Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or Granada?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Granada and El Calafate. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Granada is Nicaragua's oldest colonial city, and arguably, the most beautiful city in the country. It sits on the northern edge of Lake Nicaragua (Lago Cocibolca) and has many beautifully colored buildings and nice churches. The city's beauty and colonial architecture, along with its relative safety and accessibility, make it one of Nicaragua's top tourist destinations. The city has long been a center for commerce, but today its economy depends heavily on tourism. The city is the sixth largest in Nicaragua and a real estate boom in the early 2000's brought a large number of expats to the town.
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 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua, 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 Granada is $40, 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 Granada and El Calafate in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Granada 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.
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:
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:
Prices for flights to both El Calafate and Granada 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.
Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:
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:
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Granada are as follows:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Granada are as follows:
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:
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Granada:
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in El Calafate:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Granada and El Calafate, we can see that Granada is more expensive. And not only is El Calafate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Granada is in Central America 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 Granada would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Granada 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 Granada Expensive? and Is El Calafate Expensive?.
Granada has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of El Calafate. When comparing the sizes of Granada 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.