Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or Freeport?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Freeport 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 Freeport 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: Freeport or El Calafate?
Freeport
When you picture the Bahamas you likely picture the beaches, resorts and playgrounds of Nassau. Just to the northwest of this tourist paradise is a tropical city founded on industry. Freeport began as mostly swampland and is now the second most populous city in the Bahamas.
This city is less of a tourist attraction - a place where you'll find the true Bahaman culture mixed in with some relaxing spots to help you unwind and get into your island vacation.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina, and The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFreeport $244El Calafate $10
The average daily cost (per person) in Freeport is $244, 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 Freeport and El Calafate in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFreeport $141El Calafate $3.42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFreeport $282El Calafate $6.84
Compare Hotels in Freeport and El Calafate
Looking for a hotel in Freeport 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: Freeport Hotel Prices and El Calafate Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Freeport $59El Calafate $3.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Freeport
Also for Freeport, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Round Trip Limousine Transfer to the Port Lucaya Market: $150
- Roundtrip Airport Transfers Grand Lucayan Resort Freeport: $30
- Round-trip Airport Transfers to Castaway Resorts, Freeport: $30
- Round-Trip Airport Transfer Viva Club Fortuna Freeport: $30
- Round-Trip Airport Transfer Between Freeport Airport and Pelican Bay Resort : $30
- Private Transfer from Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) to Freeport Port: $29
- Private Transfer from Freeport Port to Grand Bahama Airport (FPO): $29
- Private Transfer from FPO to Old Bahama Bay resort : $233
- Private Transfer from FPO to Freeport hotels or resorts: $167
- Private Round Trip Transfer from Freeport Airport to Hotel: $133
- Old Bahama Bay to Grand Bahama Airport (FPO) - Private Transfer: $194
- Grand Bahama Airport: One-Way Transfer to Freeport Hotels: $139
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: $14
- Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $12
Is it cheaper to fly into Freeport or El Calafate?
Prices for flights to both El Calafate and Freeport 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 dayFreeport $64El Calafate $3.71
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Freeport
For Freeport, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Around Town/Bahamian Cooking Experience: $175
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
- Country Afternoon with Dinner Show - Estancia 25 de Mayo: $100
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Tour with Dinner & Transfer: $126
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $141
- 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.Freeport $40El Calafate $3.71
Typical Entertainment Prices in Freeport
For Freeport, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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10 Dive Package$300
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4 Hr. Kayak Tour$70
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1/2 Day Snorkel Trip$75
Tours and Activities in Freeport
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Freeport.
- 4 Hour Private Sandy Cay Experience with Snorkeling - Adults Only: $275
- Bahamas Sea Scooter Snorkeling Adventure: $120
- Clear Kayak Tour: $120
- CocoNutz Cruisers Electric Bicycle Tour: $123
- East End Private Day Trip Experience Tour : $200
- Freeport Shore Excursion: Garden of the Groves and City Tour: $82
- Mamma Gal East End Native Experience : $85
- Mamma Gal Native Experience : $70
- Rumbo Tour : $90
- Snorkel/Swim with the Turtles Experience: $250
- Tour of Coral Vita and breach brak at Banana bay beach club: $51
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
- "Glaciares Gourmet" - Maria Turquesa Cruiser Navigation (classic): $285
- Blue Safari Experience: Hiking and Navigation on Glaciers: $190
- CALAFATE: Panoramic tour: The best balconies of Calafate: $190
- Cañadón Experience: $187
- Calafate City Tour with Walichu Caves: $100
- Chalten Full Day Trekking Experience - Laguna de los Tres: $180
- Darwin Experience: $254
- Darwin Experience - kayaks & adventure: $230
- Discover La Leona Petrified Forest: Guided Hiking Tour: $190
- El Calafate Balconies Experience - Tour in FWD vehicle: $192
- El Calafate Balconies Experience - Tour in FWD vehicle: $164
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayFreeport $30El Calafate $1.86
Sample the Local Flavors in Freeport
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Freeport:
- Brewery & Taste with Beach & Shop at Largest Market on Freeport 4-hrs : $75
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 Freeport and El Calafate, we can see that Freeport is more expensive. And not only is El Calafate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Freeport is in Caribbean Islands and El Calafate is in South America, 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 Freeport would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Freeport 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 Freeport Expensive? and Is El Calafate Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Freeport or El Calafate?
Freeport has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of El Calafate. When comparing the sizes of Freeport 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.