Which place is cheaper, Puerto Montt or San Pedro La Laguna?
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 San Pedro La Laguna or Puerto Montt?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit San Pedro La Laguna 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: San Pedro La Laguna or Puerto Montt?
San Pedro La Laguna
Located in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful volcanic lake ringed by small towns and villages that are highly frequented by backpackers. Panajachal is one of the best known of the towns, as well as the main entry point of the region, while others like San Pedro La Laguna are quieter and more off the beaten path. Lake Atitlan and its villages attract visitors for its scenic beauty, outdoor activities, and Mayan culture nearby.
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 Adventure Tours to Guatemala, The Best Eco Tours in Guatemala, The Best Tours for Seniors to Chile, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Chile.
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San Pedro La Laguna Prices
Guatemala PricesPuerto Montt Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Pedro La Laguna $45Puerto Montt $104
The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro La Laguna is $45, 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 San Pedro La Laguna and Puerto Montt in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Pedro La Laguna $8.34Puerto Montt $61
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Pedro La Laguna $17Puerto Montt $122
Compare Hotels in San Pedro La Laguna and Puerto Montt
Looking for a hotel in San Pedro La Laguna 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: Puerto Montt Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Pedro La Laguna $13Puerto Montt $6.42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro La Laguna
Also for San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Transfer from Panajachel Atitlan to Guatemala City: $47
- Private transfer from Panajachel to Antigua Guatemala: $65
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 San Pedro La Laguna or Puerto Montt?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Montt and San Pedro La Laguna 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 daySan Pedro La Laguna $19Puerto Montt $37
Typical Food Prices in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lemonade$2.09
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Cake$1.30
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Ice cream$0.39
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Hot Cocoa & Banana Bread$3.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Temazcal sauna and dinner, cultural sharing experience: $44
- Maya Cooking Class from Panajachel: $50
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Pedro La Laguna $22Puerto Montt $14
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Pedro La Laguna
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for San Pedro La Laguna's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Canopy Tour (for 2)$39
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Kayaking (for 2)$1.96
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Coffee Tour (for 2)$7.04
Tours and Activities in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Beading Class and tour a Non-profit vocational training center a Fun cultural sharing experience: $28
- Sunrise Tour in Indian Nose Hike and Views of Lake Atitlan: $35
- Lake Atitlan Guided Tour by Boat from Panajachel: $35
- Coffee Tour in Lake Atitlán: $35
- Tour of San Juan Lake Atitlan: $35
- Tour in the Atitlan Nature Reserve : $40
- La Nose of the Indian Mountain Tour: $40
- Authentic tour of Mayan art and culture in Lake Atitlan: $42
- Sunrise Hike Tour on Indian's Nose Mountain: $45
- Sololá Colourful Market Day Tour: $50
- 5-Hour Private Birdwatching Experience in San Juan La Laguna: $50
- Private Tour of Lake Atitlán by Mototaxi: $50
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 daySan Pedro La Laguna $5.65Puerto Montt $4.49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Pedro La Laguna and Puerto Montt, we can see that Puerto Montt is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro La Laguna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Pedro La Laguna 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 San Pedro La Laguna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Pedro La Laguna 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 San Pedro La Laguna.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Pedro La Laguna Expensive? and Is Puerto Montt Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Pedro La Laguna or Puerto Montt?
Puerto Montt has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of San Pedro La Laguna. When comparing the sizes of San Pedro La Laguna 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.