Which place is cheaper, Puerto Montt or Quepos?
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 Quepos or Puerto Montt?
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 Quepos and Puerto Montt can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Quepos or Puerto Montt?
Quepos
Quepos is both a district and the capital of Aguirre canton in the Puntareanas Province of Costa Rica. The town is quite small, and the district has a population of about 22,000 people. Quepos is a popular tourist destination in Costa Rica due to its close proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific Coast. The town's economy is centered around tourism and there is no shortage of bars and restaurants in the area. The town also has a lively nightlife for such a small community.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica, The Best Tours for Seniors to Chile, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Chile.
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Quepos Prices
Costa Rica PricesPuerto Montt Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayQuepos $139Puerto Montt $104
The average daily cost (per person) in Quepos is $139, while the average daily cost in Puerto Montt is $104. 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 Quepos and Puerto Montt in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personQuepos $76Puerto Montt $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomQuepos $152Puerto Montt $122
Compare Hotels in Quepos and Puerto Montt
Looking for a hotel in Quepos or Puerto Montt? 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: Quepos Hotel Prices and Puerto Montt Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Quepos $9.55Puerto Montt $6.42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quepos
Also for Quepos, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer: SJO Airport to/from Manuel Antonio (One Way): $99
- Private Transfer: SJO Airport to Manuel Antonio with Scenic Stop.: $203
- Private One Way Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San José (Airport SJO): $220
- Transfer from Manuel Antonio to SJO Airport and surroundings : $229
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Montt
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Montt:
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Puerto Varas: $50
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Frutillar: $80
- Transfer from Puerto Montt Airport to Castro: $300
- Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt Airport (PMC) - Private Transfer: $42
- Puerto Tepual Airport (PMC) to Puerto Varas - Arrival Transfer: $42
- Puerto Montt to Puerto Varas English private Guided Transfer: $40
- Puerto Montt Shuttle Transfer: $37
- Puerto Montt El Tepual Airport (PMC) to Pucon - Arrival Transfer: $267
- Puerto Montt Departure Transfer from Hotel: $23
- Puerto Montt Airport(PMC) to Frutillar - Arrival Private Transfer: $47
- Puerto Montt Airport(PMC) to Frutillar - Arrival Private Transfer: $75
- Puerto Montt Airport Arrival Transfer to Hotel in Puerto Varas: $24
Is it cheaper to fly into Quepos or Puerto Montt?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Montt and Quepos 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 dayQuepos $51Puerto Montt $37
Typical Food Prices in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch$15
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Seafood Dinner (for 1)$20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quepos
For Quepos, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Class in Manuel Antonio with Medicinal Plants Garden Visit: $77
- Cooking Class & Medicinal Plants Garden Manuel Antonio: $77
- Night Mangrove Safari Boat Tour with Dinner | Manuel Antonio: $79
- Local Flavor Cooking Experience: $81
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Quepos $17Puerto Montt $14
Tours and Activities in Quepos
For Quepos, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $25
- Quepos Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $26
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $27
- Manuel Antonio Park: Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $27
- 2-3-Hour Manuel Antonio Park Nature Guided Tour: $28
- Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour: $29
- Manuel Antonio National Park guided tour : $29
- Guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park: $29
- Manuel Antonio Park Tour and its Amazing Wildlife and Beaches: $30
- Manuel Antonio National Park guided Tour: $30
- Manuel Antonio with Mauro / Tickets not Included! : $30
- Manuel Antonio National Park: Guided Tour with Beach Time: $30
Tours and Activities in Puerto Montt
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Montt are as follows:
- 6 Hours Shared Tour in Calbuco and Millennial Forest from Hotel: $190
- Alerce Andino National Park/Alerce Millenario/Cruises: $105
- Chiloé Island Full Day Experience Castro, Ancud, Dalcahue & Lunch: $189
- Cruise Shore Private Excursion Osorno Volcano & Petrohué Falls: $256
- Explore Peulla Full Day Tour from Puerto Montt : $64
- Osorno Volcano and National Park Shore Tour for Cruisers : $90
- Petrohué Falls Osorno Volcano Pto Varas Sightseeing Driver Only: $130
- Private Day tour Petrohue Falls, Osorno Volcano & Puerto Varas: $250
- Private Shore Excursion Tour to Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas and Frutillar: $287
- Private Tour of Puerto Montt with Stops : $38
- Half day Llanquihue and Frutillar City tour : $44
- Osorno Volcano Tour Shore Tour in Private: $660
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayQuepos $15Puerto Montt $4.49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Quepos and Puerto Montt, we can see that Quepos is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Montt much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Quepos is in Central America and Puerto Montt is in South 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 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 Quepos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quepos 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 Quepos Expensive? and Is Puerto Montt Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Quepos or Puerto Montt?
