Should you visit Colonia del Sacramento or Puerto Madryn?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Colonia del Sacramento and Puerto Madryn can help you decide which place is right for you.
Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento is in the Rio de la Plata region of Uruguay. It is filled with old colonial buildings and cobbled streets, and is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Colonia del Sacramento was founded in 1680 by the Portuguese, sandwiched in between the Portuguese colony of Brazil and the Spanish Viceroyalty of the River Plate, later Argentina, Uruguay and Southern Brazil. Its strategic position and use as a smuggling port meant that its sovereignty was constantly contested and the city changed hands several times between Spain and Portugal. The irresistibly picturesque town's charm and its proximity to Buenos Aires draw thousands of Argentine and other visitors on weekends and in summer. Prices rise in these periods and it can be difficult to find a room so make sure to book your trip well in advance.
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 Colonia del Sacramento?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Colonia del Sacramento is $48, while the average daily cost in Puerto Madryn is $102. 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 Colonia del Sacramento and Puerto Madryn in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $48 in Colonia del Sacramento For nicer amenities and a premiere location, 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 $38. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Puerto Madryn the cost is $76 on average.
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Accommodation
Hotel or hostel for one person
Colonia del Sacramento $24
Puerto Madryn $38
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Accommodation
Typical double-occupancy room
Colonia del Sacramento
$48
Puerto Madryn
$76
Food
While meal prices in Colonia del Sacramento can vary, the average travelers spends about $13 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Colonia del Sacramento should cost around $5.20 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Colonia del Sacramento is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
Food in Puerto Madryn costs travelers about $41 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.
Local Transportation
To get around in Colonia del Sacramento, the average visitor spends $12 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $24 per day to get around in Puerto Madryn.
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Local Transportation
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
Colonia del Sacramento $12
Puerto Madryn $24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Colonia del Sacramento
Also for Colonia del Sacramento, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Colonia Port Terminal Private Transfer:
$15
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Colonia Bus Terminal Private Transfer:
$15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Madryn
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:
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Puerto Madryn Trelew Airport Shuttle Transfer:
$15
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Puerto Madryn Airport Private Transfer:
$138
Entertainment
In Colonia del Sacramento, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $17 per person, per day.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $42 per person, per day in Puerto Madryn. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
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Entertainment
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
Colonia del Sacramento $17
Puerto Madryn $42
Tours and Activities in Colonia del Sacramento
For Colonia del Sacramento, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Colonia Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour:
$26
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Half day city tour in Montevideo:
$52
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Colonia del Sacramento City Tour:
$63
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Half day city tour in Colonia de Sacramento, Uruguay:
$65
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Full Day Birdwatching and Nature Tour:
$200
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
$3.15
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
Typically, people visiting Colonia del Sacramento spend on average $4.13 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about $23 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 Colonia del Sacramento and Puerto Madryn, we can see that Puerto Madryn is more expensive. And not only is Colonia del Sacramento much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Colonia del Sacramento would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Colonia del Sacramento 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 Colonia del Sacramento.
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