Which place is cheaper, El Chalten or El Calafate?
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 El Calafate or El Chalten?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit El Calafate or El Chalten? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: El Calafate or El Chalten?
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.
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 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina, The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Argentina.
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El Calafate Prices
Argentina PricesEl Chalten Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEl Calafate $58El Chalten $64
The average daily cost (per person) in El Calafate is $58, while the average daily cost in El Chalten is $64. 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 El Calafate and El Chalten in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personEl Calafate $36El Chalten $50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEl Calafate $72El Chalten $100
Compare Hotels in El Calafate and El Chalten
Looking for a hotel in El Calafate 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.
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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.El Calafate $4.17El Chalten $2.42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Calafate
Also for El Calafate, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Calafate: Airport Transfer: $12
- Shared Transfer from El Calafate Airport to Hotel or v.v.: $16
- Transfer from your hotel to El Calafate airport: $16
- Transfer from the airport to your hotel in El Calafate: $16
- One Way Transfer from Airport-Hotel downtown(Calafate) vice versa: $16
- Shared Transfer Airport - Hotel in El Calafate: $18
- Airport Transfer Calafate Regular Bus or Private Car: $20
- Private Transfer to El Calafate Airport (FTE): $25
- Transfers from the Airport to El Calafate with City Tour: $29
- Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $32
- Airport Transfer - Downtown: $35
- Private Transfer Hotel-Bus Station or Bus Station-Hotel (Calafate): $35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Chalten
Some specific examples of transportation prices in El Chalten:
- Private Transfers in El Chaltén and PN Los Glaciares: $80
- Private Transfer from El Calafate Airport to El Chaltén: $300
Is it cheaper to fly into El Calafate or El Chalten?
Prices for flights to both El Chalten and El Calafate 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 dayEl Calafate $6.64El Chalten $6.43
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: $55
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Dinner & Show with Transfer: $88
- Country Afternoon with Dinner Show - Estancia 25 de Mayo: $92
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Tour with Dinner & Transfer: $138
- Estancia 25 de Mayo in El Calafate - PM visit with dinner: $165
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner and Wine Included: $179
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $197
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Experience with Dinner and Horseback Riding: $225
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.El Calafate $52El Chalten $27
Tours and Activities in El Calafate
For El Calafate, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- El Calafate History Museum Tour: $15
- Self-Guided History Museum Tour: $15
- Yeti Ice Bar: An Icy Adventure in the Heart of El Calafate: $33
- Guided Tour of the National Park + Perito Moreno Glacier + Boat Cruise (optional): $48
- Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier Guided Full-Day Tour: $52
- Perito Moreno Glacier Guided Expedition with optional Cruise: $60
- Full Day Guided Tour Perito Moreno National Park and Glacier: $60
- Round Trip Ticket-Bus to Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $61
- Bus ticket to Puerto Natales, Chile: $62
- Perito Moreno Glacier & Optional Boat Cruise: $69
- Perito Moreno Glacier Guided Tour: $69
- Perito Moreno Glacier Full Day Tour with Optional Boat Safari: $80
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: $220
- Charms of Mendoza Private Tour 3 Wineries with Paired Lunch: $355
- El Calafate: Viedma Glacier Cruise + El Chaltén: $272
- El Chaltén: Viedma Glacier Boat & Iceberg Walk Adventure: $160
- Rafting experience on the Rio de las Vueltas in Patagonia: $120
- Rio de las Vueltas Rafting Experience - El Chalten: $120
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayEl Calafate $8.26El Chalten $5.75
When comparing the travel costs between El Calafate and El Chalten, we can see that El Chalten is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is El Calafate Expensive? and Is El Chalten Expensive?.
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.