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

Should you visit Cali or Puerto Madryn?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Cali and Puerto Madryn can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Cali or Puerto Madryn?

Cali

Cali is Colombia's third largest city. Founded in 1536, can be explored on foot: walk under the shade of trees along the riverbank, admire the architecture of churches and other national monuments, and visit the city's many museums. Being the salsa capital of the world, Cali is primarily a destination for salsa and party but it also offers some great days out in the nearby natural surroundings. In Cali, travelers can enjoy music festivals, learn about sugarcane farming, and take in the mountainous landscapes.

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 Bogota, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Colombia, The Best 2-Week Tours in Argentina, and The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Madryn or Cali?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Cali is $25, 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 Cali and Puerto Madryn in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Cali $6.16
    Puerto Madryn $5.25
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cali $12
    Puerto Madryn $11
Compare Hotels in Cali and Puerto Madryn

Looking for a hotel in Cali 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 Cali


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: Cali Hotel Prices and Puerto Madryn Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Cali $5.76
    Puerto Madryn $3.28
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cali

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cali:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $1.02

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cali

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

  • Private Arrival or Departure Transfer: Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airport : $17
  • Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airpot One Way Transfer: $19
  • Transfer in Private Car from Cali Airport (CLO) -Cali City: $22
  • Alfonso Aragon Airport CLO to Cali Palmira Arrival Transfer: $24
  • Alfonso Airport CLO to Cali or Palmira Hotels Arrival Transfer: $24
  • Transfer in Private Minivan from Cali City- Cali Airport (CLO): $25
  • Airport Transfers Cali (per way): $34
  • Alfonso B.Aragon Airport (CLO) to Cali/Palmira-RoundTrip Transfer: $48
  • RoundTrip Transfer in Private Minivan Cali Airport (CLO) - Cali City: $51
  • From Cali Airport: One-way Privater Transfer to Cali: $58
  • National Park Waterfalls Tour with Lunch & Transfer: $114
  • City Highlights Private Bus Tour with Transfer: $149

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Madryn

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:

  • Trelew Airport Shuttle Transfer To Puerto Madryn : $47
  • From Punta Tombo Day Trip with Hotel Transfer: $131

Is it cheaper to fly into Cali or Puerto Madryn?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Madryn and Cali 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
    Cali $8.77
    Puerto Madryn $5.69

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cali

For Cali, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Alameda Market Cali Food Tour: $14
  • Street Food Tour: $21
  • Alameda Market Food Tour: $55
  • Flavors of Food tour at the local market: $59
  • Patio Santo Style Rumba Dinner: $168

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cali $11
    Puerto Madryn $5.77

Tours and Activities in Cali

For Cali, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Cali's Cultural and Historical Walking Tour: $14
  • Cali Salsa Tour: Learn the history, dance and play instruments: $15
  • Cali Salsa & Resistance Street Art Tour: $16
  • Walking Tour in the Historic Center of Cali City: $25
  • The Cali Street Food Walking Tour: $30
  • Cali Bike Tour: $32
  • Medicinal Plant Private Tour in La Galeria Alameda of Cali: $35
  • Coffee Tasting Experience in Cali Colombia : $35
  • Walking Tour: $35
  • Private half day tour in Siloé Cali: $35
  • Walking tour of the historic center: $37
  • Private Relaxing Massage Experience in Cali: $43

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
  • 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 and Punta Loma Tour: $70
  • From Florentino Ameghino Dam Day Tour: $194
  • From Penguin Tour & Península Valdés Day Trip: $152
  • From Valdes Peninsula Full-Day Tour: $130
  • Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience: $90
  • Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience - optional Whale Watching : $87
  • Full Day Punta Tombo - Walking Among Penguins Experience - Madryn: $105

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cali $8.68
    Puerto Madryn $3.13


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


Which is Bigger, Cali or Puerto Madryn?

Cali has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Puerto Madryn. When comparing the sizes of Cali 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.