Which place is cheaper, Puerto Montt or Salento?
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 Salento or Puerto Montt?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Salento or Puerto Montt? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Salento or Puerto Montt?
Salento
Founded in 1850, Salento is one of the oldest towns in Quindio. This colonial Colombian town has retained much of its old world charm, with its colorful buildings, large square and, of course, the obligatory church. Because the main route between Cali and Bogota which used to pass through Salento was diverted, the town didn't develop as quickly as others in the Quindio region. This gave Salento the opportunity to evolve into a thriving community of craftsmen and artisans as well as remaining one of the region's most prolific coffee producers. Salento is located 24 km northeast of the departmental capital Armenia. However, unlike its colorful neighbor, Armenia itself has very little to offer tourists. Salento attracts those wishing to learn about the coffee regions and for those who simply admire breathtaking scenery, and especially the stunning Cocora Valley.
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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best Tours for Seniors to Chile, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Chile.
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Salento Prices
Colombia PricesPuerto Montt Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySalento $39Puerto Montt $104
The average daily cost (per person) in Salento is $39, 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 Salento and Puerto Montt in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSalento $11Puerto Montt $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSalento $22Puerto Montt $122
Compare Hotels in Salento and Puerto Montt
Looking for a hotel in Salento 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: Salento Hotel Prices and Puerto Montt Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Salento $14Puerto Montt $6.42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salento
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Salento:
- Private Pereira Airport Transfer: To/From Salento: $54
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Salento or Puerto Montt?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Montt and Salento 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 daySalento $16Puerto Montt $37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Salento
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Salento.
- Cooking Stories - Cocinando Historias: $46
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Salento $12Puerto Montt $14
Tours and Activities in Salento
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Salento are as follows:
- Coffee Tour Salento-Ocaso Farm- English Tour: $15
- Coffee Tour at Finca El Ocaso Finca Tradicional-Español: $15
- Coffee tour in the heart of the coffee region: $30
- Guided Walking Tour with Photography Museum Visit: $46
- Coffee Master Roasting, Brewing and Tasting Tour: $50
- Coffee Farm Shared Tour: $51
- Santa Rita Waterfall and Salento Private Tour: $60
- Tour Valle del Cocora and Salento, including a typical lunch: $61
- From Cocora Valley Shared Tour: $63
- Armenia, Quindio: Coffee Tour, Transportation, and Quimbaya Gold Museum: $64
- Salento & Cocora Valley Tour: $75
- Private Colombian Coffee Farm Tour with Tastings in Armenia: $78
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySalento $11Puerto Montt $4.49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Salento and Puerto Montt, we can see that Puerto Montt is more expensive. And not only is Salento much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Salento would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salento 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 Montt would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Montt than you might in Salento.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Salento Expensive? and Is Puerto Montt Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Salento or Puerto Montt?
Puerto Montt has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Salento. When comparing the sizes of Salento 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.
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.