Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or Fortaleza?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Fortaleza 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 Fortaleza 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: Fortaleza or El Calafate?
Fortaleza
A major city on Brazil's northeastern coast and the capital city of Ceara state, Fortaleza is best characterized by its city landscape lined with beaches and palm trees. It also features some great seafood as well as long-standing folk traditions in culture and dance.
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 Adventure Tours to Brazil, The Best Eco Tours in 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 dayFortaleza $69El Calafate $10
The average daily cost (per person) in Fortaleza is $69, 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 Fortaleza and El Calafate in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFortaleza $30El Calafate $3.42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFortaleza $60El Calafate $6.84
Compare Hotels in Fortaleza and El Calafate
Looking for a hotel in Fortaleza 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: Fortaleza Hotel Prices and El Calafate Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Fortaleza $21El Calafate $3.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Fortaleza
Also for Fortaleza, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer to Beach Park: $12
- Transfer leaving from the Fortaleza waterfront to Beach Park: $9.03
- Transfer from Fortaleza to Jericoacoara: $29
- Transfer Fortaleza to Jericoacoara: $300
- Transfer Fortaleza - Jericoacoara: $155
- Transfer 4x4 Regular Service Fortaleza - Jericoacoara: $75
- Transfer 4 X 4 Fortaleza to Jericoacoara or Jericoacoara to Fortaleza: $240
- Shared Transfer from Fortaleza to Jericoacoara: $104
- Shared Transfer from Fortaleza to Cumbuco: $49
- Shared Transfer from Fortaleza to Aquiraz: $88
- Shared Airport Transfer to Fortaleza Hotels: $9.63
- Roundtrip transfer from Pinto Martins Airport to Hotels in Fortaleza: $18
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
- 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: $12
- Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $12
Is it cheaper to fly into Fortaleza or El Calafate?
Prices for flights to both El Calafate and Fortaleza 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 dayFortaleza $24El Calafate $3.71
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Fortaleza
For Fortaleza, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Thematic Show with Rotation of Pizzas in Aquiraz: $28
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
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Tour with Dinner & Transfer: $126
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $143
- 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.Fortaleza $15El Calafate $3.71
Tours and Activities in Fortaleza
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Fortaleza.
- Águas Belas Tour: $15
- 3 Beaches in 1 Day Tour Leaving Fortaleza: $13
- Beach Park Full-Day Trip Including Brief Tour of Fortaleza: $35
- Canoa Quebrada Beach Tour with Nettour: $20
- Canoe Quebrada Full Day Tour - Departure from Fortaleza by Vitorino Turismo: $19
- City Tour Fortaleza - Full Day Cumbuco Beach Tour by Nettour: $26
- City-Tour and Fortaleza (central market, cathedral, Fort, Theaters, encetur, P.ferreira: $57
- Cumbuco Beach Tour: $12
- Cumbuco Beach with City Tour from Fortaleza: $16
- Fortaleza City Tour : $26
- Fortaleza Like a Local: Customized Private Tour: $31
- Half-Day City Tour: $25
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: $274
- Darwin Experience - kayaks & adventure: $230
- El Calafate Balconies Experience - Tour in FWD vehicle: $164
- El Calafate Balconies Experience - Tour in FWD vehicle: $192
- 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: $169
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFortaleza $9.97El Calafate $1.86
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 Fortaleza and El Calafate, we can see that Fortaleza 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 Fortaleza would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fortaleza 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 Fortaleza Expensive? and Is El Calafate Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Fortaleza or El Calafate?
Fortaleza has a larger population, and is about 300 times larger than the population of El Calafate. When comparing the sizes of Fortaleza 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.