A Travel Price Comparison for Mexico San Cristobal de Las Casas vs. Puerto Vallarta for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit San Cristobal de Las Casas or Puerto Vallarta?

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

Should I visit San Cristobal de Las Casas or Puerto Vallarta? 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: San Cristobal de Las Casas or Puerto Vallarta?

San Cristobal de Las Casas

Far away from the luxuries of Cancun and Cabo, Mexico's San Cristobal de las Casas is a stunning colonial city located in the southern state of Chiapas. Due to its strategic location, the town is commonly used as a transfer point for travelers looking to cross the border between Guatemala and Mexico. San Cristobal also has an immensely strong appeal among budget-minded travelers as it's one of Mexico's most affordable cities.

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.

Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta or San Cristobal de Las Casas?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in San Cristobal de Las Casas is $97, while the average daily cost in Puerto Vallarta is $111. 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 San Cristobal de Las Casas and Puerto Vallarta in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    San Cristobal de Las Casas $45
    Puerto Vallarta $61
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    San Cristobal de Las Casas $90
    Puerto Vallarta $122
Compare Hotels in San Cristobal de Las Casas and Puerto Vallarta

Looking for a hotel in San Cristobal de Las Casas 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.

Hotels in San Cristobal de Las Casas


Hotels in Puerto Vallarta


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: San Cristobal de Las Casas Hotel Prices and Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    San Cristobal de Las Casas $31
    Puerto Vallarta $19

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Cristobal de Las Casas

Also for San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer Hotel in San Cristobal de las Casas to TGZ Airport: $50
  • Transfer San Cristobal to Guatemala -Panajachel: $90

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:

  • Transfer in private minivan from Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) - City Center: $46
  • Transfer in private minivan from City Center - Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR): $46
  • Transfer from the airport to punta mita: $171
  • Shared transfer from PVR airport to Downtown: $43
  • Sayulita hotels to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) – Private Departure Transfer : $97
  • Roundtrip Transfer Private Vehicle Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVT) - City Center: $73
  • Punta de Mita to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) - Private Departure Transfer : $64
  • Puerto Vallarta to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) - Private Departure Transfer : $77
  • Puerto Vallarta hotels to Puerto Vallarta Cruise Port-Departure Private Transfer: $44
  • Puerto Vallarta from Cruise Port to Hotels Arrival Transfer: $44
  • Puerto Vallarta Roundtrip Shuttle Airport Transfer: $28
  • Puerto Vallarta Port to Puerto Vallarta Airport(PVR)-Departure Private Transfer : $44

Is it cheaper to fly into San Cristobal de Las Casas or Puerto Vallarta?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta and San Cristobal de Las Casas 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    San Cristobal de Las Casas $23
    Puerto Vallarta $36

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Cristobal de Las Casas

For San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Mexican cooking classes with Toñita: $12
  • City Tour with Dinner Pizza and Wine: $71

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Vallarta

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.

  • Taco102 - dinner taco walk - all inclusive: $45
  • 3-Hour Guided Food Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $47
  • Off The Beaten Path Food Tour, Breakfast in Pitillal: $55
  • Signature Taco and Street Food Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $55
  • Puerto Vallarta 3-Hour Food Tour of Authentic Local Cuisine: $55
  • Dinner Tacos Food Tour: $55
  • Off The Beaten Path Food Tour. Dinner in Pitillal : $55
  • Downtown Puerto Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $55
  • Taco Adventure Evening Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $55
  • Taste of Pitillal Food Tour by Vallarta Food Tours : $55
  • Puerta Vallarta: Seafood Lover's Food Tour: $56
  • Seafood Lover's Tour with Vallarta Food Tours : $59

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    San Cristobal de Las Casas $14
    Puerto Vallarta $18

Tours and Activities in San Cristobal de Las Casas

For San Cristobal de Las Casas, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Bicycle rental - tour included: $9.00
  • Chamula and Zinacantan Indigenous Villages Tour: $18
  • Tzotzil charm Unique tour of Zinacantán and San Juan Chamula: $18
  • Tour of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan: $19
  • City Tour Walk through San Cristobal: $20
  • Tour to Grutas de Rancho Nuevo and El Arcotete Ecotourism Park: $26
  • Montebello Lakes and Chiflon Waterfalls Tour: $28
  • Tour to the Chiflón Waterfalls and Montebello Lagoons: $30
  • Rancho Nuevo Caves and Arcotete Ecotourism Center: $30
  • Adventure Drops: Chiflón Waterfall and Montebello Lakes Tour: $30
  • Adventure to the Sumidero Canyon Viewpoints and Chiapa de Corzo: $32
  • Sumidero Canyon and Chiapa de Corzo Combo Tour: $32

Tours and Activities in Puerto Vallarta

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:

  • 3-hr ATV Mountian Exclusive Tour to Sierra Madre: $65
  • Zip Line Adventure in the heights in Puerto Vallarta 10 zip lines: $65
  •  Tour marietas islands: $460
  • 1 to 10 Passengers Vallarta Private City Tour: $450
  • 1 to 6 Passengers Vallarta Private City Tour: $350
  • 1H Private Scenic Airplane Tour over Yelapa and Puerto Vallarta: $496
  • 2 Hour Private Surfing Experience in Puerto Vallarta: $98
  • 2 Hour and 30 Minutes Walking Tour in 5 De Diciembre: $47
  • 3-Hour Private Surf Safari Experience in Punta Mita: $117
  • 3-Hour Taco Tour Puerto Vallarta Electric Bikes with a Licensed Guide: $97
  • 3-Hour Whale Watching Experience in Puerto Vallarta: $40
  • 360 Puerto Vallarta City Tour with Lunch: $65

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    San Cristobal de Las Casas $29
    Puerto Vallarta $23

Sample the Local Flavors in Puerto Vallarta

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:

  • Tequila Tasting and Tour at Puerto Vallarta Distillery: $47
  • Brewery Bus Tour from Mexico: $85
  • Brewery Bus Tour- Tacos y Cervezas: $85
  • All you can drink Bar Crawl: $99
  • Mountains Route, visiting a traditional distillery: $270
  • 2-Day Guided Tequila Distillery Tour in Mexico with Tasting: $763

How are these travel costs calculated?

When comparing the travel costs between San Cristobal de Las Casas and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Puerto Vallarta 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 North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

Which is Bigger, San Cristobal de Las Casas or Puerto Vallarta?

Puerto Vallarta is bigger, and its population is about 45% larger than the population of San Cristobal de Las Casas. When comparing the population of San Cristobal de Las Casas vs. 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 and the activities that interest you.

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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.
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San Cristobal de Las Casas vs. Puerto Vallarta Travel Comparison

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