Should you visit Buzios or Puerto Madryn?
Should I visit Buzios or Puerto Madryn? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
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.
Which city 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 $60, while the average daily cost in Puerto Madryn is $99. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Buzios and Puerto Madryn in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $58 in Buzios For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $37. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Puerto Madryn the cost is $74 on average.
Food
The price of a meal in Buzios can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $19 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $7.60 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
Food in Puerto Madryn costs travelers about $40 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Buzios $19
Puerto Madryn $40
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Buzios than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $15 on transportation in Buzios on average per day.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $23 per day to get around in Puerto Madryn.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Madryn
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:
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Puerto Madryn Airport Private Transfer:
$138
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Puerto Madryn Trelew Airport Shuttle Transfer:
$15
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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Buzios, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $21 per day, per person.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $41 per person, per day in Puerto Madryn. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Buzios
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Buzios.
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Tour in Boat Tour in Buzios:
$14
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Half-Day Schooner Sightseeing Trip in Buzios Peninsula Beaches:
$28
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
$3.06
Tours and Activities in Puerto Madryn
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Madryn are as follows:
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3-Day Atlantic Patagonia Wild Nature Experience at Bahia Bustamante Lodge:
$421
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Chubut Welsh Colonies Tour:
$64
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City Tour and Sea Lions at Punta Loma from Puerto Madryn:
$29
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Cruise Shore excursion to Punta Tombo:
$100
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Cruise shore excursion to Peninsula Valdes:
$120
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Discover Valdes Peninsula Day Tour:
$99
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Excursion Sib Tour to the valley of the Chubut river:
$113
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Florentino Ameghino Dam Day Tour:
$152
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Full Day Tour to Florentino Ameghino Dam from Puerto Madryn:
$75
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Full Day Tour to Punta Ninfas from Puerto Madryn:
$110
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Patagonia Ranch and El Pedral Penguin Colony Tour from Puerto Madryn:
$125
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Peninsula Valdes & Estancia San Lorenzo Full Day Tour:
$155
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Buzios, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $14.
The average person spends about $22 on alcoholic beverages in Puerto Madryn per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Buzios and Puerto Madryn, we can see that Puerto Madryn is more expensive. And not only is Buzios much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Buzios would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Buzios 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 Puerto Madryn would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Madryn than you might in Buzios.
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