Which place is cheaper, Ponce or Valparaiso?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Valparaiso or Ponce?
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 Valparaiso and Ponce. 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: Valparaiso or Ponce?
Valparaiso
Valparaiso, often referred to as Valpo, is an attractive city on the Pacific Coast in Chile. The city has a population of about 300,000 and is only 120 kilometers west of Santiago. The city's main industries aside from tourism include shipping and petroleum refining.
Valparaiso is popular with travelers because of its bohemian culture and brightly colored homes. It also offers some wonderful views of the Pacific Ocean. Although the city is short on specific sights, the atmosphere and beautiful setting make it a wonderful place to visit.
Valparaiso has a mild Mediterranean climate that is comparable to San Francisco or Santa Barbara. The summer is dry but fog is common year around. Rain can be heavy during the winter season and snow falls occasionally in the highest parts of the city. Winds can also be strong during the winter months.
Ponce
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, and The Best Luxury Tours to Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayValparaiso $66Ponce $205
The average daily cost (per person) in Valparaiso is $66, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $205. 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 Valparaiso and Ponce in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personValparaiso $36Ponce $151
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomValparaiso $72Ponce $302
Compare Hotels in Valparaiso and Ponce
Looking for a hotel in Valparaiso or Ponce? 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: Valparaiso Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Valparaiso $4.83Ponce $10
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Valparaiso
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Valparaiso are as follows:
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Taxi Ride$3.14
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Valparaiso
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Valparaiso:
- Valparaiso to Santiago Private Transfer or Santiago to Valparaiso: $76
- Private Transfer from Valparaiso Cruise Port to Santiago hotels: $81
- Private Transfer from Valparaiso Port to Santiago Airport (SCL): $81
- Private Transfer from Viña Del Mar or Valparaiso City Hotel To Santiago City: $89
- Private Transfer from Valparaiso Hotel or port To Santiago Airport or Hotel: $107
- Transfers from Valparaiso or Viña del Mar to Santiago: $120
- Private Transfer from San Antonio Port to Valparaiso or Viña del Mar.: $133
- Small group transfer from Valparaiso/S.Antonio+Tour in Santiago: $140
- Valparaiso Airport Private Transfer: $156
- Private Transfer Viña del Mar to Santiago Airport: $170
- Private Transfer from Viña del Mar to Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) Airport: $236
- World Biggest Organic Winery Emiliana, Valparaiso & Transfer : $250
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
- Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87
- Double ATV Adventure: Private Hacienda Experience with Transfer: $279
- Isabela / Hatillo to Aguadilla Airport(BQN) - DepartureTransfer: $44
- Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
- Private Transfers from SJU Airport to Isla Verde, Condado or San Juan área : $60
- Rio Grande hotel to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $109
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to Rio Grande hotel - Arrival Private Transfer: $109
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
- San Juan Departure Share Transfer: $27
- San Juan PR Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Transfer: $46
- San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
Is it cheaper to fly into Valparaiso or Ponce?
Prices for flights to both Ponce and Valparaiso 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 dayValparaiso $22Ponce $35
Typical Food Prices in Valparaiso
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Valparaiso:
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Empanada$1.89
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Valparaiso
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Valparaiso.
- Learn to Cook Like a Local: Private Cooking Class in a Viña del Mar Home: $102
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.
- Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
- Private Half-Day Food Tour : $130
- Private San Juan Cooking Class with a Local Expert: $146
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Valparaiso $18Ponce $56
Typical Entertainment Prices in Valparaiso
Here are a few typical costs in Valparaiso for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Boat Tour$4.19
Tours and Activities in Valparaiso
Here are a few actual costs in Valparaiso for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Valparaiso Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $32
- Citybus Tour from Valparaíso (Viña del Mar, Reñaca and Concón): $33
- Famous Valparaíso! Premium Walking Tour with a Native Guide: $35
- 2 Hour Walking Tour in Valparaiso: $35
- Learn Urban Sketching while you tour Valparaíso: $35
- Famous Viña del Mar! Premium Walking Tour with a Native Guide: $35
- Walking Tour of Valparaiso and the House of Neruda La Sebastiana: $38
- Guided Panoramic Tour in Valparaíso: $40
- Private Custom Tour with a Local Guide in Valparaiso: $49
- Private walking tour in Valparaíso: $55
- 3-Hour Bike Tour along the Coast of Viña del Mar and Valparaíso: $55
- Valpo in 1 day: Authentic + Famous! Semi-private walking tour & public transport: $60
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
- Talking Buildings of Old San Juan: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Footsteps in San Juan Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $17
- Private Sunset Walking Tour in San Juan: $25
- Old San Juan Tour (1 Hour) by DUHO: $25
- Salsa Tours PR Sunset Salsa Beach Class in San Juan, Puerto Rico : $29
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- Guided Walking Tour in Ponce: $30
- Guided City Walking Tour: $32
- La Perla Cultural Tour: $35
- Historic Old San Juan Sunset Walking Tour: $39
- Bio Bay Boat Tour with Swimming from La Parguera, Puerto Rico: $50
- Turtle spotting snorkeling adventure- no Jets : $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayValparaiso $7.79Ponce $16
Typical Alcohol Prices in Valparaiso
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Valparaiso are as follows:
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Beer$1.00
Sample the Local Flavors in Valparaiso
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Valparaiso:
- Private Wine Tour in Valparaíso: $166
- Santiago: Valparaíso Walking Tour & Casablanca Wine Tasting: $255
Sample the Local Flavors in Ponce
Also in Ponce, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Artisan Puertorrican Winery and Distillery Tour: $50
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- Local Puerto Rican Rum Distillery Tour - Ron Pepon: $90
- Rum Distillery and Old San Juan Tour: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Valparaiso and Ponce, we can see that Ponce is more expensive. And not only is Valparaiso much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Valparaiso is in South America and Ponce is in Caribbean Islands, 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 Valparaiso would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Valparaiso 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 Ponce would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ponce than you might in Valparaiso.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Valparaiso Expensive? and Is Ponce Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Valparaiso or Ponce?
Valparaiso has a larger population, and is about 85% larger than the population of Ponce. When comparing the sizes of Valparaiso and Ponce, 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.