Which place is cheaper, Puerto Varas or Roatan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Roatan or Puerto Varas?
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 Varas. 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 Varas?
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 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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, 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 dayRoatan $38Puerto Varas $109
The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $38, while the average daily cost in Puerto Varas is $109. 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 Varas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRoatan $11Puerto Varas $67
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRoatan $22Puerto Varas $134
Compare Hotels in Roatan and Puerto Varas
Looking for a hotel in Roatan or Puerto Varas? 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: Roatan Hotel Prices and Puerto Varas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Roatan $19Puerto Varas $21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:
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Water Taxi$4.26
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:
- AJ's Sloth & Monkeys Family Excursion, City Tour & Private Transfer: $57
- Chocolate Factory, Rum Factory, Markets, Island Tour, Private Transfer: $50
- Discover Scuba Diving in Roatan at Upachaya with Private Transfer: $110
- East Sightseeing, Mangrove Tunnel Snorkel, Hole in the Wall, with Transfer: $130
- Ground transfers and ticket ferry to Utila or La Ceiba: $80
- Honduras Airport(RTB) to Honduras -Arrival Private Transfer: $38
- Honduras to Honduras Airport (RTB)-Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Horseback Riding, Beach with Palapa and Transfer: $130
- Mahogany Bay Cruise Port to Roatan Island hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $76
- Mayan Eden Eco Park, Chocolate Factory & Transfer: $65
- Mayan Eden Eco Wildlife Park, City Tour & Private Transfer: $67
- North Side Blue Channel & Starfish Snorkeling, 20min JetSki, Transfer Included: $165
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Roatan or Puerto Varas?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Varas 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 $9.43Puerto Varas $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.
- Tiki Boat Sunset Cruise in Roatan with Snorkeling and Dinner : $100
- Cooking classes from a Local!: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Roatan $27Puerto Varas $19
Tours and Activities in Roatan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:
- Shore Excursion: Roatan VIP Customizable Island Tour: $35
- Half Day Roatan Sightseeing and Jungle Island Tour: $41
- Eco-Walk Nature Tour: $41
- Private Tour in Roatan with Pick Up: $44
- Customizable Best Of Roatan Island Tour in Honduras: $45
- Shore Excursion: Private Half-Day Sightseen Tour and Beach: $45
- Monkeys and Sloth Hang Out with Island Tour in Roatan: $49
- Monkeys & sloth hangout,Chocolate Factory,Rum Factory, island tour/Beach : $49
- Roatan City Tour-Viewpoints, Landmarks, Chocolate and Rum Tasting: $50
- Guided Tour to Discover Roatán Starting from the Center: $50
- Goodman's Island Style Roatan Highlights Tour: $50
- Roatan Shore Excursion: Kayak Harbor Adventure and Reef Snorkel: $51
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRoatan $7.07Puerto Varas $6.51
Sample the Local Flavors in Roatan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Roatan:
- Half-Day Tour in Roatan With Brewery, Rum and Chocolate Factories visit: $46
- Bar Crawl Tour in West End Village by Pedibike- Let the Good Times Roll: $80
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Roatan and Puerto Varas, we can see that Puerto Varas 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 Varas is in South 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 Varas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Varas 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 Varas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Roatan or Puerto Varas?
Puerto Varas has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Roatan and Puerto Varas, 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.