Which place is cheaper, Puerto Varas 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 Varas?
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 Varas. 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 Varas?
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 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 Costa Rica, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica, 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 daySanta Elena $92Puerto Varas $109
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Elena is $92, 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 Santa Elena and Puerto Varas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Elena $55Puerto Varas $67
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Elena $110Puerto Varas $134
Compare Hotels in Santa Elena and Puerto Varas
Looking for a hotel in Santa Elena 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: Puerto Varas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Elena $11Puerto Varas $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $180
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde to Samara : $269
- Peñas Blancas to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $270
- Private Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal From 1 to 6 passengers: $249
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Varas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Varas:
- Transfer from Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport: $50
- Transfer from Hotel in Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport: $24
- Transfer to Puerto Montt Airport: $22
- Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport - Departure Private Transfer: $21
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Elena or Puerto Varas?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Varas 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 Varas $25
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 Varas $19
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Wildlife Tour in Curicancha : $25
- Monteverde Butterfly Gardens Tour: $26
- Adventure Day - Outdoor activities for Family and Friends Special Package.: $29
- Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour: $30
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour: $30
- Kinkajou Night Walk Tour: $30
- CuriCancha Reserve Admission Ticket: $33
- Curicancha Birdwatching Tour: $34
- Night Adventures in Monteverde: $35
- Natural History Tour - Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve: $35
- Authentic experience of Coffee, Cane and Caco inside the forest: $37
- Regular Guided tour Monteverde Reserve: $38
Tours and Activities in Puerto Varas
Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Varas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Adventure Fullday Tour Osorno Volcano and Saltos de Petrohue National Park: $150
- From Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt: Chiloé Island Tour: $60
- From Osorno Volcano & Petrohue Falls Day Tour: $49
- Full-Day Osorno Vulcano and Petrohue Falls Small-Group Tour: $80
- Half-Day Small-Group Rafting Experience in Petrohué River: $52
- Lake Llanquihue Bike Tour in Puerto Varas: $129
- Petrohue Falls and Osorno Volcano Bike Tour: $124
- Peulla Full Day Tour from Puerto Varas: $68
- Premium Half Day Shared Tour Sunset at Osorno Volcano: $130
- Premium Small-Group Half day Tour to Frutillar in Puerto Varas: $144
- Private Rock Climbing Experience in Northern Patagonia: $100
- Full-Day Tour Chiloe Island: Castro and Dalcahue : $62
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Elena $6.22Puerto Varas $6.51
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Elena and Puerto Varas, we can see that Puerto Varas 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 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 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 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 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 Varas Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Santa Elena or Puerto Varas?
Puerto Varas 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 Varas in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Santa Elena as well as Puerto Varas. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In July, Santa Elena is generally much warmer than Puerto Varasin January. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 28°C (82°F), and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Puerto Varas. In the summer, Santa Elena often gets less sunshine than Puerto Varasin January. Santa Elena gets 164 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Varas receives 204 hours of full sun.
Santa Elena receives a lot of rain in the summer. Santa Elena usually gets more rain in July than Puerto Varasin January. Santa Elena gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas 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 Varas 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Puerto Varas in the Autumn?
Both Puerto Varas and Santa Elena are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Santa Elena throughout the year.
Santa Elena is much warmer than Puerto Varas in the autumn. The daily temperature in Santa Elena averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 11°C (51°F)in April.
Santa Elena usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Varas during autumn. Santa Elena gets 169 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 Santa Elena. In October, Santa Elena usually receives more rain than Puerto Varasin April. Santa Elena gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas 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 Varas 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Puerto Varas in the Winter?
Both Puerto Varas and Santa Elena during the winter 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 the winter, Santa Elena is much warmer than Puerto Varas. Typically, the winter temperatures in Santa Elena in January average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Varas averages at about 7°C (45°F)in July.
It's quite sunny in Santa Elena. In the winter, Santa Elena often gets more sunshine than Puerto Varasin July. Santa Elena gets 264 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. Santa Elena usually gets less rain in January than Puerto Varasin July. Santa Elena gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas 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 Varas 7°C (45°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Puerto Varas in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Santa Elena and Puerto Varas. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round.
In April, Santa Elena is generally much warmer than Puerto Varasin October. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 29°C (85°F), and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
In Santa Elena, it's very sunny this time of the year. Santa Elena usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Varas during spring. Santa Elena gets 255 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, Santa Elena usually receives less rain than Puerto Varasin October. Santa Elena gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Puerto Varas 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 Varas 11°C (51°F)
Typical Weather for Puerto Varas and Santa Elena
| Santa Elena | Puerto Varas | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.