Puerto Montt has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Quepos. When comparing the sizes of Quepos and Puerto Montt, 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.
When is the best time to visit Quepos or Puerto Montt?
Puerto Montt has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Quepos experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Quepos or Puerto Montt in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Quepos as well as Puerto Montt. Quepos attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In July, Quepos is generally much warmer than Puerto Monttin January. Daily temperatures in Quepos average around 28°C (82°F), and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Puerto Montt. In the summer, Quepos often gets less sunshine than Puerto Monttin January. Quepos gets 164 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Montt receives 204 hours of full sun.
Quepos receives a lot of rain in the summer. Quepos usually gets more rain in July than Puerto Monttin January. Quepos gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryQuepos 28°C (82°F)Puerto Montt 16°C (60°F)
Should I visit Quepos or Puerto Montt in the Autumn?
Both Puerto Montt and Quepos are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Quepos throughout the year.
Quepos is much warmer than Puerto Montt in the autumn. The daily temperature in Quepos averages around 27°C (81°F) in October, and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 11°C (51°F)in April.
Quepos usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Montt during autumn. Quepos gets 169 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Montt receives 104 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Puerto Montt. It's quite rainy in Quepos. In October, Quepos usually receives more rain than Puerto Monttin April. Quepos gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn. The dry season in Quepos is December to April. The hurricane season in Quepos is May to November.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilQuepos 27°C (81°F)Puerto Montt 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Quepos or Puerto Montt in the Winter?
Both Puerto Montt and Quepos during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Quepos because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the winter, Quepos is much warmer than Puerto Montt. Typically, the winter temperatures in Quepos in January average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Montt averages at about 7°C (45°F)in July.
It's quite sunny in Quepos. In the winter, Quepos often gets more sunshine than Puerto Monttin July. Quepos gets 264 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Montt receives 67 hours of full sun.
Puerto Montt gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Quepos usually gets less rain in January than Puerto Monttin July. Quepos gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 229 mm (9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyQuepos 27°C (81°F)Puerto Montt 7°C (45°F)
Should I visit Quepos or Puerto Montt in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Quepos and Puerto Montt. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Quepos year-round.
In April, Quepos is generally much warmer than Puerto Monttin October. Daily temperatures in Quepos average around 29°C (85°F), and Puerto Montt fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
In Quepos, it's very sunny this time of the year. Quepos usually receives more sunshine than Puerto Montt during spring. Quepos gets 255 hours of sunny skies, while Puerto Montt receives 151 hours of full sun in the spring.
Puerto Montt receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, Quepos usually receives less rain than Puerto Monttin October. Quepos gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Puerto Montt receives 121 mm (4.8 in) of rain each month for the spring. December to April in Quepos is the dry season. May to November is the hurricane season in Quepos.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberQuepos 29°C (85°F)Puerto Montt 11°C (51°F)
Typical Weather for Puerto Montt and Quepos
| Quepos | Puerto Montt | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 15°C (59°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 9°C (49°F) | 234 mm (9.2 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 224 mm (8.8 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 229 mm (9 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 209 mm (8.2 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) | 9°C (47°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 103 mm (4.1 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.