A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Buzios vs. Puerto Madryn for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Buzios or Puerto Madryn?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Buzios or Puerto Madryn? 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: Buzios or Puerto Madryn?

Buzios

Initially a fishing village, Armação dos Buzios is a small beach resort town about three hours from Rio de Janeiro by bus. Buzios is a common weekend getaway destination for Cariocas. With 23 beaches, visitors from all over come to swim, snorkel, surf and enjoy sun and sand.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Rio de Janeiro, The Best 3-Day Tours from Foz Do Iguacu, The Best 2-Week Tours in Argentina, and The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Madryn or Buzios?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Buzios is $79, 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 Buzios and Puerto Madryn in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Buzios $38
    Puerto Madryn $5.33
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Buzios $76
    Puerto Madryn $11
Compare Hotels in Buzios and Puerto Madryn

Looking for a hotel in Buzios 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.

Hotels in Buzios


Hotels in Puerto Madryn


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 Madryn Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Buzios $19
    Puerto Madryn $3.33

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Buzios

Also for Buzios, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Beach Resorts to Cabo Frio Airport (CFB) - Private Transfer: $25
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Rio de Janeiro hotels: $29
  • Beach Resorts to Cabo Frio Airport (CFB) - Departure Transfer : $29
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Rio de Janeiro hotels: $32
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Port to Santos Dumont Airport (SDU): $32
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Cabo Frio city hotels: $36
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Cruise Port to Cabo Frio hotels: $41
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Port to Cabo Frio Airport (CFB): $43
  • Private Transfer from Buzios Port to Cabo Frio Airport (CFB): $47
  • Arraial do Cabo Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $52
  • Tour in Buzios City Tour, Lunch and Transfer: $60
  • Private Transfer Buzios to Rio de Janeiro: $91

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Madryn

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:

  • From Punta Tombo Day Trip with Hotel Transfer: $92
  • Trelew Airport Shuttle Transfer To Puerto Madryn : $36

Is it cheaper to fly into Buzios or Puerto Madryn?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Madryn and Buzios 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Buzios $24
    Puerto Madryn $5.78

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Buzios $27
    Puerto Madryn $5.86

Tours and Activities in Buzios

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Buzios.

  • Tour of the most beautiful beaches and islands of Buzios by Buziana Tour: $12
  • Buggy Ride in Buzios by Buziana Tour: $16
  • Tour of Bugre in Arraial (Buggy): $21
  • Catamaran Boat Tour in Búzios: $24
  • Boat Tour in Arraial do Cabo: $24
  • Half-Day Schooner Sightseeing Trip in Buzios Peninsula Beaches: $29
  •  Trolley Tour Through the City Buzios: $29
  • 3-hour Small Group Buzios Peninsula Open Air Trolley Tour: $33
  • Tour in Boat Tour in Buzios: $37
  • From Buzios To Arraial With Photos On A Private Tour!: $51
  • Schooner Tour in Buzios - Departure from Buzios: $51
  • Hiking Adventures in Buzios: $51

Typical Entertainment Prices in Puerto Madryn

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Puerto Madryn are as follows:


  • 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:

  • 4 x 4 experience around Puerto Madryn: $100
  • City Tour and Sea Lions at Punta Loma from Puerto Madryn: $75
  • Cruise Shore Excursion Ea San Lorenzo Peninsula Valdes - Patagonia - Argentina: $229
  • Cruise Shore Excursion Peninsula Valdes - Pto Madryn - Patagonia - Argentina: $119
  • Cruise Shore Excursion Punta Tombo - Tickets included - Puerto Madryn Patagonia: $129
  • Excursion to Punta Loma and Puerto Madryn for Cruisers: $60
  • From City Tour and Punta Loma Tour: $70
  • From Penguin Tour & Península Valdés Day Trip: $153
  • From Valdes Peninsula Full-Day Tour: $203
  • Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience: $90
  • Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience - optional Whale Watching : $87
  • Full Day Punta Tombo - Walking Among Penguins Experience - Madryn: $87

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Buzios $18
    Puerto Madryn $3.18


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Buzios and Puerto Madryn, we can see that Buzios 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 Buzios would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Buzios 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 Buzios Expensive? and Is Puerto Madryn Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Buzios or Puerto Madryn?

Puerto Madryn has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Buzios. When comparing the sizes of Buzios 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.