Which place is cheaper, Temuco or Santa Elena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santa Elena or Temuco?
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 Temuco. 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 Temuco?
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%.
Temuco
Temuco is a large and modern city found 680 km south of Santiago. While the city is dynamic, it does not have any particular charm with the exception of being a great point of departure for many excursions around the lake region and the many national parks found in the surrounding area. Temuco is also well known for its Mapuche culture, a proud and rebellious community of around 20 000 in the area today, who has fought continuously against every invaders in the past.
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 Food and Culinary Tours in Chile, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Elena $92Temuco $80
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Elena is $92, while the average daily cost in Temuco is $80. 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 Temuco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Elena $55Temuco $44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Elena $110Temuco $88
Compare Hotels in Santa Elena and Temuco
Looking for a hotel in Santa Elena or Temuco? 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: Temuco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Elena $11Temuco $23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
- Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $270
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde to Samara : $269
- Private Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal From 1 to 6 passengers: $249
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $180
- Peñas Blancas to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Temuco
Also for Temuco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Temuco Airport to Pucon: $140
- Temuco Airport (ZCO) to Pucon Thermal Resorts-Round-Trip Transfer: $98
- Transfer Araucanía Airport - Temuco: $50
- Temuco Airport (ZCO) to Pucon Resorts - Arrival Private Transfer: $49
- Transfers from or to Temuco - Araucanía Airport: $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Elena or Temuco?
Prices for flights to both Temuco 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 $24Temuco $22
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 $30Temuco $7.85
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Cloud Forest hanging bridges with a local naturalist tour guide: $45
- Curi-cancha Bird-Watching tour semi private : $50
- Wildlife Tour in Curicancha : $25
- 100% Adventure Park Combo: Zipline, Superman, and Mega Tarzan Tour in Monteverde: $57
- 3 hours of the Longest and Highest Extreme Zip line Experience in Monteverde: $80
- Adventure Day - Outdoor activities for Family and Friends Special Package.: $29
- Adventure Park High Ropes Course : $69
- Authentic experience of Coffee, Cane and Caco inside the forest: $37
- Bird Watching Experience in Monteverde: $90
- Bird-Watching private tour : $100
- Birdwatching Tour in Monteverde : $85
- Canopy Adventure From Monteverde: $72
Tours and Activities in Temuco
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Temuco.
- Tour Mapuche Community Araucanía: $582
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Elena $6.22Temuco $5.13
When comparing the travel costs between Santa Elena and Temuco, 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 Temuco 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 Temuco Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Santa Elena or Temuco?
Temuco 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 Temuco in the Summer?
Both Temuco and Santa Elena are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Santa Elena throughout the year.
Santa Elena is much warmer than Temuco in the summer. The daily temperature in Santa Elena averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and Temuco fluctuates around 17°C (62°F)in January.
It's quite sunny in Temuco. Santa Elena usually receives less sunshine than Temuco during summer. Santa Elena gets 164 hours of sunny skies, while Temuco receives 290 hours of full sun in the summer.
It's quite rainy in Santa Elena. In July, Santa Elena usually receives more rain than Temucoin January. Santa Elena gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Temuco receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuarySanta Elena 28°C (82°F)Temuco 17°C (62°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Temuco in the Autumn?
Both Temuco and Santa Elena during the autumn 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 autumn, Santa Elena is much warmer than Temuco. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Santa Elena in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Temuco averages at about 12°C (53°F)in April.
In the autumn, Santa Elena often gets more sunshine than Temucoin April. Santa Elena gets 169 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Temuco receives 150 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. Santa Elena usually gets more rain in October than Temucoin April. Santa Elena gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Temuco receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilSanta Elena 27°C (81°F)Temuco 12°C (53°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Temuco in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Santa Elena and Temuco. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round.
In January, Santa Elena is generally much warmer than Temucoin July. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 27°C (81°F), and Temuco fluctuates around 8°C (46°F).
In Santa Elena, it's very sunny this time of the year. Santa Elena usually receives more sunshine than Temuco during winter. Santa Elena gets 264 hours of sunny skies, while Temuco receives 78 hours of full sun in the winter.
Temuco receives a lot of rain in the winter. In January, Santa Elena usually receives less rain than Temucoin July. Santa Elena gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Temuco receives 169 mm (6.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulySanta Elena 27°C (81°F)Temuco 8°C (46°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Temuco in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Santa Elena as well as Temuco. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Santa Elena is much warmer than Temuco in the spring. The daily temperature in Santa Elena averages around 29°C (85°F) in April, and Temuco fluctuates around 12°C (54°F)in October.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Santa Elena this time of the year. In the spring, Santa Elena often gets more sunshine than Temucoin October. Santa Elena gets 255 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Temuco receives 193 hours of full sun.
Santa Elena usually gets less rain in April than Temucoin October. Santa Elena gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Temuco receives 86 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberSanta Elena 29°C (85°F)Temuco 12°C (54°F)
Typical Weather for Temuco and Santa Elena
| Santa Elena | Temuco | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 9°C (47°F) | 177 mm (7 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 59 mm (2.3 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 53 mm (2.1 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.