Puerto Vallarta from the UK: what a trip really costs
What a day costs in Puerto Vallarta, when to go, the visa for British travellers and the sights not to miss. Every figure comes from Trip720's checked data, with its source. Updated 21 Oct 2026.
Plan my Puerto Vallarta tripDay to day in Puerto Vallarta, per person
| Style | Food | With transport |
|---|---|---|
| Street food and markets | £20 | £22 |
| A balanced mix | £33 | £35 |
| Mostly restaurants | £48 | £50 |
- Local transport: about £2 a day. Taxi: £2 to start, then £2.06 a km.
- Cooking for yourself: about £15 a day for food.
- Tipping: about 10% where service is good.
Your stay, flights and activities come on top: the planner prices them for your dates. Sources: livingcost.org, en.wikivoyage.org, visit-vallarta.com; in GBP at today's rate.
When to go
25°F
27°M
29°A
31°M
32°J
30°J
27°A
27°S
27°O
27°N
26°D
25°
The most pleasant months are November to March. April is the driest month (1 mm of rain) and August the wettest (343 mm).
Bars: rain each month; green: the most pleasant months. Numbers: average daytime high. Source: NASA POWER climatology.
Best time to visit Mexico, place by placeCompare: Mexico or United States · Mexico or Thailand
Visa for British travellers
No visa needed for a holiday
Official source: gov.uk, checked 2026-10-01. Rules change: your plan checks your own passport when you build it.
Not to miss in Puerto Vallarta
- The Malecónstreet · a couple of hours
Seafront promenade with bronze sculptures, Los Arcos amphitheatre and sunset crowds; free sculpture walking tour Tuesdays 21:30 in season
Playa Los Muertos and the pierbeach · half a dayThe town beach in the Zona Romántica; rent a palapa chair, watch the water taxis leave from the pier
Zona Romántica (Old Town)neighbourhood · half a dayCobbled streets south of the Río Cuale with galleries, taco stands and bars; Basilio Badillo is the restaurant row
- Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupechurch · a couple of hours
The crowned tower is the city's emblem; nightly pilgrimages through the first 12 days of December
Islas Marietas National Parkisland · a full dayUninhabited islands at the mouth of Banderas Bay, reached by boat only; the crater beach is limited to a few visitors a day
Vallarta Botanical Gardengarden · half a day19 km south in the Sierra Madre; orchid house, hummingbirds and a river to swim in. Bus from the Zona Romántica
Isla Cualepark · a couple of hoursRiver island between Centro and the Zona Romántica; craft market at the beach end, quiet gardens upstream
San Sebastián del Oestevillage · a full dayFormer silver-mining town at 1,500 m, about 1.5 hours' drive into the Sierra Madre; cobbled lanes, coffee farms and the Hacienda Jalisco museum
- Marietas Islands boat and snorkel tripexperience · a full day
Full-day boat trip from the marina or Punta de Mita; blue-footed boobies, snorkelling and, with a permit and low tide, the Hidden Beach
- Surf lesson in Sayulitaexperience · a full day
Surf village 45 minutes north by bus or taxi; gentle sandy-bottom beginner waves, board hire and lessons on the main beach
From our research of travel guides; ticket prices from Tiqets when we found them. Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licences.
Questions travellers ask
How much does a day in Puerto Vallarta cost?
Food and getting around come to about £22 a person a day eating street food, £35 with a balanced mix and £50 eating mostly in restaurants, before your stay and activities.
When is the best time to visit Puerto Vallarta?
The most pleasant months are November to March. April is the driest month (1 mm of rain) and August the wettest (343 mm); daytime highs run from 25 to 32 °C over the year.
Do British travellers need a visa for Mexico?
No visa needed for a holiday. Checked on gov.uk on 2026-10-01; rules change, so check again before you book.
What should I not miss in Puerto Vallarta?
The Malecón, Playa Los Muertos and the pier, Zona Romántica (Old Town), Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Islas Marietas National Park.
Your whole Puerto Vallarta trip, priced from your door
Trip720 adds the flights from the UK, the stays, transfers, food, activities and the visa for your dates and budget, home to home.
Plan my Puerto Vallarta trip