A Travel Price Comparison for Mexico Veracruz vs. Puerto Vallarta for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Veracruz or Puerto Vallarta?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Veracruz and Puerto Vallarta can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Veracruz or Puerto Vallarta?

Veracruz

Veracruz is the name of both a state and city in the country of Mexico. Locals often call the city "Puerto" (port) in order to differentiate the city from the state. The general area runs along the Gulf of Mexico and encompasses ruins, old colonial cities, lush green mountains, and delicious seafood.

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.

Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta or Veracruz?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Veracruz is $119, while the average daily cost in Puerto Vallarta is $112. 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 Veracruz and Puerto Vallarta in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Veracruz $53
    Puerto Vallarta $62
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Veracruz $106
    Puerto Vallarta $124
Compare Hotels in Veracruz and Puerto Vallarta

Looking for a hotel in Veracruz 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.

Hotels in Veracruz


Hotels in Puerto Vallarta


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: Veracruz Hotel Prices and Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Veracruz $28
    Puerto Vallarta $19

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Veracruz

Also for Veracruz, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Colima Airport (CLQ) to Colima - Arrival Private Transfer: $14
  • Transfer from Veracruz Airport to Hotel in Veracruz Port: $21
  • Shared Arrival Transfer: General Heriberto Jara International Airport to Veracruz Hotels: $23
  • Airport Transfer: $25
  • Colima Airport (CLQ) to Colima - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $28

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:

  • Private Transfer From Puerto Vallarta to Mazatlan, English Speaking Driver: $466
  • Private Transfer From Nuevo Vallarta to Guadalajara, 2 Hour Stop: $352
  • Private transfer from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara: $276
  • Private Transfer from Sayulita to Guadalajara: $238
  • Private Transfer from Nuevo Vallarta to Guadalajara: $231
  • Private Airport Transfer in Puerto Vallarta for 8 to 12 persons: $229
  • Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR): Transfer to Puerto Vallarta: $208
  • Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Sayulita hotels - Private Roundtrip Transfer: $191
  • Transfer from the airport to punta mita: $171
  • Mexico Private Transfer from Puerto Vallarta (PVR) Airport to Punta de Mita: $161
  • Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Puerto Vallarta - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $152
  • Mexico Private Transfer from Punta de Mita to Puerto Vallarta (PVR) Airport: $151

Is it cheaper to fly into Veracruz or Puerto Vallarta?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta and Veracruz 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Veracruz $48
    Puerto Vallarta $36

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Vallarta

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.

  • Taco102 - dinner taco walk - all inclusive: $45
  • Off The Beaten Path Food Tour, Breakfast in Pitillal: $55
  • Signature Taco and Street Food Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $55
  • Puerto Vallarta 3-Hour Food Tour of Authentic Local Cuisine: $55
  • Dinner Tacos Food Tour: $55
  • Off The Beaten Path Food Tour. Dinner in Pitillal : $55
  • Taco Adventure Evening Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $55
  • Taste of Pitillal Food Tour: $55
  • Downtown Puerto Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $55
  • Puerta Vallarta: Seafood Lover's Food Tour: $56
  • Seafood Lover's Tour with Vallarta Food Tours : $59
  • Versalles After Dark Food Tour: $65

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Veracruz $14
    Puerto Vallarta $18

Tours and Activities in Veracruz

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Veracruz.

  • Panoramic Sightseeing Tour of Veracruz: $6.00
  • Hop-On Hop-Off Double-Decker Bus Tour: $7.04
  • San Juan de Ulua Fortress Skip-the-Line Ticket: $9.00
  • San Juan de Ulua Fortress of Veracruz Skip-the-Line Ticket: $9.00
  • Aquatico Inbursa Waterpark: Veracruz - Ticket: $19
  • Mandinga And Boat Trip Tour: $20
  • From Nature & Seafood Boat Tour to Madinga: $23
  • Sightseeing City Tour and Wax & Ripley´s Museums: $23
  • 3-hour tour to the San Juan de Ulúa Fortress: $25
  • From San Juan de Ulua Prison Tour: $26
  • San Juan De Ulua Tour: $28
  • Veracruz City Tour with San Juan de Ulúa and Mandinga Boat: $45

Tours and Activities in Puerto Vallarta

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:

  • 3-hr ATV Mountian Exclusive Tour to Sierre Madre: $65
  • Zip Line Adventure in the heights in Puerto Vallarta 10 zip lines: $66
  •  Tour marietas islands: $350
  • 100' Mega Yacht Private Boat Tour [All Inclusive]: $4,000
  • 1H Private Scenic Airplane Tour over Yelapa and Puerto Vallarta: $505
  • 2 Hour Private Surfing Experience in Puerto Vallarta: $95
  • 3 Hour Private ATV Adventure with Tequila Tasting: $116
  • 3-Hour Exclusive Guided RZR Adventure Sierra Madre Mountains Tour: $125
  • 3-Hour Private Experience in the Hidden Beach at Marietas Islands: $179
  • 3-Hour Private Surf Safari Experience in Punta Mita: $130
  • 3-Hour Taco Tour Puerto Vallarta Electric Bikes with a Licensed Guide: $97
  • 360 Puerto Vallarta City Tour with Lunch: $65

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Veracruz $17
    Puerto Vallarta $23

Sample the Local Flavors in Puerto Vallarta

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:

  • Botanical Gardens, Distillery & Coffee Tour: $76
  • Brewery Bus Tour from Mexico: $85
  • Tequila Tour and Tasting at Puerto Vallarta Distillery: $90
  • Secret Agave Bar Crawl in Vallarta: $98
  • All you can drink Bar Crawl: $99
  • 2-Day Guided Tequila Distillery Tour in Mexico with Tasting: $777


When comparing the travel costs between Veracruz and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Veracruz is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

Which is Bigger, Veracruz or Puerto Vallarta?

Veracruz is bigger, and its population is about 3 times larger than the population of Puerto Vallarta. When comparing the population of Veracruz vs. 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 and the activities 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.
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Veracruz vs. Puerto Vallarta Travel Comparison

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