A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Santa Elena vs. Puerto Vallarta for Backpackers, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta?

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 Vallarta. 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.

Santa Elena

Santa Elena is a outdoorsy, scenic, and tranquil town. Santa Elena offers plenty of beauty for visitors. Other popular activities here include hiking and shopping. See Santa Elena travel costs.

Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is a laid-back, cultural, and coastal town. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food. See Puerto Vallarta travel costs.

Santa Elena and Puerto Vallarta: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Puerto Vallarta. Although Santa Elena and Puerto Vallarta are popular destinations, Puerto Vallarta has more sights and attractions for tourists. Puerto Vallarta is very popular for its museums and attractions, food, nightlife, resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, and shopping, while Santa Elena attracts visitors for its hiking and impressive beauty. Santa Elena is famous for its birdwatching and environmental conservation. Puerto Vallarta is famous for its natural beauty and vibrant nightlife. It is also well known for the Malecon.

How is Santa Elena different from Puerto Vallarta?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Puerto Vallarta and Santa Elena. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta?

Puerto Vallarta is a good destination for its historical sights. However, Santa Elena is not a good destination for its sights and museums.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Puerto Vallarta. There are a number of historical sights around town like Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish.

Santa Elena offers a few options for museum-goers. The area is filled with outdoor gardens, parks, and nature reserves, but there are few museums to visit.

Is the Food Better in Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Puerto Vallarta is great for its local flavors and cuisine. However, Santa Elena is not a good destination for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Puerto Vallarta has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The charming character combined with the authentic local cuisine makes for a wonderful culinary experience. There's everything from taco stands to romantic restaurants that you can try.

Santa Elena offers some easy restaurants to choose from. You'll find some basic but good restaurants around town. Many offer pasta, pizza, and typical Costa Rican dishes.

Is Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta Better for Nightlife?

Puerto Vallarta is great for its evening party scene. However, Santa Elena is not a good destination for nightlife.

Many people head to Puerto Vallarta for the nightlife scene. You'll find a mix of active clubs, cozy bars, and cosmopolitan cafes. Head to the Romantic Zone or Los Muertos Beach for some of the best places.

Most people don't head to Santa Elena specifically for the nightlife scene, but you can find a few options. There's a couple of bars but not much else for nightlife in town.

Is Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta Better for Resorts?

Puerto Vallarta is a must-visit destination for its luxury resorts. However, Santa Elena is not a resort destination.

Vacationers flock to Puerto Vallarta for its luxury resorts. There are many different places to stay from all-inclusive resorts to high end hotels or beachfront properties.

Santa Elena is not a resort destination.

Is Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Puerto Vallarta is great for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Santa Elena is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

There are many scuba diving and snorkeling spots near Puerto Vallarta. Divers in the area may get to experience once in a lifetime opportunities like diving with manta rays, dolphins, whale sharks, hammerheads, or schools of jacks.

Santa Elena is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta Better for Beaches?

Puerto Vallarta is great for the beach. However, Santa Elena is not a beach destination.

Many people visit Puerto Vallarta for it's beautiful beaches. There are many beaches spread out around town that have soft sand and blue water. Most have all of the amenities you could need. Popular beaches include Playa de los Muertos, Playa Mismaloya, and Playa Conchas Chinas.

Santa Elena is not a beach destination.

Is Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta Better for Hiking?

Santa Elena is a well-known place for the nearby hiking options. However, Puerto Vallarta is not a hiking destination.

Santa Elena is a popular spot for hiking. Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has a range of trails including a walk along the Continental Divide. There's also the famous red hanging bridge.

Puerto Vallarta is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta?

Puerto Vallarta is great for its shopping areas. Also, Santa Elena is not as popular, but is still a nice town for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Puerto Vallarta. There's a mix of shopping malls, open-air markets, boutiques, and international brands.

Santa Elena is a great destination for shopping. There are some art galleries and artisan shops around town where you can pick up some interesting souvenirs.

Is Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta More Beautiful?

