Which place is cheaper, Saint Croix or Puerto Montt?
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 Puerto Montt or Saint Croix?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Puerto Montt and Saint Croix can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Puerto Montt or Saint Croix?
Puerto Montt
The Lake District is a region of snow capped volcanoes, pale green lakes and endless miles of virgin and ancient forests. Found 1,016 km away from Santiago de Chile, Puerto Montt is famous for its beautiful lakes and its germanic architecture, old wooden houses and its legendary Iglesia Catedral, found on the town's main square, la Plaza de Armas. The monument, entirely built with alerce (cypress) wood, is the oldest building of the city. The capital of the Lake Region is a good starting point for many memorable excursions in the area.
Saint Croix
Sometimes all you want out of a vacation is the warmth of the sun, the sound of the waves and the taste of a cold drink. No more. No less. That's exactly what you can expect in St. Croix.
The largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix is a place of our leisure and relaxation. It's a bit of an expensive lifestyle for its 50,000 residents and daily visitors, but when you're living on island time, money is never a worry. There are no worries on island time.
This once volcanic island is covered in incredible beaches, stunning mountains, palm tress in the wind and historic colonial towns. While they may be a bit old and rundown, the Danish architecture still stands as a unique part of this island's legacy. Don't expect much window-shopping, though. That was not a feature incorporated in this style of architecture. If you want to know if a store is open, just step on in, but remember, shop hours are also running on island time.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Chile, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Chile.
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Puerto Montt Prices
Chile PricesSaint Croix Prices
USVI Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Montt $104Saint Croix $277
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Montt is $104, while the average daily cost in Saint Croix is $277. 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 Puerto Montt and Saint Croix in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Montt $61Saint Croix $149
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Montt $122Saint Croix $298
Compare Hotels in Puerto Montt and Saint Croix
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Montt or Saint Croix? 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: Puerto Montt Hotel Prices and Saint Croix Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Montt $6.42Saint Croix $35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Montt
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Montt:
- Puerto Montt Departure Transfer from Hotel: $23
- Puerto Montt Airport Arrival Transfer to Hotel in Puerto Varas: $24
- Puerto Montt Airport Arrival Transfer to Hotel: $25
- Cruce Andino Office Transfer to or from Puerto Montt: $32
- Puerto Montt Shuttle Transfer: $37
- Puerto Montt to Puerto Varas English private Guided Transfer: $40
- Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) - Private Transfer: $42
- Puerto Tepual Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas - Arrival Transfer: $42
- Puerto Montt Airport(PMC) to Frutillar - Arrival Private Transfer: $47
- Puerto Montt - Puerto Varas Airport English private transfer: $50
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas: $50
- Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas City- Arrival Transfer: $63
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Croix
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Saint Croix:
- St. Croix to Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) - Departure Transfer: $84
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Airport to St. Croix Cruise Port : $87
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Port to St. Croix Airport (STX): $87
- St. Croix to St. Croix Airport (STX) - Departure Private Transfer: $91
- St.Croix Airport (STX) to St.Croix - Arrival Private Transfer: $91
- Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St.Croix - Round-Trip Transfer: $167
- Private Transfer from St.Croix hotels to St. Croix Cruise Port : $175
- Private Transfer from St.Croix Cruise Port to St.Croix hotels: $175
- Private Transfer from St. Croix Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) to St. Croix : $180
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Montt or Saint Croix?
Prices for flights to both Saint Croix and Puerto Montt 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 dayPuerto Montt $37Saint Croix $97
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Croix
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Saint Croix.
