Which place is cheaper, Puerto Montt or Santa Elena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santa Elena or Puerto Montt?
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 Santa Elena and Puerto Montt. 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: Santa Elena or Puerto Montt?
Santa Elena
Santa Elena is a cute town, and the closest to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It's one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica, and is a great place to experience the cloud forest and see some of country's unique wildlife.
In the Monteverde Cloud Forest you have a good chance of seeing rare quetzals which are the national bird of Costa Rica. Other common animals include white-faced capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, orange-kneed tarantulas, any of 8-9 species of hummingbirds, and sloth.
Santa Elena is about 1,400 meters above sea level and has a humid and damp environment. The average yearly temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit and the average rainfall is 3,000 millimetres. Humidity can be anywhere between 74% and 97%.
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 G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Elena $92Puerto Montt $89
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Elena is $92, 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 Santa Elena and Puerto Montt in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Elena $55Puerto Montt $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Elena $110Puerto Montt $122
Compare Hotels in Santa Elena and Puerto Montt
Looking for a hotel in Santa Elena 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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Elena $11Puerto Montt $6.43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Peñas Blancas to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $179
- Private Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal From 1 to 6 passengers: $249
- Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $270
- One-Way Private Transfer: Monteverde to Quepos and Manuel Antonio: $276
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
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 Santa Elena or Puerto Montt?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Montt and Santa Elena 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 daySanta Elena $24Puerto Montt $21
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Elena
For Santa Elena, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Night Walk in Monteverde with Dinner Included: $55
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Elena $30Puerto Montt $14
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Selvatura Park: Herpetarium Tour in Monteverde: $22
- Wildlife Tour in Curicancha : $25
- Monteverde Butterfly Gardens Tour: $26
- Guided Butterfly Conservatory Tour in Costa Rica: $26
- Adventure Day - Outdoor activities for Family and Friends Special Package.: $29
- Kinkajou Night Walk Tour: $30
- Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour: $30
- Night Adventures in Monteverde: $30
- CuriCancha Reserve Admission Ticket: $33
- Curicancha Birdwatching Tour: $34
- Guided walk Monteverde Biological Reserve-John's Nature Tours-: $35
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour: $35
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
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Elena $6.22Puerto Montt $4.49
When comparing the travel costs between Santa Elena and Puerto Montt, we can see that Santa Elena 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. Even though Santa Elena is in Central America and Puerto Montt is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santa Elena Expensive? and Is Puerto Montt Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Santa Elena or Puerto Montt?
Puerto Montt has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Santa Elena experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Santa Elena or Puerto Montt in the Summer?
Both Puerto Montt and Santa Elena during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Santa Elena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In July, Santa Elena is generally much warmer than Puerto Monttin January. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 28°C (82°F), and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).
In Puerto Montt, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Santa Elena often gets less sunshine than Puerto Monttin January. Santa Elena gets 164 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 Santa Elena. Santa Elena usually gets more rain in July than Puerto Monttin January. Santa Elena gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuarySanta Elena 28°C (82°F)Puerto Montt 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Puerto Montt in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Santa Elena and Puerto Montt. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round.
Santa Elena is much warmer than Puerto Montt in the autumn. The daily temperature in Santa Elena averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 11°C (51°F)in April.
Santa Elena usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Montt during autumn. Santa Elena gets 169 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. Santa Elena gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Santa Elena usually receives more rain than Puerto Monttin April. Santa Elena gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilSanta Elena 27°C (81°F)Puerto Montt 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Puerto Montt in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Santa Elena as well as Puerto Montt. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the winter, Santa Elena is much warmer than Puerto Montt. Typically, the winter temperatures in Santa Elena in January average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Montt averages at about 7°C (45°F)in July.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Santa Elena this time of the year. In the winter, Santa Elena often gets more sunshine than Puerto Monttin July. Santa Elena gets 264 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Montt receives 67 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Puerto Montt. Santa Elena usually gets less rain in January than Puerto Monttin July. Santa Elena gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 229 mm (9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulySanta Elena 27°C (81°F)Puerto Montt 7°C (45°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Puerto Montt in the Spring?
Both Puerto Montt and Santa Elena are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Santa Elena throughout the year.
In April, Santa Elena is generally much warmer than Puerto Monttin October. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 29°C (85°F), and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. Santa Elena usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Montt during spring. Santa Elena gets 255 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, Santa Elena usually receives less rain than Puerto Monttin October. Santa Elena gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberSanta Elena 29°C (85°F)Puerto Montt 11°C (51°F)
Typical Weather for Puerto Montt and Santa Elena
| Santa Elena | Puerto Montt | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 229 mm (9 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 209 mm (8.2 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) | 9°C (47°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 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.