Which place is cheaper, Puerto Vallarta or Vientiane?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Vientiane or Puerto Vallarta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Vientiane or Puerto Vallarta, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Vientiane or Puerto Vallarta?
Vientiane
You wouldn't expect the capital city to have such a relaxing environment, but in Vientiane, Laos you can sit back and take in the beautiful scenery without feeling pressure to see every little thing. With Vientiane, what you see is what you get.
While picturesque temples and markets line the streets, the city is still experiencing a successful building boom. Even the Presidential Palace has undergone some hefty renovations.
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 Bicycle Tours in Laos, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Laos, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, and The Best Luxury Tours to Mexico.
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Vientiane Prices
Laos PricesPuerto Vallarta Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVientiane $23Puerto Vallarta $135
The average daily cost (per person) in Vientiane is $23, while the average daily cost in Puerto Vallarta is $135. 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 Vientiane and Puerto Vallarta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVientiane $8.12Puerto Vallarta $60
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVientiane $16Puerto Vallarta $120
Compare Hotels in Vientiane and Puerto Vallarta
Looking for a hotel in Vientiane 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: Vientiane Hotel Prices and Puerto Vallarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Vientiane $1.93Puerto Vallarta $18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vientiane
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vientiane are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$3.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vientiane
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Vientiane:
- Vientiane Private Transfer: Wattay Airport -Hotel-Railway Station: $9.90
- Vientian Private Airport Transfer - Wattay Airport: $15
- Wattay Airport (VTE): Private Transfer to/from Vientiane: $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Vallarta:
- Puerto Vallarta Roundtrip Shuttle Airport Transfer: $32
- Puerto Vallarta Airport Private Transfer to Multiple Destinations: $34
- PVR VIP Round trip transfers - Airport - Marina hotels - Airport: $49
- PVR VIP Round trip transfers Airport - Old part of Town - Airport: $54
- PVR VIP Round trip transfers - Airport - Zona Hotelera - Airport: $54
- Private Transfer from Puerto Vallarta to Puerto Vallarta Port: $55
- PVR VIP Round trip transfers Airport - Downtown - Airport: $59
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR): $66
- Puerto Vallarta Airport to Hotel Private Transfer by Minivan: $67
- Puerto Vallarta to Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) - Private Departure Transfer: $68
- Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR) to Puerto Vallarta-Arrival Transfer: $68
- PVR VIP Round trip transfers Airport - Zona Romantica - Airport: $69
Is it cheaper to fly into Vientiane or Puerto Vallarta?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Vallarta and Vientiane 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 dayVientiane $12Puerto Vallarta $61
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vientiane
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Vientiane.
- Vientiane Private Lao Cooking Class with Market Tour and Lunch: $70
- Vientiane classic Food tour ( Included Food ): $78
- Night Market, Dinner, and Nightclub: $90
- Small-Group Street Food Tour with Tastings: $91
- Vientiane Private Lao Cooking Class with Market Tour: $122
- Cooking Class Garden House: $335
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Vallarta
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Puerto Vallarta.
- Old Town Taco Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $44
- Ultimate Taco Tour in Puerto Vallarta with Vallarta Food Tours: $47
- Taste of Pitillal Food Tour by Vallarta Food Tours: $50
- Bucerias Morning Food Tour: Secrets of a Local Guide: $50
- 3-Hour Guided Food Tour in Puerto Vallarta: $59
- Taco Adventure Evening Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Winner 2026 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Bucerias Taco Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $59
- Taco102 - dinner taco walk - all inclusive: $63
- Vallarta Tales Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $69
- Vallarta Flavours Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $69
- Versalles de Noche Dinner Tour with Vallarta Food Tours: $79
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Vientiane $3.65Puerto Vallarta $18
Tours and Activities in Vientiane
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Vientiane are as follows:
- The Avenue of a Million Elephants: A Vientiane Self-Guided Tour: $6.99
- Laos’ Leaders and Legends: A Self-Guided tour of Vientiane: $7.99
- Laos Railway Tickets Easily: Avoid Long Queues & Wasted Time: $8.50
- Laos Railway Tickets Online: Skip Long Queues, Avoid Missing: $12
- Art, Culture, & Inspiration Guided Half-Day Tour: $52
- Half-Day City Tour with Patuxai and Buddha Park: $52
- Vientiane Landmarks and Cultural Immersion Tour: $56
- Cultural Tour with Buddha Park and Patuxay: $58
- Vientiane IG tour & Patuxay monument: $59
- Explore Vientiane with Lao Art Museum Tour: $61
- Half-Day City Tour - Morning or Afternoon: $65
- Vientiane Sky Luge and Roller Zipline Experience: $75
Tours and Activities in Puerto Vallarta
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Vallarta are as follows:
- Puerto Vallarta Historical El Centro: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Tequila Tasting Tour in Nuevo Vallarta: $8.00
- Puerto Vallarta Self-Guided Walking Tour with Audio Guide: $13
- Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour of Puerto Vallarta: $15
- Puerto Vallarta City Tour: $20
- Butterfly Experience Nature Park Admission: $23
- City tour express, Butterfly, tequila, river and beach (free kids): $23
- Private Bike City Tour with Photo Session in Puerto Vallarta: $23
- Biocultural Hiking Experience in Sayulita: $27
- Puerto Vallarta Historic Downtown Ghost and Cultural Walking Tour: $29
- Los Arcos 5 Island Boat & Snorkeling Tour: $29
- Hike and Yoga Jungle Experience in Mexico: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVientiane $2.03Puerto 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:
- Puerto Vallarta Pub Crawl: $22
- Premium Tequila Tasting Puerto Vallarta Distillery: $28
- Mexican Wine Tasting Experience: $50
- Mexican Wine Tasting & Aroma Sensory Experience: $60
- Brewery Bus Tour from Mexico: $85
- Secret Agave Bar Crawl in Vallarta: $98
- Cachasol Tequila Tasting & Raicilla Distillery Tour: $106
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Vientiane and Puerto Vallarta, we can see that Puerto Vallarta is more expensive. And not only is Vientiane much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Vientiane is in Asia 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 Vientiane would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vientiane 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 Vientiane.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Vientiane Expensive? and Is Puerto Vallarta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Vientiane or Puerto Vallarta?
Vientiane has a larger population, and is about 5% larger than the population of Puerto Vallarta. When comparing the sizes of Vientiane 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.