Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta or Veracruz?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVeracruz $122Puerto Vallarta $115
The average daily cost (per person) in Veracruz is $122, 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 Veracruz and Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVeracruz $54Puerto Vallarta $63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVeracruz $108Puerto Vallarta $126
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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Veracruz $28Puerto Vallarta $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Veracruz
Also for Veracruz, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 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
- Transfer from Veracruz Airport to Hotel in Veracruz Port: $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- Private Transfer from Sayulita to Guadalajara: $239
- 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: $192
- Mexico Private Transfer from Puerto Vallarta (PVR) Airport to Punta de Mita: $162
- Airport Transfer Puerto Vallarta : $135
- Puerto Vallarta Airp.(PVR): Transfer to Puerto Vallarta Port: $117
- Puerto Vallarta Cruise Port: Transfer to Puerto Vallarta: $117
- Private Transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) for 4-7 people to Nayarit: $102
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Sayulita hotels - Private Arrival Transfer: $96
- Sayulita hotels to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) – Private Departure Transfer : $95
- Puerto Vallarta:Private Airport Transfer to Boca de Tomatlan: $88
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
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Food Meals for one dayVeracruz $50Puerto Vallarta $37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Vallarta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
- 3-Hour Guided Food Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $45
- Off The Beaten Path Food Tour, Breakfast in Pitillal: $55
- Dinner Tacos Food Tour: $55
- Puerto Vallarta 3-Hour Food Tour of Authentic Local Cuisine: $55
- Downtown Puerto Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $55
- Taste of Pitillal Food Tour by Vallarta Food Tours : $55
- Taco Adventure Evening Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $55
- Off The Beaten Path Food Tour. Dinner in Pitillal : $55
- Puerta Vallarta: Seafood Lover's Food Tour: $56
- Mexican Cooking Class, Tequila Tasting & Unlimited Margaritas: $78
- Bucerias Bike and Food Tour: $90
- Mexican Cooking Class and Tequila Tasting: $97
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Veracruz $15Puerto Vallarta $19
Tours and Activities in Veracruz
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Veracruz.
- Panoramic Sightseeing Tour of Veracruz: $8.00
- Hop-On Hop-Off Double-Decker Bus Tour: $8.11
- San Juan de Ulua Fortress of Veracruz Skip-the-Line Ticket: $12
- San Juan de Ulua Fortress Skip-the-Line Ticket: $12
- Sightseeing City Tour and Aquarium: $23
- From Nature & Seafood Boat Tour to Madinga: $23
- 3-hour tour to the San Juan de Ulúa Fortress: $26
- Sightseeing City Tour and Wax & Ripley´s Museums: $26
- Mandinga And Boat Trip Tour: $26
- From San Juan de Ulua Prison Tour: $27
- Aquatico Inbursa Waterpark: Veracruz - Ticket: $28
- San Juan De Ulua Tour: $29
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 Sierra Madre: $65
- Zip Line Adventure in the heights in Puerto Vallarta 10 zip lines: $66
- 3-Hour Exclusive Guided RZR Adventure Sierra Madre Mountains Tour: $125
- 360 Puerto Vallarta City Tour with Lunch: $65
- 4 Hour Surf Experience in Corral Del Risco: $75
- 5 Hour Jorullo Bridge RZR Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $280
- 8 hour All Inclusive Tour in Catamaran Arcos Animas Quimixto: $78
- 8 hour All Inclusive Tour in Catamaran Arcos Animas Quimixto: $82
- ATV Adventure from Puerto Vallarta: $110
- ATV Adventure in Puerto Vallarta (Single): $105
- ATV Adventure in Vallarta (Shared) : $125
- ATV Adventure in the Jungle Single in Puerto Vallarta: $108
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVeracruz $17Puerto Vallarta $24
Sample the Local Flavors in Puerto Vallarta
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Puerto Vallarta:
- Fun Mexican Wine Tasting in Beautiful Garden of Puerto Vallarta: $40
- All you can drink Bar Crawl: $99
- Tequila Tasting and Tour at Puerto Vallarta Distillery: $109
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.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Veracruz Expensive? and Is Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Veracruz or Puerto Vallarta?
Veracruz has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Puerto Vallarta. When comparing the sizes of Veracruz 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.