- A Evening Cultural Experience Through Food Cooking Class St. Croix: $90
- A Morning Cultural Experience Through Food Cooking Class St. Croix: $90
- C'sted Sip & Savor Mixology Class with VI Food Tours: $131
- Taste of Twin City Food Tour with VI Food Tours: $145
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Montt $14Saint Croix $58
Tours and Activities in Puerto Montt
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Montt are as follows:
- Private Tour of Puerto Montt with Stops : $38
- Half day Llanquihue and Frutillar City tour : $44
- Osorno Volcano and Petrohué Falls Guided Tour: $62
- Explore Peulla Full Day Tour from Puerto Montt : $64
- Tour Osorno Volcano and Petrohue Jumps / English: $68
- Shore Excursion: Osorno Volcano Private Tour from Puerto Montt: $70
- Osorno Volcano and National Park Shore Tour for Cruisers : $90
- Puerto Varas: Puerto Montt & Puerto Varas Private City Tour: $90
- Alerce Andino National Park/Alerce Millenario/Cruises: $105
- Petrohué Falls Osorno Volcano Pto Varas Sightseeing Driver Only: $130
- Tagua Tagua Lake and Wild Patagonia Tour: $133
- Chiloé Island Full Day Experience Castro, Ancud, Dalcahue & Lunch: $189
Tours and Activities in Saint Croix
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Saint Croix are as follows:
- Christiansted's Artisan Shopping Tour: $33
- St. Croix Ghost Tour of Historic Christiansted: $45
- Frederiksted Moke Tour: $75
- The Frederiksted St. Croix Sea Turtles Snorkeling Tour: $89
- Guided Kayak Tour of Salt River Bay Ecology and History: $115
- St Croix Island Tour: $118
- Parasail Experience in St Croix: $132
- Horseback Riding Experience: $160
- Private Sailing Tour of Pirate Waters and Shipwrecks: $175
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Montt $4.49Saint Croix $27
Sample the Local Flavors in Saint Croix
Also in Saint Croix, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Farm to Bottle Tour at Prosperity Farm Distillery: $35
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Montt and Saint Croix, we can see that Saint Croix is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Montt much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Montt is in South America and Saint Croix 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 Puerto Montt would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Montt 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 Saint Croix would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Croix than you might in Puerto Montt.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Puerto Montt Expensive? and Is Saint Croix Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Puerto Montt or Saint Croix?
Puerto Montt has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Saint Croix experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Puerto Montt or Saint Croix in the Summer?
Both Saint Croix and Puerto Montt are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Saint Croix because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Puerto Montt is much colder than Saint Croix in the summer. The daily temperature in Puerto Montt averages around 16°C (60°F) in January, and Saint Croix fluctuates around 29°C (83°F)in July.
In January, Puerto Montt usually receives more rain than Saint Croixin July. Puerto Montt gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Saint Croix receives 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyPuerto Montt 16°C (60°F)Saint Croix 29°C (83°F)
Should I visit Puerto Montt or Saint Croix in the Autumn?
Both Saint Croix and Puerto Montt during the autumn are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint Croix year-round.
In the autumn, Puerto Montt is much colder than Saint Croix. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Puerto Montt in April average around 11°C (51°F), and Saint Croix averages at about 28°C (82°F)in October.
Saint Croix gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Puerto Montt. Puerto Montt usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Saint Croixin October. Puerto Montt gets 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain, while Saint Croix receives 146 mm (5.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberPuerto Montt 11°C (51°F)Saint Croix 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Puerto Montt or Saint Croix in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Puerto Montt and Saint Croix. Saint Croix attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In July, Puerto Montt is generally much colder than Saint Croixin January. Daily temperatures in Puerto Montt average around 7°C (45°F), and Saint Croix fluctuates around 26°C (78°F).
Puerto Montt gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Puerto Montt usually receives more rain than Saint Croixin January. Puerto Montt gets 229 mm (9 in) of rain, while Saint Croix receives 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryPuerto Montt 7°C (45°F)Saint Croix 26°C (78°F)
Should I visit Puerto Montt or Saint Croix in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Puerto Montt as well as Saint Croix. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint Croix throughout the year.
Puerto Montt is much colder than Saint Croix in the spring. The daily temperature in Puerto Montt averages around 11°C (51°F) in October, and Saint Croix fluctuates around 27°C (80°F)in April.
Puerto Montt receives a lot of rain in the spring. Puerto Montt usually gets more rain in October than Saint Croixin April. Puerto Montt gets 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain, while Saint Croix receives 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilPuerto Montt 11°C (51°F)Saint Croix 27°C (80°F)
Typical Weather for Saint Croix and Puerto Montt
| Puerto Montt | Saint Croix | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 16°C (60°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) |
| Feb | 15°C (59°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Mar | 13°C (55°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Apr | 11°C (51°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) |
| May | 9°C (49°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) |
| Jun | 8°C (46°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Jul | 7°C (45°F) | 229 mm (9 in) | 29°C (83°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) |
| Aug | 8°C (46°F) | 209 mm (8.2 in) | 29°C (84°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Sep | 9°C (47°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 127 mm (5 in) |
| Oct | 11°C (51°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Nov | 12°C (54°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 126 mm (4.9 in) |
| Dec | 14°C (58°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) | 26°C (80°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
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.