Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or Bogota?
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 Bogota or El Calafate?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Bogota or El Calafate, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Bogota or El Calafate?
Bogota
Sprawling across a high altitude in the Columbian Andes region, Bogota is the capital city of Columbia. It is a mix of the old and new with century-old plazas and churches shadowed by towering skyscrapers, museums representing the history, art, and culture of the region, as well as a mix of distinct neighborhoods from quaint and historic to trendy and contemporary.
El Calafate
Located in Patagonia, El Calafate has become a popular tourist destination in Argentina because of its beautiful setting on the stunningly blue Lago Argentina. The town sits on the southern border of the lake in the southwestern part of the Santa Cruz Province. It's about 320 kilometers from Rio Gallegos.
The rise in popularity of Patagonia as a tourist destination has truly put this small town on the map. You'll find no shortage of trekkers in the town and it makes an excellent base to explore different parts of the Los Glaciares National Park. Popular places to visit include Perito Moreno Glacier, Cerro Chalten, and Cerro Torre.
El Calafate has a cold semi-arid climate. The summers are cool to warm and very dry while the winters are cold and damp. Lago Argentino has a significant influence over the town's climate. The shallow bay where the town is located is usually frozen during the winter months.
Check out our ultimate guide to Hiking in Patagonia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina.
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Bogota Prices
Colombia PricesEl Calafate Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBogota $61El Calafate $58
The average daily cost (per person) in Bogota is $61, while the average daily cost in El Calafate is $58. 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 Bogota and El Calafate in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBogota $26El Calafate $37
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBogota $52El Calafate $74
Compare Hotels in Bogota and El Calafate
Looking for a hotel in Bogota or El Calafate? 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: Bogota Hotel Prices and El Calafate Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Bogota $8.57El Calafate $4.20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Bogota
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Bogota are as follows:
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Taxi from Airport$7.39
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Taxi Ride$0.38
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2 Bus Passes$0.87
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bogota
Also for Bogota, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer to and from El Dorado airport in Bogota: $14
- Salt Cathedral Zipaquira: Private Transfer Service from Bogota: $24
- Salt Cathedral & Lake Guatavita: Private Transfer from Bogota: $34
- Private Visit to Zipaquira's Town & Salt Cathedral + In&Out Transfer + (6 hours): $176
- Private Transfer to Bogota Airport (BOG): $11
- Private Transfer from the Airport to Hotels in Bogota: $15
- Private Transfer from El Dorado Airport to Bogota Hotels: $26
- Private Transfer from Bogota Hotels to El Dorado Airport: $22
- Private Transfer from Bogota Airport (BOG): $11
- Private Transfer from Aeropurto to Bogota Hotels: $25
- Private Transfer DE Bogota Airport: $30
- Private Salt Cathedral and Nemocón Salt Mines + In & out Transfer + (8 hours): $242
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Calafate
Also for El Calafate, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer to Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $77
- Transfer from El Calafate Airport to El Chaltén: $190
- Shared Transfer from El Calafate Airport to downtown Hotel: $11
- Roundtrip transfers to Perito Moreno Glacier: $149
- Private Transfer: Calafate Airport to City Center: $59
- Private Transfer to El Calafate Airport (FTE): $29
- Private Transfer from El Calafate Airport (FTE): $29
- Private Airport Transfer in Calafate: $45
- Perito Moreno Full Day Minitrekking with Transfer & Walkways: $460
- FTE Aiport transfer Group 4 to 6 people with luggage: $116
- Excursion to the Perito Moreno Glacier, with guide and transfer to / from the hotel: $79
- Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $44
Is it cheaper to fly into Bogota or El Calafate?
Prices for flights to both El Calafate and Bogota 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 dayBogota $23El Calafate $6.69
Typical Food Prices in Bogota
For Bogota, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Breakfast$1.54
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Hot Dog$0.90
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bogota
For Bogota, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Viejo Bogota Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $49
- PALOQUEMAO MARKET FOOD TOUR. EXOTIC FRUIT. LOCAL SNACKS. /Min 2 pax: $55
- Food Tour in La Candelaria Bogotá: $60
- Flavors of Colombia: Chapinero Street Food Tour: $73
- Food Tour in Historic Downtown with a Food Scholar and Tastings: $75
- Colombian Cooking Class in Bogota with a Local Chef: $102
- Tropical Abundance: Interactive Cooking Class in Bogota: $176
- Bogotá Food Tour. Exotic Fruits and local Cuisine.: $180
- Gastronomic Tour and Cooking Workshop: $213
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in El Calafate
For El Calafate, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Dinner & Show with Transfer: $72
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Tour with Dinner & Transfer: $98
- Country Afternoon with Dinner Show - Estancia 25 de Mayo: $115
- Stargazing Tour with Dinner and Transfers: $120
- Estancia 25 de Mayo in El Calafate - PM visit with dinner: $165
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Experience with Dinner from Calafate: $190
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner and Wine Included: $190
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $255
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Bogota $13El Calafate $52
Typical Entertainment Prices in Bogota
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Bogota's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Beer$1.28
Tours and Activities in Bogota
For Bogota, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Bogota Private Tour with Monserrate, Museums, Food & Tasting Cafe: $43
- Bogota Zipaquira Salt Cathedral Private Tour + Lunch: $69
- Lake Guatavitá Private Day Tour: $243
- Salt Cathedral Zipaquira - Group tour and daily departure: $79
- *Private tour* to Guatavita sacred lagoon + Nemocon salt mine: $168
- 3-Hour Walking Tour and Musical Picnic in the Heart of Ibague: $23
- 3h 30 -Hour StopOver—Walking Tour: Bogota Historical Center: $54
- 4-hour Comprehensive Private Emerald Tour in Bogota: $59
- 5 hour Bogotá City & Monserrate Hill Tour: $138
- All-inclusive Monserrate experience : $69
- Armed Conflict and Violence Tour in Bogotá, Colombia: $12
- Basic City Tour: $200
Tours and Activities in El Calafate
For El Calafate, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Argentine Cuisine Experience in El Calafate: $130
- 4 Days & 3 Nights El Calafate & El Chaltén Magical Adventure: $1,350
- Adventure Horseback Riding on Cerro Frias: $140
- CAÑADON EXPERIENCE - TREKKING & STAY - PRIVATE VEHICLE: $1,500
- CALAFATE: Panoramic tour: The best balconies of Calafate: $194
- Calafate Panoramic tour: The best balconies of Calafate 4x4: $210
- Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier Boat Tour: $207
- DARWIN EXPERIENCE KAYAK & ADVENTURE: $240
- Discover La Leona Petrified Forest: Guided Hiking Tour: $224
- EL CALAFATE Native experience lakes and caverns: $214
- "Perito Moreno Glacier with the Tour - Blue Safari".: $319
- 4WD Adventure with Optional Hike or Zipline: $128
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBogota $13El Calafate $8.33
Sample the Local Flavors in Bogota
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Bogota:
- Thursday Bar Crawl in Bogotá, Colombia: $25
- Saturday Night Bar Crawl in Bogotá, Colombia: $25
When comparing the travel costs between Bogota and El Calafate, we can see that Bogota is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bogota Expensive? and Is El Calafate Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Bogota or El Calafate?
Bogota has a larger population, and is about 890 times larger than the population of El Calafate. When comparing the sizes of Bogota and El Calafate, 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.