A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Guatemala City vs. Puerto Madryn for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Guatemala City or Puerto Madryn?

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

Should I visit Guatemala City or Puerto Madryn? 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.

Where Should I go: Guatemala City or Puerto Madryn?

Guatemala City

Referred to by the locals as "Guate," Guatemala City is the largest and most modern city in Guatemala, as well as its capital. While the atmosphere of the place is big, dirty, and dangerous with city fumes and skyscrapers, it is the hub of the country. It is the place where travelers first step foot into Guatemala and, though it is a place of modern chaos, it does have some of the best galleries and museums as well as a selection of bars, cafes, and restaurants.

Puerto Madryn

Puerto Madryn is mostly known as the gateway to Peninsula Valdes, welcoming tourists who come for whale watching. The Peninsula Valdes is a nature reserve designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site; 97 km long and 63 km wide, it is connected to the continent by an isthmus of 35 km from which we can see both gulfs, San Jose at north and the Nuevo at south.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala, The Best 2-Week Tours in Argentina, and The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Madryn or Guatemala City?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Guatemala City is $44, while the average daily cost in Puerto Madryn is $14. 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 Guatemala City and Puerto Madryn in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Guatemala City $24
    Puerto Madryn $5.25
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Guatemala City $48
    Puerto Madryn $11
Compare Hotels in Guatemala City and Puerto Madryn

Looking for a hotel in Guatemala City or Puerto Madryn? 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.

Hotels in Guatemala City


Hotels in Puerto Madryn


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: Guatemala City Hotel Prices and Puerto Madryn Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Guatemala City $6.17
    Puerto Madryn $3.28

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guatemala City

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guatemala City:

  • PRIVATE Group Transfer From Guatemala City to La Antigua: $20
  • Private Ground Transfer Airport - Antigua Guatemala: $23
  • Shared Arrival Transfer: Guatemala City Airport to Hotels: $43
  • Private Airport Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $45
  • Guatemala Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $56
  • Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Antigua: $74
  • One way private transfer to Antigua: $74
  • Transfer from Guatemala City hotel to INTL Airport La Aurora: $75
  • Transfer from Airport to Antigua: $80
  • Private Transfer from La Aurora Airport to Antigua Guatemala: $120
  • Private Ground Transfer Guatemala City To Panajachel, LakeAtitlan: $150

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Madryn

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:

  • Trelew Airport Shuttle Transfer To Puerto Madryn : $47
  • From Punta Tombo Day Trip with Hotel Transfer: $131

Is it cheaper to fly into Guatemala City or Puerto Madryn?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Madryn and Guatemala City 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Guatemala City $15
    Puerto Madryn $5.69

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guatemala City

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guatemala City.

  • Taste Antigua Guatemala Walking Food Tour : $75
  • Small-Group Cooking Class in Antigua from Guatemala City: $120
  • Antigua Market, Cooking Class and Choco Museum from Guatemala City: $178
  • Pacaya Volcano Vistas + Enjoy Pizza Cooked Under Volcanic Heat: $180

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Guatemala City $1.21
    Puerto Madryn $5.77

Tours and Activities in Guatemala City

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Guatemala City are as follows:

  • Culinary Experience in Guatemala City: $15
  • Half Day Antigua Guatemala Tour: $17
  • Half Day Guatemala City Tour: $27
  • Guatemala city Walking Tour and public bus: $30
  • Half-Day Guatemala City Explorer Tour: $34
  • Graffiti Walking Tour in 4 Grados Norte Guatemala City : $35
  • UNESCO JEWELS: Antigua Half Day Tour from Guatemala City: $38
  • Tour around antigua's villages: $50
  • Half-Day Guatemala City Tour : $55
  • 3-hour Bike Tour Guatemala City South: $55
  • Antigua Guatemala Full Day Tour: $58
  • Guatemala City Afternoon Sightseeing Tour: $60

Typical Entertainment Prices in Puerto Madryn

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Puerto Madryn are as follows:


  • Whale Watching for Two
    $0.35

Tours and Activities in Puerto Madryn

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Madryn are as follows:

  • Kayaking adventure in Puerto Madryn: $60
  • Excursion to Punta Loma and Puerto Madryn for Cruisers: $60
  • From City and Punta Loma Tour: $70
  • Shore Excursion: Punta Loma+City Tour, for cruise passengers: $70
  • Punta Loma Shore Excursion with City tour: $75
  • Punta Loma Excursion for Cruise Passengers: $75
  • Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience - optional Whale Watching : $87
  • Peninsula Valdes Full Day Tour: $88
  • Punta Tombo Tour, the Penguin Experience: $88
  • Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience: $90
  • Shore Excursion Punta Loma Sea Lions Reserve Including Puerto Madryn City Tour : $95
  • Wonderful Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery Tour : $100

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Guatemala City $6.84
    Puerto Madryn $3.13


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Guatemala City and Puerto Madryn, we can see that Guatemala City is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Madryn much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Guatemala City is in Central America and Puerto Madryn 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 Puerto Madryn would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Madryn 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 Guatemala City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Guatemala City than you might in Puerto Madryn.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Guatemala City Expensive? and Is Puerto Madryn Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Guatemala City or Puerto Madryn?

Guatemala City has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Puerto Madryn. When comparing the sizes of Guatemala City and Puerto Madryn, 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.