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

Should you visit San Fernando or Puerto Varas?

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 Varas, 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 Varas?

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 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 G Adventures Tours to Chile, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Santiago.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Fernando and Puerto Varas, we can see that San Fernando is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Varas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Fernando is in Caribbean Islands 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 Puerto Varas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Varas 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 Varas.

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 Varas Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, San Fernando or Puerto Varas?

San Fernando has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Puerto Varas. When comparing the sizes of San Fernando 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.

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

Puerto Varas 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 Varas in the Summer?

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

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

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Puerto Varas. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Fernando this time of the year. In the summer, San Fernando often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Puerto Varasin January. San Fernando gets 206 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Varas receives 204 hours of full sun.

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

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

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

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

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Fernando. San Fernando usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Varas during autumn. San Fernando gets 207 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Varas receives 104 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Puerto Varas. It's quite rainy in San Fernando. In October, San Fernando usually receives more rain than Puerto Varasin April. San Fernando gets 199 mm (7.8 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

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

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

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

It's quite sunny in San Fernando. In the winter, San Fernando often gets more sunshine than Puerto Varasin July. San Fernando gets 241 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Varas receives 67 hours of full sun.

Puerto Varas gets a good bit of rain this time of year. San Fernando usually gets less rain in January than Puerto Varasin July. San Fernando gets 71 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 229 mm (9 in) of rain this time of the year.

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

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

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

In San Fernando, it's very sunny this time of the year. San Fernando usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Varas during spring. San Fernando gets 238 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Varas receives 151 hours of full sun in the spring.

Puerto Varas receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, San Fernando usually receives less rain than Puerto Varasin October. San Fernando gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Puerto Varas and San Fernando