Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or Curitiba?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Curitiba or El Calafate?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Curitiba and El Calafate 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: Curitiba or El Calafate?
Curitiba
Curitiba is a relatively large city that is convenient to visit if you're traveling to Iguazu Falls from either Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo. It is worth a day or two stop over because it has a great old city that has been restored. It's also the capital of Parana, Brazil. Curitiba is one of the more wealthy cities in the southern region of Brazil. It has a diverse population with many immigrants and some interesting cultural events.
El Calafate
Located in Patagonia, El Calafate has become a popular tourist destination in Argentina because of its beautiful setting on the stunningly blue Lago Argentina. The town sits on the southern border of the lake in the southwestern part of the Santa Cruz Province. It's about 320 kilometers from Rio Gallegos.
The rise in popularity of Patagonia as a tourist destination has truly put this small town on the map. You'll find no shortage of trekkers in the town and it makes an excellent base to explore different parts of the Los Glaciares National Park. Popular places to visit include Perito Moreno Glacier, Cerro Chalten, and Cerro Torre.
El Calafate has a cold semi-arid climate. The summers are cool to warm and very dry while the winters are cold and damp. Lago Argentino has a significant influence over the town's climate. The shallow bay where the town is located is usually frozen during the winter months.
Check out our ultimate guide to Hiking in Patagonia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Brazil, The Best Tours for Seniors to Brazil, The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina.
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Curitiba Prices
Brazil PricesEl Calafate Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCuritiba $90El Calafate $58
The average daily cost (per person) in Curitiba is $90, while the average daily cost in El Calafate is $58. 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 Curitiba and El Calafate in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCuritiba $29El Calafate $37
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCuritiba $58El Calafate $74
Compare Hotels in Curitiba and El Calafate
Looking for a hotel in Curitiba or El Calafate? 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.
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: Curitiba Hotel Prices and El Calafate Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Curitiba $15El Calafate $4.20
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Curitiba
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Curitiba:
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Taxi Ride$1.88
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Curitiba
Also for Curitiba, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Transfer: Curitiba International Airport: $40
- Private Transfer from Porto Belo Port to Curitiba City Hotels: $265
- Private Transfer from Porto Belo Port to Curitiba Airport (CWB): $265
- Private Transfer from Curitiba City to Curitiba Airport (CWB): $38
- Private Transfer from Curitiba City Hotels to Porto Belo Port: $265
- Private Transfer from Curitiba Airport (CWB) to Porto Belo Port : $265
- Private Transfer from Curitiba Airport: $109
- Curitiba to Curitiba Airport (CWB) - Departure Private Transfer: $37
- Curitiba to Curitiba Airport (CWB) - Departure Private Transfer: $48
- Curitiba Airport CWB to Curitiba hotels Arrival Private Transfer: $37
- Curitiba Airport (CWB) to Curitiba - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $74
- Curitiba Airport (CWB) to Curitiba - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $95
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Calafate
Also for El Calafate, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Perito Moreno Full Day Minitrekking with Transfer & Walkways: $460
- Perito Moreno Glacier Mini Trek with Transfer: $441
- Private Airport Transfer: $296
- "Todo Glaciares" Boat Tour + optional transfers from El Calafate : $205
- Transfer from El Calafate Airport to El Chaltén: $190
- Roundtrip transfers to Perito Moreno Glacier: $149
- FTE Aiport transfer Group 4 to 6 people with luggage: $116
- Excursion to the Perito Moreno Glacier, with guide and transfer to / from the hotel: $79
- Transfer to Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $77
- Private Transfer: Calafate Airport to City Center: $59
- Private Airport Transfer in Calafate: $45
- Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $44
Is it cheaper to fly into Curitiba or El Calafate?
Prices for flights to both El Calafate and Curitiba 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
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Food Meals for one dayCuritiba $47El Calafate $6.69
Typical Food Prices in Curitiba
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Curitiba:
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Chips$0.84
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Curitiba
For Curitiba, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Bar-hopping and Food Tour in Curitiba: $36
- Curitiba's History Food Tour: $70
- Curitiba Tour by Night with Dinner: $95
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in El Calafate
For El Calafate, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Dinner & Show with Transfer: $72
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Tour with Dinner & Transfer: $98
- Country Afternoon with Dinner Show - Estancia 25 de Mayo: $115
- Stargazing Tour with Dinner and Transfers: $120
- Estancia 25 de Mayo in El Calafate - PM visit with dinner: $165
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Experience with Dinner from Calafate: $190
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner and Wine Included: $190
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $255
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Curitiba $19El Calafate $52
Tours and Activities in Curitiba
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Curitiba.
- Full Day Tour to Vila Velha and Buraco do Padre: $160
- 4 Hour City Tour in Curitiba: $73
- 8-hour guided tour of the Dutch Colonies of Paraná: $203
- 8h full city tour in Curitiba: $94
- CRAFT BREWERS TOUR By Jens Tours: $72
- Complete Tour to Ilha do Mel: $157
- Discover Vila Velha State Park Tour and Witmarsum Colony: $163
- Experience the Best of City Tour Highlights: $59
- Full-day tour in Curitiba: $78
- Gastronomic Tour in Curitiba with Jens Tours: $81
- Guided tour to the Canyon of Guartelá: $189
- Half Day Curitiba Sightseeing Tour: $43
Tours and Activities in El Calafate
For El Calafate, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Argentine Cuisine Experience in El Calafate: $130
- 4 Days & 3 Nights El Calafate & El Chaltén Magical Adventure: $1,350
- Adventure Horseback Riding on Cerro Frias: $140
- CAÑADON EXPERIENCE - TREKKING & STAY - PRIVATE VEHICLE: $1,500
- CALAFATE: Panoramic tour: The best balconies of Calafate: $194
- Calafate Panoramic tour: The best balconies of Calafate 4x4: $210
- Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier Boat Tour: $207
- DARWIN EXPERIENCE KAYAK & ADVENTURE: $240
- Discover La Leona Petrified Forest: Guided Hiking Tour: $224
- EL CALAFATE Native experience lakes and caverns: $214
- "Perito Moreno Glacier with the Tour - Blue Safari".: $319
- 4WD Adventure with Optional Hike or Zipline: $128
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCuritiba $13El Calafate $8.33
Typical Alcohol Prices in Curitiba
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Curitiba:
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Beer$0.42
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Curitiba and El Calafate, we can see that Curitiba is more expensive. And not only is El Calafate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to El Calafate would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in El Calafate 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 Curitiba would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Curitiba than you might in El Calafate.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Curitiba Expensive? and Is El Calafate Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Curitiba or El Calafate?
Curitiba has a larger population, and is about 210 times larger than the population of El Calafate. When comparing the sizes of Curitiba and El Calafate, 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.