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 Camping Tours in Argentina, and The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Madryn or Cali?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Cali is $31, while the average daily cost in Puerto Madryn is $61. 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 $6.02
    Puerto Madryn $41
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Cali $12
    Puerto Madryn $82
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 $5.62
    Puerto Madryn $2.53
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cali

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


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $1.00

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 : $20
  • Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airpot One Way Transfer: $20
  • Airport Transfers to Cali Hotels: $28
  • Airport Transfers Cali (per way): $34
  • Transfer Airport Private- Hotels North: $36
  • Alfonso Airport (CLO) to Cali/Palmira - Arrival Private Transfer: $37
  • Transfer from Hotel Zone to Cali Airport: $39
  • Cali/Palmira to Alfonso B.Aragon Airport (CLO) - Private Transfer: $46
  • Departure Private Transfer from Cali City to Cali Airport CLO by Minivan: $71
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Cali Airport CLO to Cali City by Minivan: $71
  • Arrival Transfer from Cali Airport CLO to Cali City by MiniSuv: $93
  • Alfonso B.Aragon Airport (CLO) to Cali/Palmira-RoundTrip Transfer: $93

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Madryn

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:

  • Trelew Airport Shuttle Transfer To Puerto Madryn : $42
  • Puerto Madryn Airport Private Transfer: $216
  • From Punta Tombo Day Trip with Hotel Transfer: $138

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 $15
    Puerto Madryn $7.60

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cali

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

  • Street Food Tour: $23
  • Street Food Tour: $29
  • Cali tastes good! Authentic street food tour through the salsa capital: $53
  • Alameda Market Food Tour: $55
  • Traditional Colombian Meal Cooking Class: $67
  • Street Food Tour - Live A Unique Gastronomic Experience: $67
  • Flavors of Food tour at the local market: $73
  • Food Tour San Antonio: $75

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Cali $11
    Puerto Madryn $45

Tours and Activities in Cali

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

  • Historical Shared Tour Salsa, Graffiti & Resistance in Cali: $10
  • Shared Tour of the Historical and Cultural Center of Cali: $10
  • Shared Tour Cali's Local Food at Alameda Market: $12
  • Shared Tour Cali's Historical Downtown: $12
  • Shared Tour Cali's Salsa, Graffiti & Resistance Experience: $12
  • Chiva Private Cultural Tour with Audio Guide in Buga: $15
  • Cali Zoo Access Ticket: $15
  • Cultural and heritage Cali tour: $15
  • Ceramic Workshop for Tourists: $18
  • Tour in Cali : Culture, Tropical Fruits and Sauce: $23
  • Walking tour of the historic center: $25
  • Coffee Tasting Experience in Cali Colombia : $26

Tours and Activities in Puerto Madryn

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Madryn are as follows:

  • 3 hour 4x4 tour around Puerto Madryn: $110
  • Cruise Shore Exc. Ea San Lorenzo (Penguins) Lunch Included: $159
  • Cruise Shore Excursion Ea San Lorenzo Peninsula Valdes - Patagonia - Argentina: $159
  • Cruise Shore Excursion Peninsula Valdes - Box Lunch Included: $105
  • Cruise Shore Excursion Peninsula Valdes - Pto Madryn - Patagonia - Argentina: $95
  • Cruise Shore Excursion Pta Tombo (penguins): $105
  • Cruise Shore Excursion Punta Tombo - From Puerto Madryn Patagonia: $120
  • Cruise Shore Punta Loma and city overview: $83
  • Day trip in an all-terrain vehicle: 4x4 adventure + lunch at a Patagonian ranch: $160
  • Dolphin Watching Adventure: $105
  • El Doradillo Whale Watching Half-Day Tour from Puerto Madryn: $60
  • Exclusive Full Day Tour Penguin Colony in Punta Tombo from Madryn: $200

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Cali $8.48
    Puerto Madryn $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Cali

Also in Cali, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Friday Night Bar Crawl in Cali, Colombia: $25
  • Craft Beer Pub Crawl in Cali: $40
  • Salsa Pub Crawl in Cali: $45
  • Paragliding + Wine tasting + Hacienda El Paraiso + Saint Helena: $210


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cali and Puerto Madryn, we can see that Puerto Madryn is more expensive. And not only is Cali much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cali would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cali 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 Cali.

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.