Which place is cheaper, Puerto Viejo or Santiago?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Santiago or Puerto Viejo?
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 Santiago and Puerto Viejo. 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: Santiago or Puerto Viejo?
Santiago
Santiago is the capital city of Chile. It is centrally located in the long and narrow country, making it a good jumping off point to explore everywhere else. It's convenient location means that you can go skiing in the Andes one day, and hang out at the beach the next.
Santiago has a cool semi-arid climate that is similar to Mediterranean climates. The summers, which are between November and March, are warm and dry. The temperatures climb to around 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The winters, between June and August, are humid with cold mornings. The daily highs are around 55 degrees Fahrenheit and the lows stay a few degrees above freezing. Rain is more common in the winter months and the dry season is between December and March.
Puerto Viejo
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a small coastal town in Caribbean Costa Rica in the province of Limon. There are two gorgeous National Parks nearby - Cahuita and Manzanillo, and it rains more than on the Pacific side, which is why it is so lush and green with the rainforest coming down to the sea. Clear water, coconut palms, great surf and a laid-back Caribbean atmosphere make Puerto Viejo a favorite among travelers. Located on about an hour south of Limon, Puerto Viejo is the center of activity between the smaller villages of Cahuita and Manzanillo. The relaxed, seaside town is framed by jungle, turquoise seas, banana plantations and scenic rivers. It's known for the Salsa Brava surf break and beaches like black-sand Playa Negra, but this burgeoning party town is no longer a destination only for intrepid surfers; it's bustling with tourist activity. Stylish eateries serve global fusion, and intentionally rustic bamboo bars pump dancehall and reggaeton. With its blend of Afro-Caribbean descendants, expat Europeans and indigenous Costa Ricans, Puerto Viejo charms visitors with a unique mix of people and cultures. Rastafari culture has a firm foothold in the town, and many Rastas sell handmade jewelry and other wares along the town's vibrant roadside. Nearby you'll find rainforest fruit and cacao farms and wide-open beaches. If you're looking to chill a little, party a little and eat a little, you've come to the right place.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile, The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile, The Best 2-Week Tours in Costa Rica, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Costa Rica.
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Santiago Prices
Chile PricesPuerto Viejo Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantiago $146Puerto Viejo $189
The average daily cost (per person) in Santiago is $146, while the average daily cost in Puerto Viejo is $189. 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 Santiago and Puerto Viejo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantiago $106Puerto Viejo $79
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantiago $212Puerto Viejo $158
Compare Hotels in Santiago and Puerto Viejo
Looking for a hotel in Santiago or Puerto Viejo? 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: Santiago Hotel Prices and Puerto Viejo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santiago $5.24Puerto Viejo $42
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Santiago
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Santiago:
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Metro Ride$1.09
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santiago
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santiago:
- Villard Winery with exclusive guide + Premium Transfer: $220
- Transfer in/out cruise to/from Santiago plus tour Valparaiso: $135
- Transfer from Santiago To Valle Nevado, Farellones, Colorado or La Parva ski: $100
- Transfer from Santiago Airport to Viña del Mar by Car: $140
- Transfer from Santiago Airport to Santiago Centro Commune: $52
- Transfer Private hotel to Cruise ship in Puerto San Antonio or Valparaiso: $270
- Transfer Airport/Port - Hotel: $65
- Tour to Santiago and Valparaiso with Transfers included: $150
- Tarapacá Winery + Santa Ema Winery, Tour + Private Transfer: $180
- TRANSFER TRANSFER AIRPORT-VIÑA DEL MAR VALPARAISO: $190
- Sewell Tour Transfer: $165
- Valle Nevado Ski Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $42
Is it cheaper to fly into Santiago or Puerto Viejo?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Viejo and Santiago 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 daySantiago $22Puerto Viejo $65
Typical Food Prices in Santiago
Some typical examples of dining costs in Santiago are as follows:
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Empanada$1.82
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Hamburger$2.42
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Dinner$25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santiago
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santiago.
