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

Should you visit Guayaquil or Puerto Madryn?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Guayaquil or Puerto Madryn, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Guayaquil or Puerto Madryn?

Guayaquil

Guayaquil is Ecuador's largest city and seaport. From a tourist perspective, the city acts primarily as a transportation gateway to the country and the Galapagos Islands. While the city can be skipped altogether, should you have a free day to spend here, there are a few noteworthy things to do, as well as some terrific dining and nightlife options. Guayaquil’s main tourist attraction is Las Penas, a hill with old, colorfully painted buildings at the north end of the Malecon, where you can walk the 400 steps to the lighthouse at the top for good views of the city. The neighborhood is filled with cafes, bars, restaurants, and art galleries and is relatively safe. Other important sights include the Malecon 2000, a massive urban development project that has brought new life to the riverside in the city center and the Parque Seminario, filled with fountains, trees and iguanas, located at 10 de Agosto Ave and Chile Ave.

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 G Adventures Tours to Ecuador, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ecuador, The Best 2-Week Tours in Argentina, and The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Madryn or Guayaquil?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Guayaquil is $95, 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 Guayaquil and Puerto Madryn in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Guayaquil $32
    Puerto Madryn $5.33
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Guayaquil $64
    Puerto Madryn $11
Compare Hotels in Guayaquil and Puerto Madryn

Looking for a hotel in Guayaquil 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 Guayaquil


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: Guayaquil Hotel Prices and Puerto Madryn Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Guayaquil $15
    Puerto Madryn $3.33

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guayaquil

Also for Guayaquil, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Transfer from Guayaquil Airport to Hotel or vice versa: $12
  • Guayaquil PRIVATE Departure Transfer from Hotels to the Airport.: $17
  • Guayaquil PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $17
  • Guayaquil PRIVATE Arrival Transfer from the Airport to Hotels: $17
  • Private Transfer from Guayaquil Airport to Hotels: $20
  • Private Transfers to and from the Airport in Guayaquil: $25
  • Private Transfer Out From Hotel to Guayaquil Airport: $25
  • Private Transfer In From Guayaquil Airport to Hotel: $25
  • Transfer from Guayaquil airport to the hotel and vice versa: $30
  • Shared transfer from Hotel to Airport in Guayaquil: $47
  • Shared transfer from Guayaquil Airport to Hotel: $47
  • Guayaquil Airport (GYE) to Guayaquil hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $53

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Madryn

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:

  • Trelew Airport Shuttle Transfer To Puerto Madryn : $36
  • From Punta Tombo Day Trip with Hotel Transfer: $92

Is it cheaper to fly into Guayaquil or Puerto Madryn?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Madryn and Guayaquil 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
    Guayaquil $29
    Puerto Madryn $5.78

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guayaquil

For Guayaquil, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Half Day Guayaquil Culinary Adventure, Cacao Cooking Class: $185

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Guayaquil $21
    Puerto Madryn $5.86

Tours and Activities in Guayaquil

For Guayaquil, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Shared Walking Tour in Guayaquil City: $35
  • City Tour Guayaquil: $40
  • Guayaquil City Tour: $40
  • Self-guided walking tour of Guayaquil's landmarks.: $45
  • Private Experience of Flavors and Wine Pairing in Guayaquil: $50
  • From Montañita: Paragliding Experience: $55
  • City Tour with Hotel Pickup and Drop-off: $63
  • Guayaquil to Cuenca one-way tour with Cajas Park and a Cacao Farm visit: $74
  • City Tour around Guayaquil: $75
  • Guayaquil City Tour Including the Light House of Cerro Santa Ana: $80
  • Private Guayaquil City Tour and Parque Historico: $80
  • Guayaquil Layover Sightseeing Tour with Round-Trip Airport Transport: $82

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:

  • 4 x 4 experience around Puerto Madryn: $100
  • City Tour and Sea Lions at Punta Loma from Puerto Madryn: $75
  • Cruise Shore Excursion Ea San Lorenzo Peninsula Valdes - Patagonia - Argentina: $229
  • Cruise Shore Excursion Peninsula Valdes - Pto Madryn - Patagonia - Argentina: $119
  • Cruise Shore Excursion Punta Tombo - Tickets included - Puerto Madryn Patagonia: $129
  • Excursion to Punta Loma and Puerto Madryn for Cruisers: $60
  • From City Tour and Punta Loma Tour: $70
  • From Penguin Tour & Península Valdés Day Trip: $153
  • From Valdes Peninsula Full-Day Tour: $203
  • Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience: $90
  • Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience - optional Whale Watching : $87
  • Full Day Punta Tombo - Walking Among Penguins Experience - Madryn: $87

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Guayaquil $17
    Puerto Madryn $3.18

Sample the Local Flavors in Guayaquil

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Guayaquil:

  • Taste and discover the factory of a craft brewery: $65


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Guayaquil and Puerto Madryn, we can see that Guayaquil is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Madryn much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Guayaquil would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Guayaquil 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 Guayaquil Expensive? and Is Puerto Madryn Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Guayaquil or Puerto Madryn?

