A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Curitiba vs. El Chalten for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Curitiba or El Chalten?

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 Chalten 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 Chalten?

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 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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Brazil, The Best 10-Day Tours in Brazil, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina, and The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, El Chalten or Curitiba?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Curitiba is $74, while the average daily cost in El Chalten 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 Chalten in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Curitiba $31
    El Chalten $4.49
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Curitiba $62
    El Chalten $8.98
Compare Hotels in Curitiba and El Chalten

Looking for a hotel in Curitiba or El Chalten? 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 Curitiba


Hotels in El Chalten


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 Chalten Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Curitiba $16
    El Chalten $2.40
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Curitiba

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Curitiba:


  • Taxi Ride
    $2.00

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Curitiba

Also for Curitiba, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Curitiba to Curitiba Airport (CWB) - Departure Private Transfer: $17
  • Curitiba Airport CWB to Downtown hotels- Arrival Private Transfer: $17
  • Curitiba to Afonso Pena Airport (CWB)- Departure Private Transfer: $18
  • Curitiba Airport (CWB) to Downtown - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $33
  • Private Transfer from Curitiba City to Curitiba Airport (CWB): $35
  • Shared Transfer: Curitiba International Airport: $39
  • Afonso Pena Airport CWB to Beach Resorts : Arrival Transfer: $44
  • Private Transfer from Curitiba City Hotels to Porto Belo Port: $76
  • Private Transfer from Curitiba Airport (CWB) to Porto Belo Port : $76
  • Shared transfer between Curitiba Airport and Hotels: $76
  • Afonso Pena Airport (CWB) to Beach Resorts - Round-Trip Transfer: $88
  • Private Transfer from Curitiba Airport: $106

Is it cheaper to fly into Curitiba or El Chalten?

Prices for flights to both El Chalten 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Curitiba $29
    El Chalten $3.72
Typical Food Prices in Curitiba

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Curitiba:


  • Chips
    $0.90

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: $32
  • Curitiba's History Food Tour: $70
  • Curitiba's History Food Tour: $76
  • Curitiba Tour by Night with Dinner: $94

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Curitiba $20
    El Chalten $2.70

Tours and Activities in Curitiba

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Curitiba.

  • Ticket MAI - Museum of Indigenous Art - Curitiba: $5.06
  • Walking tour from past to present: $12
  • Arte Bike Tour - Bike Tour with Kuritbike: $25
  • Half Day Curitiba Sightseeing Tour: $31
  • Private City Tour - Top Postcards from Curitiba by Pinheiro Turismo: $41
  • Historic City Tour in Curitiba with Jens Tours: $41
  • Interparks Cycling Tour Curitiba for small groups: $51
  • Curitiba City Tour: $58
  • 4-Hour Private Tour of Curitiba City: $72
  • A private city tour: $73
  • CRAFT BREWERS TOUR By Jens Tours: $74
  • Full-day tour in Curitiba: $81

Tours and Activities in El Chalten

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for El Chalten are as follows:

  • 3 Hours Grilled Lamb Experience in Estancia Bonanza: $55
  • Rafting experience on the Rio de las Vueltas in Patagonia: $90
  • Rio de las Vueltas Rafting Experience - El Chalten: $90

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Curitiba $14
    El Chalten $1.24
Typical Alcohol Prices in Curitiba

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Curitiba:


  • Beer
    $0.45


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

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 Chalten Expensive?.