Which place is cheaper, Puerto Varas or Temuco?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Temuco 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 Temuco 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: Temuco or Puerto Varas?
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 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 Food and Culinary Tours in Chile, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, The Best Luxury Tours to Chile, and The Best Budget Tours to Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTemuco $80Puerto Varas $109
The average daily cost (per person) in Temuco is $80, 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 Temuco and Puerto Varas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTemuco $44Puerto Varas $67
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTemuco $88Puerto Varas $134
Compare Hotels in Temuco and Puerto Varas
Looking for a hotel in Temuco 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: Temuco Hotel Prices and Puerto Varas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Temuco $23Puerto Varas $21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Temuco
Also for Temuco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Temuco Airport (ZCO) to Pucon Resorts - Arrival Private Transfer: $49
- Temuco Airport (ZCO) to Pucon Thermal Resorts-Round-Trip Transfer: $98
- Transfer Araucanía Airport - Temuco: $50
- Transfer from Temuco Airport to Pucon: $140
- Transfers from or to Temuco - Araucanía Airport: $35
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 Temuco or Puerto Varas?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Varas 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 $22Puerto Varas $25
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Temuco $7.85Puerto Varas $19
Tours and Activities in Temuco
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Temuco.
- Tour Mapuche Community Araucanía: $582
Tours and Activities in Puerto Varas
Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Varas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 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: $50
- 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 Full Day Shared Tour Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Falls: $185
- 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
- Private Sightseeing Tour in Puerto Varas & Puerto Montt: $99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTemuco $5.13Puerto Varas $6.51
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Temuco and Puerto Varas, we can see that Puerto Varas is more expensive. And not only is Temuco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 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 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 Varas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Temuco or Puerto Varas?
Temuco has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Puerto Varas. When comparing the sizes of Temuco and Puerto Varas, 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.
When is the best time to visit Temuco or Puerto Varas?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.
Should I visit Temuco or Puerto Varas in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Temuco as well as Puerto Varas.
In January, Temuco is generally around the same temperature as Puerto Varas. Daily temperatures in Temuco average around 17°C (62°F), and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Puerto Varas. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Temuco this time of the year. In the summer, Temuco often gets more sunshine than Puerto Varas. Temuco gets 290 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Varas receives 204 hours of full sun.
Temuco usually gets less rain in January than Puerto Varas. Temuco gets 42 mm (1.7 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 JanuaryTemuco 17°C (62°F)Puerto Varas 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Temuco or Puerto Varas in the Autumn?
Both Puerto Varas and Temuco are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities.
Temuco is a little warmer than Puerto Varas in the autumn. The daily temperature in Temuco averages around 12°C (53°F) in April, and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
Temuco usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Varas during autumn. Temuco gets 150 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. In April, Temuco usually receives less rain than Puerto Varas. Temuco gets 80 mm (3.1 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 AprilTemuco 12°C (53°F)Puerto Varas 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Temuco or Puerto Varas in the Winter?
Both Puerto Varas and Temuco during the winter are popular places to visit.
In the winter, Temuco is a little warmer than Puerto Varas. Typically, the winter temperatures in Temuco in July average around 8°C (46°F), and Puerto Varas averages at about 7°C (45°F).
In the winter, Temuco often gets more sunshine than Puerto Varas. Temuco gets 78 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. It rains a lot this time of the year in Temuco. Temuco usually gets less rain in July than Puerto Varas. Temuco gets 169 mm (6.7 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 JulyTemuco 8°C (46°F)Puerto Varas 7°C (45°F)
Should I visit Temuco or Puerto Varas in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Temuco and Puerto Varas.
In October, Temuco is generally a little warmer than Puerto Varas. Daily temperatures in Temuco average around 12°C (54°F), and Puerto Varas fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
Temuco usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Varas during spring. Temuco gets 193 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 October, Temuco usually receives less rain than Puerto Varas. Temuco gets 86 mm (3.4 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 OctoberTemuco 12°C (54°F)Puerto Varas 11°C (51°F)
Typical Weather for Puerto Varas and Temuco
| Temuco | Puerto Varas | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 17°C (62°F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Feb | 17°C (63°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Mar | 15°C (59°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| Apr | 12°C (53°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) |
| May | 10°C (50°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Jun | 9°C (47°F) | 177 mm (7 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) |
| Jul | 8°C (46°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 229 mm (9 in) |
| Aug | 9°C (48°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 209 mm (8.2 in) |
| Sep | 10°C (50°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 9°C (47°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Oct | 12°C (54°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Nov | 14°C (57°F) | 59 mm (2.3 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Dec | 16°C (61°F) | 53 mm (2.1 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.