Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta or Valparaiso?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Valparaiso 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 Valparaiso 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: Valparaiso or Puerto Vallarta?
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.
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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Chile, The Best Luxury Tours to Chile, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayValparaiso $66Puerto Vallarta $115
The average daily cost (per person) in Valparaiso is $66, while the average daily cost in Puerto Vallarta is $115. 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 Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personValparaiso $36Puerto Vallarta $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomValparaiso $72Puerto Vallarta $126
Compare Hotels in Valparaiso and Puerto Vallarta
Looking for a hotel in Valparaiso 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: Valparaiso Hotel Prices and Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Valparaiso $4.83Puerto Vallarta $19
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 Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- Roundtrip Transfer Private Minivan Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVT) -City Center: $93
- Airport Transfer Puerto Vallarta : $135
- Arrival Transfer from Airport to Cruise Port in Puerto Vallarta: $44
- Mexico Private Transfer from Marina Vallarta to Puerto Vallarta (PVR) Airport: $55
- Nuevo Vallarta: Private Airport Transfer to South Zone 2: $48
- Nuevo Vallarta:Private Airport Transfer to North Zone 3: $51
- Private Transfer Licenciado Gustavo Airport to/fr Puerto Vallarta: $76
- Private Transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) for 4-7 people to Nayarit: $102
- Private Transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport to Nayarit: $145
- Private Transfer from Sayulita to Guadalajara: $240
- Private transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport - Hotel Zone: $37
- Private transfer round trip Puerto Vallarta Airport To Hotel In Luxury Vehicle: $129
Is it cheaper to fly into Valparaiso or Puerto Vallarta?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta 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 $22Puerto Vallarta $37
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 Puerto Vallarta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
- Dinner Tacos Food Tour: $55
- Off The Beaten Path Food Tour. Dinner in Pitillal : $55
- Puerto Vallarta 3-Hour Food Tour of Authentic Local Cuisine: $59
- Downtown Puerto Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Puerta Vallarta: Seafood Lover's Food Tour: $59
- Signature Taco and Street Food Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $65
- Vallarta by Road Food Tour: $75
- Mexican Cooking Class, Tequila Tasting & Unlimited Margaritas: $75
- Bucerias Bike and Food Tour: $90
- Mexican Cooking Class and Tequila Tasting: $96
- Sayulita Tacos and Tequila Food Tour : $99
- Cooking Class and Market Tour: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Valparaiso $18Puerto Vallarta $19
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 Puerto Vallarta
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
- City Tour Puerto Vallarta - Churches, Tequila Test and more: $18
- Mexico: Puerto Vallarta City Tour: $20
- Hop-On-Hop-Off City Bus Tour: $23
- Guided SUP Board Tour with Digital Photos: $23
- Private Bike City Tour with Photo Session in Puerto Vallarta: $24
- Hop On Hop Off Tour with Free Stops in Puerto Vallarta: $24
- Hike and Yoga Jungle Experience in Mexico: $30
- City Tour, Tequila and Coffee Factory Tour: $31
- EcoHike experience through the jungle, mountains and hidden beach: $31
- Zipline Canopy Tour: $37
- Puerto Vallarta Local-Style Walking tour: $41
- Why Jalisco is Mexico? Puerto Vallarta Tour: $45
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayValparaiso $7.79Puerto Vallarta $24
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 Puerto Vallarta
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:
- All you can drink Bar Crawl: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Valparaiso and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Puerto Vallarta 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 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 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 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 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 Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Valparaiso or Puerto Vallarta?
Valparaiso has a larger population, and is about 51% larger than the population of Puerto Vallarta. When comparing the sizes of Valparaiso 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.