A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers San Fernando vs. Puerto Montt for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit San Fernando or Puerto Montt?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Fernando or Puerto Montt, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: San Fernando or Puerto Montt?

San Fernando

As the industrial capital of Trinidad & Tobago, San Fernando is an oil city which attracts more business visitors than tourists. While it is primarily focused on industry, the city has a certain charm with its old buildings and sloping streets that frame pretty views of the sea. It is the big city of Trinidad's southern half with plenty to offer in nightlife, especially during Carnival.

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 Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Montt or San Fernando?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in San Fernando is $153, while the average daily cost in Puerto Montt is $89. 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 Fernando and Puerto Montt in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    San Fernando $74
    Puerto Montt $61
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    San Fernando $148
    Puerto Montt $122
Compare Hotels in San Fernando and Puerto Montt

Looking for a hotel in San Fernando 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.

Hotels in San Fernando


Hotels in Puerto Montt


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 Montt Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    San Fernando $50
    Puerto Montt $6.43

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Montt

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Montt:

  • Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Castro: $300
  • Transfer Puerto Montt Airport to Castro: $277
  • 4 Days Tour Los Lagos Region with Transfer Chiloe and Peulla: $177
  • Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Frutillar: $80
  • Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas - Round-Trip Transfer: $66
  • Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas: $50
  • Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Frutillar: Roundtrip Transfer: $46
  • Cruce Andino Office Private Transfer from Puerto Montt: $44
  • Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $42
  • Puerto Airport (PMC) to Frutillar - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $42
  • Puerto Montt Shuttle Transfer: $34
  • Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas City- Arrival Transfer: $33

Is it cheaper to fly into San Fernando or Puerto Montt?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Montt and San Fernando 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 Fernando $48
    Puerto Montt $21

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    San Fernando $28
    Puerto Montt $14

Tours and Activities in Puerto Montt

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

  • 6 Hours Shared Tour in Calbuco and Millennial Forest : $130
  • Alerce Andino National Park/Alerce Millenario/Cruises: $77
  • Austral / Hornopiren Road Tour: $102
  • Frutillar & Llanquihue Private Tour from Puerto Montt: $128
  • Frutillar & Llanquihue Tour from Puerto Montt: $56
  • Frutillar Tour: $31
  • Osorno Volcano Tour+Petrohue Falls / Cruises / Spanish: $68
  • Private Day tour Petrohue Falls, Osorno Volcano & Puerto Varas: $250
  • Private Shore Excursion Tour to Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas and Frutillar: $143
  • Private Tour: Puerto Montt Sightseeing: $47
  • Private Tour: Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas and Vicente Peres Rosales National Park: $164
  • Private. City Tour Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas: $92

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    San Fernando $22
    Puerto Montt $4.49


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Fernando and Puerto Montt, we can see that San Fernando is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Montt much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Fernando is in Caribbean Islands and Puerto Montt 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 Puerto Montt would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Montt 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 San Fernando would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Fernando than you might in Puerto Montt.

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


Which is Bigger, San Fernando or Puerto Montt?

Puerto Montt has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of San Fernando. When comparing the sizes of San Fernando 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.


When is the best time to visit San Fernando or Puerto Montt?

Puerto Montt has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Fernando experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit San Fernando or Puerto Montt in the Summer?

Both Puerto Montt and San Fernando during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to San Fernando because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

San Fernando is much warmer than Puerto Montt in the summer. The daily temperature in San Fernando averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 16°C (60°F)in January.

In Puerto Montt, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in San Fernando. In the summer, San Fernando often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Puerto Monttin January. San Fernando gets 206 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Montt receives 204 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in San Fernando. San Fernando usually gets more rain in July than Puerto Monttin January. San Fernando gets 266 mm (10.5 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July and January
    San Fernando 27°C (81°F) 
    Puerto Montt 16°C (60°F)

Should I visit San Fernando or Puerto Montt in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both San Fernando and Puerto Montt. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Fernando year-round.

In the autumn, San Fernando is much warmer than Puerto Montt. Typically, the autumn temperatures in San Fernando in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Montt averages at about 11°C (51°F)in April.

In San Fernando, it's very sunny this time of the year. San Fernando usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Montt during autumn. San Fernando gets 207 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Montt receives 104 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Puerto Montt receives a lot of rain in the autumn. San Fernando gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, San Fernando usually receives more rain than Puerto Monttin April. San Fernando gets 199 mm (7.8 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October and April
    San Fernando 27°C (81°F) 
    Puerto Montt 11°C (51°F)

Should I visit San Fernando or Puerto Montt in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to San Fernando as well as Puerto Montt. San Fernando attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In January, San Fernando is generally much warmer than Puerto Monttin July. Daily temperatures in San Fernando average around 26°C (78°F), and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 7°C (45°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Fernando this time of the year. In the winter, San Fernando often gets more sunshine than Puerto Monttin July. San Fernando gets 241 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Montt receives 67 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Puerto Montt. San Fernando usually gets less rain in January than Puerto Monttin July. San Fernando gets 71 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 229 mm (9 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January and July
    San Fernando 26°C (78°F) 
    Puerto Montt 7°C (45°F)

Should I visit San Fernando or Puerto Montt in the Spring?

Both Puerto Montt and San Fernando are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Fernando throughout the year.

San Fernando is much warmer than Puerto Montt in the spring. The daily temperature in San Fernando averages around 27°C (81°F) in April, and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 11°C (51°F)in October.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Fernando. San Fernando usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Montt during spring. San Fernando gets 238 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Montt receives 151 hours of full sun in the spring.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Puerto Montt. In April, San Fernando usually receives less rain than Puerto Monttin October. San Fernando gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April and October
    San Fernando 27°C (81°F) 
    Puerto Montt 11°C (51°F)

Typical Weather for Puerto Montt and San Fernando

San Fernando Puerto Montt
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 26°C (78°F) 71 mm (2.8 in) 16°C (60°F) 90 mm (3.5 in)
Feb 26°C (79°F) 43 mm (1.7 in) 15°C (59°F) 93 mm (3.7 in)
Mar 26°C (80°F) 34 mm (1.3 in) 13°C (55°F) 99 mm (3.9 in)
Apr 27°C (81°F) 51 mm (2 in) 11°C (51°F) 143 mm (5.6 in)
May 28°C (82°F) 117 mm (4.6 in) 9°C (49°F) 234 mm (9.2 in)
Jun 27°C (81°F) 252 mm (9.9 in) 8°C (46°F) 224 mm (8.8 in)
Jul 27°C (81°F) 266 mm (10.5 in) 7°C (45°F) 229 mm (9 in)
Aug 27°C (81°F) 225 mm (8.9 in) 8°C (46°F) 209 mm (8.2 in)
Sep 27°C (81°F) 203 mm (8 in) 9°C (47°F) 146 mm (5.7 in)
Oct 27°C (81°F) 199 mm (7.8 in) 11°C (51°F) 121 mm (4.8 in)
Nov 27°C (80°F) 228 mm (9 in) 12°C (54°F) 110 mm (4.3 in)
Dec 26°C (79°F) 155 mm (6.1 in) 14°C (58°F) 103 mm (4.1 in)


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