Which place is cheaper, Puerto Varas or San Ignacio?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Ignacio 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 Ignacio 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 Ignacio or Puerto Varas?
San Ignacio
So you want a tropical getaway, but also don't want to lay around with nothing to do. You want an adventure! You want relaxation and exploration.
You want to visit the small town of San Ignacio, Belize.
This section of the Cayo region is really more of a jungle than a typical Belize beach getaway. Located close the ancient Mayan ruins on the western and inland side of Belize, this town is most popular for its many outdoor adventures including hiking, climbing, and caving!
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 Budget Tours to Belize, The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize, 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 daySan Ignacio $72Puerto Varas $109
The average daily cost (per person) in San Ignacio is $72, 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 San Ignacio and Puerto Varas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Ignacio $19Puerto Varas $67
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Ignacio $38Puerto Varas $134
Compare Hotels in San Ignacio and Puerto Varas
Looking for a hotel in San Ignacio 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: San Ignacio Hotel Prices and Puerto Varas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Ignacio $3.11Puerto Varas $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Ignacio
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Ignacio:
- From Van Transfer To Flores Peten in Guatemala: $20
- San Ignacio Hotel to Belize City Transfer: $20
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 San Ignacio or Puerto Varas?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Varas and San Ignacio 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 daySan Ignacio $21Puerto Varas $25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Ignacio
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Ignacio.
- Xunantunich & Food Tour with local chocolate experience: $150
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Ignacio $100Puerto Varas $19
Tours and Activities in San Ignacio
Here are a few actual costs in San Ignacio for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Xunantunich Maya Site with Local Tour guide: $65
- Xunantunich & Adventure Horse Ride: $75
- Xunantunich Mayan Ruins Tour from San Ignacio: $75
- Half-Day Cave Canoeing Adventure: $75
- From Xunantunich Mayan Tour & Optional Combos: $75
- Cave Canoeing with Local Tour Guide: $80
- Cave Tubing with local tour Guide and Belizean Lunch: $90
- Farm Ride plus Xunantunich tour: $90
- Belize Cave Tubing Adventure from San Ignacio: $90
- Xunantunich horseback riding tour: $100
- Full-Day Mountain Pine Ridge Tour from San Ignacio with Lunch: $100
- Private Tour:Xunantunich Mayan Ruin from San Ignacio: $103
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 daySan Ignacio $17Puerto Varas $6.51
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Ignacio and Puerto Varas, we can see that Puerto Varas is more expensive. And not only is San Ignacio much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Ignacio 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 San Ignacio would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Ignacio 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 San Ignacio.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Ignacio Expensive? and Is Puerto Varas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Ignacio or Puerto Varas?
Puerto Varas has a larger population, and is about 48% larger than the population of San Ignacio. When comparing the sizes of San Ignacio 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 Ignacio or Puerto Varas?
Puerto Varas has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Ignacio experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit San Ignacio or Puerto Varas in the Summer?
Both Puerto Varas and San Ignacio are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Ignacio throughout the year.
San Ignacio is much warmer than Puerto Varas in the summer. The daily temperature in San Ignacio averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 16°C (60°F)in January.
It's quite sunny in Puerto Varas. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in San Ignacio. San Ignacio usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Varas during summer. San Ignacio gets 226 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Varas receives 204 hours of full sun in the summer.
It's quite rainy in San Ignacio. In July, San Ignacio usually receives more rain than Puerto Varasin January. San Ignacio gets 243 mm (9.6 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuarySan Ignacio 28°C (82°F)Puerto Varas 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit San Ignacio or Puerto Varas in the Autumn?
Both Puerto Varas and San Ignacio during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to San Ignacio because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the autumn, San Ignacio is much warmer than Puerto Varas. Typically, the autumn temperatures in San Ignacio in October average around 26°C (80°F), and Puerto Varas averages at about 11°C (51°F)in April.
In the autumn, San Ignacio often gets more sunshine than Puerto Varasin April. San Ignacio gets 196 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Varas receives 104 hours of full sun.
Puerto Varas gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in San Ignacio. San Ignacio usually gets more rain in October than Puerto Varasin April. San Ignacio gets 255 mm (10 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilSan Ignacio 26°C (80°F)Puerto Varas 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit San Ignacio or Puerto Varas in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both San Ignacio and Puerto Varas. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Ignacio year-round.
In January, San Ignacio is generally much warmer than Puerto Varasin July. Daily temperatures in San Ignacio average around 24°C (74°F), and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 7°C (45°F).
San Ignacio usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Varas during winter. San Ignacio gets 199 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Varas receives 67 hours of full sun in the winter.
Puerto Varas receives a lot of rain in the winter. San Ignacio gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, San Ignacio usually receives less rain than Puerto Varasin July. San Ignacio gets 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 229 mm (9 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulySan Ignacio 24°C (74°F)Puerto Varas 7°C (45°F)
Should I visit San Ignacio or Puerto Varas in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to San Ignacio as well as Puerto Varas. San Ignacio attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
San Ignacio is much warmer than Puerto Varas in the spring. The daily temperature in San Ignacio averages around 27°C (80°F) in April, and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 11°C (51°F)in October.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Ignacio this time of the year. In the spring, San Ignacio often gets more sunshine than Puerto Varasin October. San Ignacio gets 256 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Varas receives 151 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Puerto Varas. San Ignacio usually gets less rain in April than Puerto Varasin October. San Ignacio gets 52 mm (2 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas receives 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberSan Ignacio 27°C (80°F)Puerto Varas 11°C (51°F)
Typical Weather for Puerto Varas and San Ignacio
| San Ignacio | Puerto Varas | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (74°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Feb | 24°C (76°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (78°F) | 25 mm (1 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| Apr | 27°C (80°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 258 mm (10.2 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 243 mm (9.6 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 229 mm (9 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (82°F) | 187 mm (7.4 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 209 mm (8.2 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 287 mm (11.3 in) | 9°C (47°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Oct | 26°C (80°F) | 255 mm (10 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Nov | 25°C (77°F) | 183 mm (7.2 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Dec | 25°C (76°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) |
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.