Which place is cheaper, San Juan or El Calafate?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit El Calafate or San Juan? 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.
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.
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina, and The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in El Calafate is $10, while the average daily cost in San Juan is $192. 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 San Juan in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in El Calafate or San Juan? 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.
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in El Calafate:
Also for El Calafate, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both San Juan 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.
For El Calafate, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
For El Calafate, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for El Calafate's activities, tours, and tickets:
For El Calafate, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in El Calafate:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between El Calafate and San Juan, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is El Calafate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since El Calafate is in South America and San Juan is in Caribbean Islands, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 El Calafate Expensive? and Is San Juan Expensive?.
San Juan has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of El Calafate. When comparing the sizes of El Calafate and San Juan, 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.