Which place is cheaper, Pucon or Santa Elena?
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 Santa Elena or Pucon?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Santa Elena and Pucon. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Santa Elena or Pucon?
Santa Elena
Santa Elena is a cute town, and the closest to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It's one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica, and is a great place to experience the cloud forest and see some of country's unique wildlife.
In the Monteverde Cloud Forest you have a good chance of seeing rare quetzals which are the national bird of Costa Rica. Other common animals include white-faced capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, orange-kneed tarantulas, any of 8-9 species of hummingbirds, and sloth.
Santa Elena is about 1,400 meters above sea level and has a humid and damp environment. The average yearly temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit and the average rainfall is 3,000 millimetres. Humidity can be anywhere between 74% and 97%.
Pucon
A popular hub for adventure tourism, Pucon is a town in the Lake District of the South American nation of Chile. Located on Lake Villarirca with the snowcapped Villarrica volcano looming above and plenty of forested valleys below, the town has become a home base year-round for a full range of outdoor activities.
Check out our ultimate guide to Traveling in Patagonia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica, The Best 2-Week Tours in Chile, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Chile.
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Santa Elena Prices
Costa Rica PricesPucon Prices
Chile Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Elena $109Pucon $127
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Elena is $109, while the average daily cost in Pucon is $127. 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 Santa Elena and Pucon in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Elena $55Pucon $43
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Elena $110Pucon $86
Compare Hotels in Santa Elena and Pucon
Looking for a hotel in Santa Elena or Pucon? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Elena $11Pucon $19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $197
- MiniVan Departure Transfer Monteverde to San Jose Airport SJO: $215
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to San Jose With 2 Stops: $233
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to your Destination: $240
- Private Transfer Liberia Airport to Saint Helena Monte Verde: $210
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pucon
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pucon:
- Pucon to Puerto Montt El Tepual Airport (PMC) -Departure Transfer: $267
- Pucon Temuco Airport Private Transfer: $98
- Private Transfer Pucon Thermal Resorts to Temuco Airport (ZCO): $84
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Elena or Pucon?
Prices for flights to both Pucon and Santa Elena 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 daySanta Elena $41Pucon $65
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Elena
For Santa Elena, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Monteverde Cooking Class: $60
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Elena $30Pucon $37
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Admission Ticket to Las Pumas Rescue Center : $20
- Curicancha Birdwatching Tour: $22
- Cloud Forest hanging bridges with a local naturalist tour guide: $22
- Night Walk Tour in Monteverde: $24
- Guided Butterfly Conservatory Tour in Costa Rica: $26
- Kinkajou Night Walk Tour: $27
- Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour: $27
- Monteverde Butterfly Gardens Tour: $28
- Adventure Day - Outdoor Fun for Family & Friends Package: $29
- Selvatura Park: Herpetarium Tour in Monteverde: $29
- Cloud Forest Small Group Tour: $30
- Walking Guided Tour in Monteverde Reserve: $30
Tours and Activities in Pucon
Here are a few actual costs in Pucon for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Geometric Thermal Tour with Pickup and Tickets: $120
- Half Day Tour to The Eyes Of Caburgua from Pucon: $124
- Sightseeing Tour in Pucon and Villarica: $125
- Tour in Self-drive Electric Hot Tub Boat Nestled in nature!: $78
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Elena $6.21Pucon $27
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Elena and Pucon, we can see that Pucon is more expensive. And not only is Santa Elena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santa Elena is in Central America and Pucon 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 Santa Elena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Elena 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 Pucon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pucon than you might in Santa Elena.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santa Elena Expensive? and Is Pucon Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Santa Elena or Pucon?
Pucon has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Santa Elena experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Santa Elena or Pucon in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Santa Elena as well as Pucon. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the summer, Santa Elena is much warmer than Pucon. Typically, the summer temperatures in Santa Elena in July average around 28°C (82°F), and Pucon averages at about 16°C (61°F)in January.
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Pucon. In the summer, Santa Elena often gets less sunshine than Puconin January. Santa Elena gets 164 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Pucon receives 296 hours of full sun.
Santa Elena receives a lot of rain in the summer. Santa Elena usually gets more rain in July than Puconin January. Santa Elena gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Pucon receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuarySanta Elena 28°C (82°F)Pucon 16°C (61°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Pucon in the Autumn?
Both Pucon and Santa Elena are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Santa Elena throughout the year.
In October, Santa Elena is generally much warmer than Puconin April. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 27°C (81°F), and Pucon fluctuates around 11°C (52°F).
Santa Elena usually receives more sunshine than Pucon during autumn. Santa Elena gets 169 hours of sunny skies, while Pucon receives 132 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Pucon. It's quite rainy in Santa Elena. In October, Santa Elena usually receives more rain than Puconin April. Santa Elena gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Pucon receives 133 mm (5.2 in) of rain each month for the autumn. June to October is the hurricane season in Santa Elena.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilSanta Elena 27°C (81°F)Pucon 11°C (52°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Pucon in the Winter?
Both Pucon and Santa Elena during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Santa Elena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Santa Elena is much warmer than Pucon in the winter. The daily temperature in Santa Elena averages around 27°C (81°F) in January, and Pucon fluctuates around 7°C (45°F)in July.
It's quite sunny in Santa Elena. In the winter, Santa Elena often gets more sunshine than Puconin July. Santa Elena gets 264 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Pucon receives 66 hours of full sun.
Pucon gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Santa Elena usually gets less rain in January than Puconin July. Santa Elena gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Pucon receives 312 mm (12.3 in) of rain this time of the year. February to May is the dry season in Santa Elena.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulySanta Elena 27°C (81°F)Pucon 7°C (45°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Pucon in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Santa Elena and Pucon. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round.
In the spring, Santa Elena is much warmer than Pucon. Typically, the spring temperatures in Santa Elena in April average around 29°C (85°F), and Pucon averages at about 11°C (52°F)in October.
In Santa Elena, it's very sunny this time of the year. Santa Elena usually receives more sunshine than Pucon during spring. Santa Elena gets 255 hours of sunny skies, while Pucon receives 198 hours of full sun in the spring.
Pucon receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, Santa Elena usually receives less rain than Puconin October. Santa Elena gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Pucon receives 109 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring. February to May in Santa Elena is the dry season. June to October in Santa Elena is the hurricane season.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberSanta Elena 29°C (85°F)Pucon 11°C (52°F)
Typical Weather for Pucon and Santa Elena
| Santa Elena | Pucon | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 133 mm (5.2 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 295 mm (11.6 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 297 mm (11.7 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 312 mm (12.3 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 247 mm (9.7 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 162 mm (6.4 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 109 mm (4.3 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 63 mm (2.5 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.