Which place is cheaper, Puerto Madryn or Banos?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Banos or Puerto Madryn?
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 Banos and Puerto Madryn. 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: Banos or Puerto Madryn?
Banos
Banos (de Agua Santa) is a small city in the Andean highlands of Ecuador under volcano Tungurahua. Its name, which is Spanish for "Baths (of sacred water)," comes from the famous hydrothermal springs in the area. It's equally popular with foreigners as with Ecuadorians, and is known as the adventure capital of Ecuador. The streets are lined with hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, and tour agencies. Although it is very touristy, lots of people love it, more for the activities and surroundings than for the city itself. It is an important hub for outdoor sports and jungle tours.
Puerto Madryn
Puerto Madryn is mostly known as the gateway to Peninsula Valdes, welcoming tourists who come for whale watching. The Peninsula Valdes is a nature reserve designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site; 97 km long and 63 km wide, it is connected to the continent by an isthmus of 35 km from which we can see both gulfs, San Jose at north and the Nuevo at south.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Ecuador, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Ecuador, The Best 2-Week Tours in Argentina, and The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBanos $46Puerto Madryn $14
The average daily cost (per person) in Banos is $46, while the average daily cost in Puerto Madryn is $14. 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 Banos and Puerto Madryn in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBanos $16Puerto Madryn $5.25
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBanos $32Puerto Madryn $11
Compare Hotels in Banos and Puerto Madryn
Looking for a hotel in Banos or Puerto Madryn? 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: Banos Hotel Prices and Puerto Madryn Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Banos $10Puerto Madryn $3.28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Madryn
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:
- From Punta Tombo Day Trip with Hotel Transfer: $131
- Trelew Airport Shuttle Transfer To Puerto Madryn : $47
Is it cheaper to fly into Banos or Puerto Madryn?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Madryn and Banos 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 dayBanos $15Puerto Madryn $5.69
Typical Food Prices in Banos
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Banos:
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Dinner$13
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Ice cream$1.50
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Coffee$2.50
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Banos $19Puerto Madryn $5.77
Typical Entertainment Prices in Banos
Here are a few typical costs in Banos for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Two Rented Bikes for the Day$10
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Cost to see Waterfall$2.00
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Day at the Spa$45
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2 Bike Rentals (1 Day)$10
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Entrance to Waterfall$2.00
Tours and Activities in Banos
Here are a few actual costs in Banos for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Adventure Circuit 4 activities in 1. All within an impressive cascade: $25
- Canopy Ziplining in Puntzan Adventure Park: $26
- Private Canyoning Experience in Baños de Agua Santa Ecuador: $26
- 2 Hours Small-Group Horseback Riding Experience in Banos: $30
- Canyoning Adventure Tour in the Ravine: $30
- Private 3-Hour Canyoning Experience in Chamana: $30
- Full Day Jungle Tour: $32
- Full Day Guided Tour in the Ecuadorian Amazon: $35
- Pailón del Diablo | Waterfall Route | Tour for 3 hours: $35
- Puyo Jungle Tour in 1 Day: $35
- Adventure and Fun River Rafting in Baños Ecuador: $35
- One day tour in the jungle. all inclusive.: $39
Typical Entertainment Prices in Puerto Madryn
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Puerto Madryn are as follows:
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Whale Watching for Two$0.35
Tours and Activities in Puerto Madryn
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Madryn are as follows:
- Kayaking adventure in Puerto Madryn: $60
- Excursion to Punta Loma and Puerto Madryn for Cruisers: $60
- From City and Punta Loma Tour: $70
- Shore Excursion: Punta Loma+City Tour, for cruise passengers: $70
- Punta Loma Shore Excursion with City tour: $75
- Punta Loma Excursion for Cruise Passengers: $75
- Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience - optional Whale Watching : $87
- Punta Tombo Tour, the Penguin Experience: $90
- Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience: $90
- Shore Excursion Punta Loma Sea Lions Reserve Including Puerto Madryn City Tour : $95
- 4 x 4 experience around Puerto Madryn: $100
- Wonderful Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery Tour : $100
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBanos $9.74Puerto Madryn $3.13
Typical Alcohol Prices in Banos
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Banos from other travelers:
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Beer$4.00
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Banos and Puerto Madryn, we can see that Banos is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Madryn much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Puerto Madryn would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Madryn 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 Banos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Banos than you might in Puerto Madryn.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Banos Expensive? and Is Puerto Madryn Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Banos or Puerto Madryn?
Puerto Madryn has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Banos. When comparing the sizes of Banos and Puerto Madryn, 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.