- Best Santiago Street Food Tour with 4+ Tastings and Drink: $56
- Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $56
- Mercado Meals Santiago Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $59
- Mercado Meals Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $60
- 4h Cooking Class in 8 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $77
- Local Food Tour with Tastings & Drinks: $99
- Traditional Chilean Show with Dinner and Private Transportation in Santiago: $107
- Small-Group Tour: Night City Tour with Santa Lucia Hill and Dinner Show: $116
- Barrio Italia Food Tour with Tastings & Drinks: $119
- Private Market Tour and Traditional Chilean Cooking Class in a Local Home: $125
- San Cristobal Hill Night Tour with Dinner Show: $129
- Dinner Show in Bali Hai with Wine refill and transportation: $129
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santiago $46Puerto Viejo $87
Tours and Activities in Santiago
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santiago are as follows:
- "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial español: $27
- "Tour Tradicional" Viña Cousiño Macul Oficial portugués: $27
- 1 Day Tour of Viña Concha y Toro from Santiago: $120
- 1 Day Valparaiso and Vina del Mar Tour from Santiago: $51
- 3 Hours Santiago Blend Walking Tour: $30
- All Santiago in One Day: Private Guided Tour: $250
- An Architect's Tour of Downtown Santiago: $60
- Andean Adventure: Cajón del Maipo & El Morado Lodge and Spa: $147
- Andes Day Lagoon in Cajón del Maipo & Embalse el Yeso Private Tour: $270
- Andes Day Lagoon: Embalse El Yeso Tour from Santiago: $120
- Andes Day Volcano 8k Private Tour: $270
- Andes Mountains Tour From Santiago with Appetizer: $180
Tours and Activities in Puerto Viejo
For Puerto Viejo, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Chocolate Experience by Bribri Indigenous Culture: $68
- Canyoning Adventure in the Costa Rican Jungle: $257
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantiago $8.13Puerto Viejo $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Santiago
Also in Santiago, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- "Chile in Your Glass" Wine Tasting.: $22
- Pub Crawl with Unlimited Beer and Welcome Shots: $25
- Cousiño Macul Heritage Wine Tour with Tastings: $25
- Tour Viña Santa Carolina in Santiago with 3 wine tasting: $53
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $55
- Valparaiso, Viña del Mar & Casablanca Wine Tour: $61
- Valparaiso, Viña del Mar & Casablanca Wine Tour: $65
- Undurraga Winery Tour with Entry and Wine Tasting: $70
- Valparaiso Port and Viña del Mar with Casablanca Wine Tasting: $75
- Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, with Wine Tasting: $75
- Half Day Trip to Undurraga Vineyard from Santiago - Wine Tasting Included: $75
- Concha y Toro Tour with Wine Tasting and Transport: $87
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santiago and Puerto Viejo, we can see that Puerto Viejo is more expensive. And not only is Santiago much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santiago is in South America and Puerto Viejo is in Central 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 Santiago would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santiago 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 Viejo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Viejo than you might in Santiago.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santiago Expensive? and Is Puerto Viejo Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Santiago or Puerto Viejo?
Santiago has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Puerto Viejo experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Santiago or Puerto Viejo in the Summer?
Both Puerto Viejo and Santiago during the summer are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Puerto Viejo year-round.
In the summer, Santiago is cooler than Puerto Viejo. Typically, the summer temperatures in Santiago in January average around 21°C (70°F), and Puerto Viejo averages at about 26°C (79°F)in July.
Puerto Viejo gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Santiago usually gets less rain in January than Puerto Viejoin July. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Puerto Viejo receives 408 mm (16.1 in) of rain this time of the year. September to October is the dry season in Puerto Viejo.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulySantiago 21°C (70°F)Puerto Viejo 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Santiago or Puerto Viejo in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Santiago and Puerto Viejo. Puerto Viejo attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In April, Santiago is generally much colder than Puerto Viejoin October. Daily temperatures in Santiago average around 15°C (59°F), and Puerto Viejo fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
Puerto Viejo receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In April, Santiago usually receives less rain than Puerto Viejoin October. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Puerto Viejo receives 198 mm (7.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn. September to October in Puerto Viejo is the dry season. Also, November to January is the rainy season in Puerto Viejo.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberSantiago 15°C (59°F)Puerto Viejo 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Santiago or Puerto Viejo in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Santiago as well as Puerto Viejo. The warm climate attracts visitors to Puerto Viejo throughout the year.
Santiago is much colder than Puerto Viejo in the winter. The daily temperature in Santiago averages around 9°C (48°F) in July, and Puerto Viejo fluctuates around 25°C (77°F)in January.
It's quite rainy in Puerto Viejo. Santiago usually gets less rain in July than Puerto Viejoin January. Santiago gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Puerto Viejo receives 319 mm (12.6 in) of rain this time of the year. November to January in Puerto Viejo is the rainy season.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuarySantiago 9°C (48°F)Puerto Viejo 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Santiago or Puerto Viejo in the Spring?
Both Puerto Viejo and Santiago are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Puerto Viejo because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the spring, Santiago is much colder than Puerto Viejo. Typically, the spring temperatures in Santiago in October average around 15°C (59°F), and Puerto Viejo averages at about 26°C (79°F)in April.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Puerto Viejo. In October, Santiago usually receives less rain than Puerto Viejoin April. Santiago gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Puerto Viejo receives 287 mm (11.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilSantiago 15°C (59°F)Puerto Viejo 26°C (79°F)
Typical Weather for Puerto Viejo and Santiago
| Santiago | Puerto Viejo | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 21°C (70°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 319 mm (12.6 in) |
| Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 201 mm (7.9 in) |
| Mar | 18°C (64°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 193 mm (7.6 in) |
| Apr | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 287 mm (11.3 in) |
| May | 12°C (54°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 281 mm (11.1 in) |
| Jun | 9°C (48°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 276 mm (10.9 in) |
| Jul | 9°C (48°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 408 mm (16.1 in) |
| Aug | 10°C (50°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 255 mm (10 in) |
| Sep | 12°C (54°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 163 mm (6.4 in) |
| Oct | 15°C (59°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 198 mm (7.8 in) |
| Nov | 17°C (63°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 367 mm (14.4 in) |
| Dec | 20°C (68°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 402 mm (15.8 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.