Puerto Vallarta Guided Food Tour with 8 Locals Favorites Tastings: $65
- Vallarta Flavours Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $69
- Vallarta by Road Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $85
- Puerto Vallarta Ranch Cooking Class with Tequila Tasting: $86
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Roatan $25Puerto Vallarta $18
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- Custom Private Roatan Shuttle Tour: Explore at Your Own Pace: $30
- Roatan Island Tours, Sightseeing and Shopping Adventures: $39
- Roatán Ron and Chocolate Custom Tour.: $40
- Roatan VIP island tour in Honduras: $41
- Roatan Comprehensive Real Estate Tour Experience: $45
- Roatan Zipline & Eco walk/Suspension Bridge Combo Tours: $45
- 1 Stop Snorkel Adventure with Beach Break: $45
- Customizable Best Of Roatan Island Tour in Honduras: $45
- Roatan VIP Free-Style Private Tour: $49
- Extreme Zip Line Adventure at Mahogany Bay: $49
- Goodman's Island Style Roatan Highlights Tour: $50
- Customizable Roatán Private Tour: Rum, Chocolate & Island Culture: $50
Tours and Activities in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
- Tequila Tasting Tour in Nuevo Vallarta: $8.00
- Puerto Vallarta Historical El Centro: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $12
- Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour of Puerto Vallarta: $15
- Puerto Vallarta Self-Guided Walking Tour with Audio Guide: $15
- Butterfly Experience Nature Park Admission: $24
- City tour express, Butterfly, tequila, river and beach (free kids): $24
- Private Bike City Tour with Photo Session in Puerto Vallarta: $24
- Biocultural Hiking Experience in Sayulita: $27
- Butterfly Sanctuary & Museum Guided Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $28
- Full-Day Puerto Vallarta City Highlights Tour: $29
- Day of the Dead Cemetery Walking Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $30
- Los Arcos 5 Island Boat & Snorkeling Tour: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRoatan $6.52Puerto Vallarta $23
Sample the Local Flavors in Roatan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Roatan:
- Bar Crawl Tour in West End Village by Pedibike- Let the Good Times Roll: $80
- Roatan ATV Adventure, Island Tour and Craft Brewery Experience: $99
- Roatan Horseback Ride, Island Tour and Brewery Tasting: $125
Sample the Local Flavors in Puerto Vallarta
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:
- Puerto Vallarta Pub Crawl: $22
- Premium Tequila Tasting Puerto Vallarta Distillery: $28
- Secret Agave Bar Crawl in Vallarta: $98
- Cachasol Tequila Tasting & Raicilla Distillery Tour: $108
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Roatan and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Puerto Vallarta is more expensive. And not only is Roatan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Roatan is in Central America and Puerto Vallarta is in North America, 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 Roatan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Roatan 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 Vallarta would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Vallarta than you might in Roatan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Roatan Expensive? and Is Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Roatan or Puerto Vallarta?
Puerto Vallarta has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Roatan 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.
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.