Which place is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Puerto Varas?
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 Varas or Cabo San Lucas?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Puerto Varas and Cabo San Lucas 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 Varas or Cabo San Lucas?
Puerto Varas
Puerto Varas is a city in Southern Chile, in the Los Lagos (Lakes) Region, Llanquihue Province. It is a charming town, only 23 km away from Puerto Montt and surrounded by the Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes as well as the impressive Llanquihue lake. In terms of landscape, accommodation and activities, Puerto Varas is well served! Kayak, paddle, canyoning, rock climbing, trekking, ski, fishing, you name it! If you decide to stop in that area, we recommend that you stay in Puerto Varas, as it provides the perfect starting point for many memorable excursions in the area.
Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas ("Cabo") is on the far southern end of the Baja Peninsula. It has countless resorts and activities for visitors. There are world class golf courses, fine dining options, and five star resorts. Prior to the 1980s, Cabo was a quiet fishing village but with the construction of a nearby airport in 1977, the city rapidly grew into one of Mexico's most popular resort vacation spots. Today, Cabo has one of the country's most vibrant nightlife scenes. It also has plenty of water sport activities, and a great beach scene.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Chile, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Chile, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, and The Best Historical Tours in Mexico.
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Puerto Varas Prices
Chile PricesCabo San Lucas Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Varas $127Cabo San Lucas $159
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Varas is $127, while the average daily cost in Cabo San Lucas is $159. 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 Varas and Cabo San Lucas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Varas $67Cabo San Lucas $57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Varas $134Cabo San Lucas $114
Compare Hotels in Puerto Varas and Cabo San Lucas
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Varas or Cabo San Lucas? 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 Varas Hotel Prices and Cabo San Lucas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Varas $21Cabo San Lucas $25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Varas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Varas:
- Cruce Andino Office Shuttle Transfer from Puerto Varas: $19
- Frutillar to Puerto Montt Airport PMC- Departure Private Transfer: $47
- Puerto Varas Airport Shuttle Transfer: $38
- Puerto Varas Bus Terminal Private Transfer: $25
- Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) - Departure Transfer: $63
- Transfer to Puerto Montt Airport: $22
- Transfer from Hotel in Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport: $24
- Transfer from Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport: $50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cabo San Lucas:
- Cabo San Lucas Port to San Jose Del Cabo hotels - Arrival Private Transfer : $144
- San Jose Del Cabo hotels to Cabo San Lucas Port - Departure Private Transfer: $143
- Airport Transfer to Cabo San Lucas & Pacific side Hotels & Villas Round Trip: $192
- Airport transfers and all: $95
- Cabo Airport (CSL) to Cabo San Lucas Round-Trip Private Transfer: $196
- Cabo San Lucas Affordable Luxury Transfers : $145
- Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) to Cabo San Lucas -Arrival Transfer : $80
- Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) to Cabo San Lucas Port - Arrival Private Transfer : $74
- Cabo San Lucas Airport (CSL) to Cabo San Lucas Port- Round-Trip Private Transfer: $148
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Airport CSL Departure Transfer: $74
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Cabo San Lucas hotels - Arrival Private Transfer : $74
- Cabo San Lucas Cruise Port to Cabo San Lucas- Round-Trip Private Transfer: $148
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Varas or Cabo San Lucas?
Prices for flights to both Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Varas 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 Varas $43Cabo San Lucas $80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cabo San Lucas
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cabo San Lucas.
- Authentic Mexican Legacy Cooking Class in Cabo San Lucas: $75
- AvoCabo Food Tour : $78
- San Jose del Cabo Food Tour & Visit to the Market: $79
- Flavors of Authentic Mexican Food Tour: $79
- San Jose del Cabo Morning Food Tour: $83
- Catch of the day dinner in your private villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose del Cabo: $90
- San José del Cabo for Meat Lovers Food Tour: $90
- Private Mexican Cooking Class in Your Cabo San Lucas Villa or Condo: $90
- Parrillada dinner with a Private Chef in your villa/condo in Cabo or San Jose: $95
- Sunset Mexican Dinner Cruise and Live Music in Cabo San Lucas: $95
- Sunset Dinner Cruise with Tequila & tacos: $95
- Cabo Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Music & Open Bar on Cabo Wave: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Varas $19Cabo San Lucas $39
Tours and Activities in Puerto Varas
Here are a few actual costs in Puerto Varas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Scenic Catamaran Tour on Llanquihue lake: $8.50
- Tour Frutillar: $31
- Half-Day Tour to Frutillar and Llanquihue: $35
- Half day Frutillar and Llanquihue Town tour: $36
- Half day Osorno Volcano tour: $41
- Sightseeing Tour in Puerto Varas & Puerto Montt: $45
- From Osorno Volcano & Petrohue Falls Day Tour: $49
- Todos los Santos Lake and Villa Peulla Tour: $51
- Todos los Santos Lake and Villa Peulla Tour: $51
- Half-Day Small-Group Rafting Experience in Petrohué River: $52
- Guided Tour to Termas del Sol and Cochamo with Transportation Included: $56
- Shared Full Day Tour to Chiloé Island with Penguins: $59
Tours and Activities in Cabo San Lucas
Here are a few actual costs in Cabo San Lucas for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Shared Experience Glass Bottom Boat to the Arch in Cabo San Lucas: $15
- Boat Tour to Cabo San Lucas Arch and Rock Formations: $17
- The Ultimate Camel Safari Experience in Los Cabos: $17
- Cabo San Lucas Arch Tour and we go down to Playa del Amor: $19
- Group tour of the Cabo San Lucas Arch: $19
- Cabo San Lucas Arc Group Tour in Glass Bottom Boat: $19
- 2 in 1 Tour | Arc Tour with Beach Drop: $19
- Tour to the Arch with Natural Views from Cabo San Lucas: $22
- Tour to Arch in the only Clear Boat in Cabo Cruise Hotel PICKUP!: $24
- Glass Bottom Boat Sightseeing Tour in Cabo San Lucas: $25
- Tour to Arch in the Clear Boat Cruise Ship Terminal Hotel PICKUP!: $26
- The Fenway Bar Experience: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Varas $6.51Cabo San Lucas $26
Sample the Local Flavors in Cabo San Lucas
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Cabo San Lucas:
- Cabo Bar Crawl - The BEST Bar and Clubs in Cabo : $60
- Wine Tasting Sunset Cruise Tour in San Jose del Cabo: $280
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Varas and Cabo San Lucas, we can see that Cabo San Lucas is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Varas much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Varas is in South America and Cabo San Lucas 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 Puerto Varas would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Varas 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 Cabo San Lucas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cabo San Lucas than you might in Puerto Varas.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Puerto Varas Expensive? and Is Cabo San Lucas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Varas or Cabo San Lucas?
Cabo San Lucas has a larger population, and is about 71% larger than the population of Puerto Varas. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Varas and Cabo San Lucas, 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.