Which place is cheaper, El Chalten or El Calafate?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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 Food and Culinary Tours in Argentina, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Argentina, The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina, and The Best Budget Tours to Argentina.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayEl Calafate $9.55El Chalten $9.41
The average daily cost (per person) in El Calafate is $9.55, while the average daily cost in El Chalten is $9.41. 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 $3.24El Chalten $4.19
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomEl Calafate $6.48El Chalten $8.38
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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: El Calafate Hotel Prices and El Chalten Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.El Calafate $3.34El Chalten $2.24
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$1.32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Calafate
Also for El Calafate, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $12
- Transfer from the airport to your hotel in El Calafate: $12
- Shared Transfer from El Calafate Airport to downtown Hotel: $19
- One Way Transfer from Airport-Hotel downtown(Calafate) vice versa: $19
- Transfer from Calafate Airport to your Stay in Calafate: $26
- Airport Transfer - Downtown: $26
- Shared Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Calafate): $32
- Private Transfer Hotel-Bus Station or Bus Station-Hotel (Calafate): $35
- Roundtrip transfer in Private Car from Calafate Airport (FTE)- Calafate City: $49
- Private Airport Transfer in Calafate: $50
- Excursion to the Perito Moreno Glacier, with guide and transfer to / from the hotel: $60
- Shared transfer to El Calafate -El Chaltén: $75
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 $3.51El Chalten $3.47
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$1.71
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Dinner$1.01
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 Experience with Dinner from Calafate: $155
- Estancia 25 de Mayo in El Calafate - PM visit with dinner: $186
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $204
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $212
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.El Calafate $3.51El Chalten $2.52
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$1.32
Tours and Activities in El Calafate
For El Calafate, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Bus ticket to Puerto Natales, Chile: $48
- Round Trip Ticket-Bus to Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $60
- El Calafate, Perito Moreno Glacier classic tour with guide: $62
- Southroad Calafate Balcony Experience with Tour Mode Options: $70
- Day Tour to the Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $70
- Perito Moreno Glacier Sightseeing Tour: $71
- From Perito Moreno footbridges + optional Boat Tour : $72
- Panoramic Tour with Punta Walichu: $76
- Full Day Guided Tour Perito Moreno National Park and Glacier: $80
- El Chalten Complete Experience Full Day Tour from El Calafate: $80
- Argentine Cuisine Experience in El Calafate: $83
- Half-Day Tour at Estancia 25 de Mayo Field Afternoon: $84
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
- Chalten Kayak Experience: $240
- 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 $1.76El Chalten $1.15
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$0.35
When comparing the travel costs between El Calafate and El Chalten, we can see that El Calafate 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.