Guayaquil has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Puerto Madryn. When comparing the sizes of Guayaquil 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.


When is the best time to visit Guayaquil or Puerto Madryn?

Puerto Madryn has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Guayaquil experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Guayaquil or Puerto Madryn in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Guayaquil as well as Puerto Madryn. Guayaquil attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

Guayaquil is around the same temperature as Puerto Madryn in the summer. The daily temperature in Guayaquil averages around 23°C (73°F) in July, and Puerto Madryn fluctuates around 22°C (71°F)in January.

Guayaquil receives a lot of rain in the summer. Guayaquil usually gets more rain in July than Puerto Madrynin January. Guayaquil gets 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July and January
    Guayaquil 23°C (73°F) 
    Puerto Madryn 22°C (71°F)

Should I visit Guayaquil or Puerto Madryn in the Autumn?

Both Puerto Madryn and Guayaquil are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Guayaquil throughout the year.

In the autumn, Guayaquil is much warmer than Puerto Madryn. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Guayaquil in October average around 23°C (73°F), and Puerto Madryn averages at about 14°C (58°F)in April.

In October, Guayaquil usually receives more rain than Puerto Madrynin April. Guayaquil gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October and April
    Guayaquil 23°C (73°F) 
    Puerto Madryn 14°C (58°F)

Should I visit Guayaquil or Puerto Madryn in the Winter?

Both Puerto Madryn and Guayaquil during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Guayaquil because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In January, Guayaquil is generally much warmer than Puerto Madrynin July. Daily temperatures in Guayaquil average around 28°C (82°F), and Puerto Madryn fluctuates around 7°C (45°F).

It rains a lot this time of the year in Guayaquil. Guayaquil usually gets more rain in January than Puerto Madrynin July. Guayaquil gets 190 mm (7.5 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January and July
    Guayaquil 28°C (82°F) 
    Puerto Madryn 7°C (45°F)

Should I visit Guayaquil or Puerto Madryn in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Guayaquil and Puerto Madryn. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Guayaquil year-round.

Guayaquil is much warmer than Puerto Madryn in the spring. The daily temperature in Guayaquil averages around 28°C (82°F) in April, and Puerto Madryn fluctuates around 14°C (58°F)in October.

Guayaquil gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Guayaquil usually receives more rain than Puerto Madrynin October. Guayaquil gets 120 mm (4.7 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April and October
    Guayaquil 28°C (82°F) 
    Puerto Madryn 14°C (58°F)

Typical Weather for Puerto Madryn and Guayaquil

Guayaquil Puerto Madryn
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 28°C (82°F) 190 mm (7.5 in) 22°C (71°F) 11 mm (0.4 in)
Feb 27°C (81°F) 230 mm (9.1 in) 21°C (69°F) 18 mm (0.7 in)
Mar 28°C (82°F) 220 mm (8.7 in) 18°C (64°F) 20 mm (0.8 in)
Apr 28°C (82°F) 120 mm (4.7 in) 14°C (58°F) 14 mm (0.6 in)
May 27°C (81°F) 60 mm (2.4 in) 10°C (51°F) 17 mm (0.7 in)
Jun 25°C (77°F) 70 mm (2.8 in) 7°C (45°F) 14 mm (0.6 in)
Jul 23°C (73°F) 110 mm (4.3 in) 7°C (45°F) 18 mm (0.7 in)
Aug 23°C (73°F) 110 mm (4.3 in) 9°C (48°F) 16 mm (0.6 in)
Sep 25°C (77°F) 100 mm (3.9 in) 11°C (53°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Oct 23°C (73°F) 90 mm (3.5 in) 14°C (58°F) 20 mm (0.8 in)
Nov 26°C (79°F) 100 mm (3.9 in) 18°C (64°F) 14 mm (0.6 in)
Dec 27°C (81°F) 130 mm (5.1 in) 20°C (68°F) 12 mm (0.5 in)