A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Granada vs. El Chalten for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Granada or El Chalten?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Granada and El Chalten. 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.

Where Should I go: Granada or El Chalten?

Granada

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.

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 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.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Granada and El Chalten, we can see that Granada is more expensive. And not only is El Chalten much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Granada is in Central America and El Chalten 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 Chalten would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in El Chalten 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 Chalten.

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 Chalten Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Granada or El Chalten?

El Chalten has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Granada experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Granada or El Chalten in the Summer?

Both El Chalten and Granada are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Granada throughout the year.

In the summer, Granada is around the same temperature as El Chalten. Typically, the summer temperatures in Granada in July average around 27°C (81°F), and El Chalten averages at about 27°C (81°F)in January.

It rains a lot this time of the year in El Chalten. It's quite rainy in Granada. In July, Granada usually receives more rain than El Chaltenin January. Granada gets 144 mm (5.7 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Granada or El Chalten in the Autumn?

Both El Chalten and Granada during the autumn are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Granada because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In October, Granada is generally a little warmer than El Chaltenin April. Daily temperatures in Granada average around 27°C (81°F), and El Chalten fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).

El Chalten gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Granada. Granada usually gets more rain in October than El Chaltenin April. Granada gets 197 mm (7.8 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Granada or El Chalten in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Granada and El Chalten. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Granada year-round.

Granada is much warmer than El Chalten in the winter. The daily temperature in Granada averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and El Chalten fluctuates around 16°C (61°F)in July.

In January, Granada usually receives less rain than El Chaltenin July. Granada gets 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Granada or El Chalten in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Granada as well as El Chalten. Granada attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In the spring, Granada is a little warmer than El Chalten. Typically, the spring temperatures in Granada in April average around 29°C (84°F), and El Chalten averages at about 22°C (72°F)in October.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in El Chalten. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Granada this time of the year. In the spring, Granada often gets more sunshine than El Chaltenin October. Granada gets 242 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while El Chalten receives 205 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in El Chalten. Granada usually gets less rain in April than El Chaltenin October. Granada gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for El Chalten and Granada