Santa Elena is very good for its scenery and beauty. However, Puerto Vallarta is not a destination known for its beauty.

Santa Elena offers plenty of beauty for visitors. The cloud forest and canopy walks give you access to breathtaking views and unique wildlife.

Puerto Vallarta is not a destination known for its beauty.

Is Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta Better for Families?

Both Santa Elena and Puerto Vallarta are high quality family-friendly destinations.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Santa Elena. Monteverde has many canopy walks, zipline courses, and animal parks that the kids will love. The nature and wildlife make this a fun and educational destination for everyone.

Puerto Vallarta is a very family-friendly place to visit. Kids will love the water parks and thrilling activities, such as Aquaventuras Water Park or Los Veranos Canopy Tour. There's rock climbing and ropes courses at Las Animas Aventura Park. You'll also find horseback riding and even pirate boat tours in the area.

Is Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta Better for Couples?

Santa Elena and Puerto Vallarta both high quality destinations for a couple.

Santa Elena is a great town if you're traveling as a couple. The cloud forest is filled with romantic views and unique landscapes. Couples who enjoy the outdoors will fall in love with this magical setting.

Puerto Vallarta is a very popular place to visit for couples. Couples looking for a romantic getaway will enjoy sunset boat trips, horseback riding, and adventure sports. There are also many restaurants where you can enjoy a romantic dinner or a refreshing drink.

Is Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Santa Elena is renowned for backpackers. Also, Puerto Vallarta is not as famous, but is still a good town to visit for backpackers and budget travelers.

Santa Elena is a very popular town to visit for backpackers. Backpackers will enjoy hiking and affordable activities. There are also many hostels with social activities that make this a great backpacker-friendly destination.

Puerto Vallarta is very popular with the backpacker crowd. There are hostels around, as well as many adventure sports or thrilling activities that backpackers will enjoy.

Is Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Santa Elena and Puerto Vallarta both offer nice public transit to get you around.

While Santa Elena offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There are buses through town that travel to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.

Puerto Vallarta has a few public transit options. There are blue, green or orange buses that travel around town.

Is Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta a more walkable city?

Puerto Vallarta is great for its ease of walking around. Also, Santa Elena is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its walkability.

Puerto Vallarta is a very walkable destination. There are several walkable neighborhoods in town such as 5 de Diciembre, el Centro, and Zona Romantica.

Santa Elena is somewhat walkable. It's relatively easy to walk around, but you will need to take a bus to Monteverde.

For even more information, also check out Is Santa Elena Worth Visiting? and Is Puerto Vallarta Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Puerto Vallarta or Santa Elena?

How long in Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta?

In either Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time. Most visitors tend to spend more time in Puerto Vallarta than Santa Elena because of the overall number of sights and activities. Usually, 2-4 days is a good amount of time for Santa Elena, and 3-5 days is enough time in Puerto Vallarta.

Families should spend more time in Puerto Vallarta than Santa Elena. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Puerto Vallarta, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Puerto Vallarta than Santa Elena. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Puerto Vallarta that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Puerto Vallarta than Santa Elena if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Puerto Vallarta.

One day in Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta?

The tranquil destination of Santa Elena offers shopping. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

Visitors enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping when visiting the laid-back town of Puerto Vallarta. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A weekend in Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta?

The town of Santa Elena offers shopping. Many travelers plan to spend time hiking while in the area. A weekend here is typical. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities.

Visitors enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the colorful destination of Puerto Vallarta. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. This town offers something for everyone. Since there is so much to do in the area, a weekend is probably not enough for all of it.

Five days in Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta?

Santa Elena is a great place to explore. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. This town offers something for everyone. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

Visitors enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the coastal town of Puerto Vallarta. People enjoy relaxing at one of the resorts. Many people spend five days here.If you enjoy all that's offered here, then five days is just the right amount of time to spend here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.

A week in Santa Elena or Puerto Vallarta?

Many people enjoy the shopping when visiting Santa Elena. Hikers are also drawn to this area. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Many people enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting Puerto Vallarta. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.

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

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 Vallarta Expensive?.