Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta or Temuco?
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 Temuco 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 Temuco 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.
Where Should I go: Temuco or Puerto Vallarta?
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.
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta remains a popular tourist destination with Americans, particularly during spring break when students flock to the area. The area is quite beautiful and has many gorgeous beaches, interesting jungles and waterfalls nearby, and no shortage of luxury resorts and four star restaurants. Many of the locals speak English and are friendly and open to helping tourists with directions or general information. Puerto Vallarta's popularity means that its prices are some of the highest in Mexico, particularly during holidays when the area can get quite crowded.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Chile, The Best Budget Tours to Chile, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
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Temuco Prices
Chile PricesPuerto Vallarta Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTemuco $96Puerto Vallarta $128
The average daily cost (per person) in Temuco is $96, while the average daily cost in Puerto Vallarta is $128. 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 Temuco and Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTemuco $44Puerto Vallarta $57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTemuco $88Puerto Vallarta $114
Compare Hotels in Temuco and Puerto Vallarta
Looking for a hotel in Temuco or Puerto Vallarta? 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 and Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Temuco $23Puerto Vallarta $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Temuco
Also for Temuco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers from or to Temuco - Araucanía Airport: $40
- Temuco Airport (ZCO) to Pucon Resorts - Arrival Private Transfer: $84
- Transfer from Temuco Airport to Pucon: $140
- Temuco Airport (ZCO) to Pucon Thermal Resorts-Round-Trip Transfer: $167
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- Private Transfer from Punta de Mita Area to PVR Airport: $180
- Sayulita hotels to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) – Private Departure Transfer : $155
- Puerto Vallarta Roundtrip Shuttle Airport Transfer: $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Temuco or Puerto Vallarta?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta and Temuco 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 dayTemuco $38Puerto Vallarta $58
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Vallarta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
- Winner 2025 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Mexican Cooking Class, Tequila Tasting & Unlimited Margaritas: $89
- Sayulita Tacos and Tequila Food Tour : $99
- Puerto Vallarta- Market tour and Cooking Experience : $134
- Rhythms of the night, sunset cruise, open bar & oceanfront dinner: $159
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Temuco $7.85Puerto Vallarta $17
Tours and Activities in Temuco
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Temuco.
- Tour Mapuche Community Araucanía: $592
Tours and Activities in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
- Sayulita Minivan Transportation Service Tour: $165
- ATV Tour Rio Cuale Sierra Madre Mountains and tequila tasting: $73
- ATV and RZR Jorullo Bridge Experience in Puerto Vallarta: $167
- Beachfront Massage Experience in Mismaloya: $42
- Bioluminescence & sunset local boat tour to Los Arcos Sanctuary: $67
- Boat and Snorkel Tour to 5 Islands of Los Arcos: $46
- Cachasol Raicilla and Tequila Tour: $83
- Canopy Tour Experience in Sayulita, Nuevo Nayarit.: $68
- City tour express; butterfly, tequila, and beach an ecological day: $22
- EcoHike experience through the jungle, mountains and hidden beach: $30
- Edenva Ecotourist Park in Puerto Vallarta: $69
- Food & Mixology Tour:Tequila,Tacos, Mezcal and Agave Cocktails: $98
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTemuco $5.13Puerto Vallarta $22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Temuco and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Puerto Vallarta is more expensive. And not only is Temuco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Temuco is in South 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 Temuco would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Temuco 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 Temuco.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Temuco Expensive? and Is Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Temuco or Puerto Vallarta?
Temuco has a larger population, and is about 27% larger than the population of Puerto Vallarta. When comparing the sizes of Temuco and Puerto Vallarta, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
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.