Should you visit Cuenca or El Chalten?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Cuenca and El Chalten. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Cuenca
Cuenca is a vibrant colonial city in southern Ecuador, the third largest in the country, and the capital of Azuay Province. Cuenca is considered as Ecuador's most important and beautiful colonial city after Quito. Dating from the 16th century, Cuenca's historic center, a Unesco World Heritage Site with its trademark skyline of massive rotundas and soaring steeples, is a magical sight in which you will feel like you are moving back in time. Cuenca is the center of many craft traditions, including ceramics, metalwork and the internationally famous panama hat. The nearby villages also offer many other handicrafts. Tourists enjoy wandering the ancient streets discovering picturesque alleys and hidden corners, where nuns march along cobblestone streets and kids in Catholic-school uniforms skip past historic churches. Fascinating historic monuments and fabulous views are found at every turn. Cuenca also has outstanding art museums and festivals. For a rewarding cultural experience, visit during Easter to attend the Festival of Religious Music.
El Chalten
El Chalten is probably one of the most beautiful areas of Patagonia, especially at the slightest ray of sunshine and one of your cheapest destination while you are travelling in Patagonia. Indeed, you will spend your days hiking and there are no park fees. There are restaurants, souvenir shops, and outdoor stores but most of them will not accept credit cards so before heading out, get cash in El Calafate or your previous stop. For the beginners, it will be long hikes in a magical setting and for the experts perhaps a week long expedition to the greatest glaciers of the world. To discover the way people live in the pampa, you may also decide to stay at an Estancia. In the stunning Estancia Santa Thelma, about 300km away from El Chalten, you will be able to explore the surroundings by horse, live a unique experience in the middle of the nature and its vast plains occupied by thousands of merino sheep and horses and of course eat a typical meal of the region.
Which city is cheaper, El Chalten or Cuenca?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Cuenca is $34, while the average daily cost in El Chalten is $73. 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 Cuenca and El Chalten in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $20 for a double occupancy room in Cuenca.
The average price for accommodation for two people in El Chalten is $64. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Food
Food in Cuenca costs travelers about $12 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.
While meal prices in El Chalten can vary, the average travelers spends about $27 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in El Chalten should cost around $11 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in El Chalten is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Cuenca $12
El Chalten $27
Typical Food prices in Cuenca
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cuenca:
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Lunch
$10
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Snacks
$5.00
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Empanada
$1.50
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Hot Dog
$1.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cuenca
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cuenca.
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Cooking Class & Market Tour in Cuenca:
$55
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Cuenca City Tour & Cooking Class (PRIVATE Tour):
$95
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Cuenca is $8.60 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
The cost of a taxi ride in El Chalten is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $17 per person, per day, on local transportation in El Chalten.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Cuenca
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cuenca:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cuenca
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cuenca:
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Cuenca Arrival Transfer:
$15
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Cuenca Departure Transfer:
$15
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Cuenca Airport Shuttle Transfer:
$19
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Cuenca to Guayaquil Transfer in Fantasy Bus:
$25
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Cuenca to Alausi Transfer in Fantasy Bus:
$25
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Transfer In Cuenca Airport - Hotel:
$25
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Arrival Private Transfer: Cuenca Airport CUE to Cuenca City by Minivan:
$74
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Departure Private Transfer: Cuenca City to Cuenca Airport CUE by Minivan:
$74
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Private Transfer from Cuenca to Guayaquil.:
$83
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Private Transfer from Cuenca City Center to Madrid City Center:
$147
Entertainment
Cuenca's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $13 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Entertainment and activities in El Chalten typically cost an average of $19 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Cuenca
Here are a few actual costs in Cuenca for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Guided tour to Cuenca City:
$9.95
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Cuenca City Tour:
$20
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Cuenca City tour:
$25
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Half-Day Tour of Cuenca Including Panama Hat Factory:
$30
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Walking Cuenca City Tour with Pumapungo Complex Half Day:
$30
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Cuenca City Tour:
$30
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Biking and Walking City Tour Cuenca:
$30
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Half-Day Biking and Walking Tour of Cuenca, Ecuador:
$30
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Private Half-Day Cuenca City Tour:
$38
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Cajas National Park Half Day Tour:
$40
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Private Half-Day City Tour Including Turi Viewpoint:
$41
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Biking Cuenca City Tour:
$45
Tours and Activities in El Chalten
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for El Chalten are as follows:
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El Chalten Rafting Experience:
$149
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El Chalten Rafting Experience:
$225
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Module Fitz Roy Adventure:
$305
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2-Day Chalten Adventure tour: Laguna de los Tres, Mount Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre:
$333
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2-Day Hiking Tour of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre from El Chalten:
$553
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3-Day Eco-Lodge Trekking Tour at Los Glaciares National Park from El Chalten:
$789
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Cuenca may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $11 per day on alcoholic beverages.
The average person spends about $8.90 on alcoholic beverages in El Chalten 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 Cuenca and El Chalten, we can see that El Chalten is more expensive. And not only is Cuenca much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cuenca would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cuenca 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 El Chalten would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in El Chalten than you might in Cuenca.
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