Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or Curitiba?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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 Luxury Tours to Brazil, The Best Budget Tours to Brazil, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina, and The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCuritiba $73El Calafate $10
The average daily cost (per person) in Curitiba is $73, while the average daily cost in El Calafate is $10. 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 $30El Calafate $3.42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCuritiba $60El Calafate $6.84
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 $16El Calafate $3.53
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$1.95
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Curitiba
Also for Curitiba, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared transfer between Curitiba Airport and Hotels: $73
- Shared Transfer: Curitiba International Airport: $39
- Private Transfer from Curitiba City to Curitiba Airport (CWB): $35
- Private Transfer from Curitiba City Hotels to Porto Belo Port: $75
- Private Transfer from Curitiba Airport (CWB) to Porto Belo Port : $75
- Private Transfer from Curitiba Airport: $106
- Curitiba to Curitiba Airport (CWB) - Departure Private Transfer: $16
- Curitiba to Afonso Pena Airport (CWB)- Departure Private Transfer: $17
- Curitiba Airport PrivateTransfers Round Trip or One Way: $109
- Curitiba Airport CWB to Downtown hotels- Arrival Private Transfer: $16
- Curitiba Airport (CWB) to Downtown - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $33
- Afonso Pena Airport CWB to Beach Resorts : Arrival Transfer: $43
Typical Local Transportation Prices in El Calafate
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in El Calafate:
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Taxi$1.39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Calafate
Also for El Calafate, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Perito Moreno Glacier Mini Trek with Transfer: $456
- Laguna de Los Tres Transfer & Self-Guided Hike: $101
- Shared transfer to El Calafate -El Chaltén: $75
- Private Airport Transfer: $64
- Excursion to the Perito Moreno Glacier, with guide and transfer to / from the hotel: $60
- Round trip transfer to Moreno Glacier: $50
- Roundtrip transfer in Private Car from Calafate Airport (FTE)- Calafate City: $49
- Private Transfer Hotel-Bus Station or Bus Station-Hotel (Calafate): $35
- Shared Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Calafate): $32
- Shared Transfer from El Calafate Airport to downtown Hotel: $15
- Transfer from the airport to your hotel in El Calafate: $14
- Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $12
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 $28El Calafate $3.71
Typical Food Prices in Curitiba
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Curitiba:
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Chips$0.88
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: $30
- Curitiba's History Food Tour: $70
- Curitiba's History Food Tour: $76
- Curitiba Tour by Night with Dinner: $94
Typical Food Prices in El Calafate
For El Calafate, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dessert$0.01
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Dinner$1.81
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Dinner$1.07
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:
- Argentine Dinner with Live Music Folklore -Estancia 25 de Mayo: $48
- Country Afternoon with Dinner Show - Estancia 25 de Mayo: $100
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Tour with Dinner & Transfer: $126
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $138
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Experience with Dinner from Calafate: $155
- Estancia 25 de Mayo in El Calafate - PM visit with dinner: $186
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Curitiba $19El Calafate $3.71
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: $154
- 2-Day Rafting and Rappelling Adventure in Tibagi: $186
- 4-Hour Private Tour of Curitiba City: $69
- Arte Bike Tour - Bike Tour with Kuritbike: $24
- CRAFT BREWERS TOUR By Jens Tours: $71
- Complete Tour to Ilha do Mel: $145
- Curitiba City Tour: $58
- A complete city tour: $104
- A private city tour: $70
- Tour in Barigui Park: $120
- Walking tour from past to present: $12
- Full-day tour in Curitiba: $77
Typical Entertainment Prices in El Calafate
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for El Calafate's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Glacerium Museum$1.39
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: $65
- CALAFATE: Panoramic tour: The best balconies of Calafate: $190
- Cañadón Experience: $189
- Calafate City Tour with Walichu Caves: $78
- Chalten Full Day Trekking Experience - Laguna de los Tres: $180
- Darwin Experience - kayaks & adventure: $230
- Discover La Leona Petrified Forest: Guided Hiking Tour: $190
- El Calafate Balconies Experience - Tour in FWD vehicle: $192
- El Calafate Balconies Experience - Tour in FWD vehicle: $164
- El Calafate Balconies Experience: 3-Hour 4WD Tour: $117
- El Calafate Balcony in 4WD Experience: $169
- El Calafate Balcony in 4WD Experience with Optional Quads: $121
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCuritiba $14El Calafate $1.86
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$0.44
Typical Alcohol Prices in El Calafate
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in El Calafate:
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Beer$0.01
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Alcohol$0.37
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.