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

Should you visit Huaraz or El Calafate?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Huaraz and El Calafate can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Huaraz or El Calafate?

Huaraz

Huaraz is a large town in the Cordillera Blanca region of Peru's Central Sierra. Huaraz stands tall at 3100m; travellers from Lima might need a day or two to acclimatize to the change in atmosphere. Nearly wiped out by the earthquake of 1970, the town of 100,000 blends a mix of modern and native culture. Huarez is first and foremost a trekking metropolis. During high season the streets buzz with hundreds of backpackers and adventurers freshly returned from arduous hikes or planning their next expedition. The town has many markets, shops, quality restaurants and hopping bars catering to tourist and local needs. Mountain adventures in the off-season can be equally rewarding, but the vibe is calmer and some places go into hibernation once the rains set in.

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 Peru, The Best 10-Day Tours in Peru, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina, and The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or Huaraz?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Huaraz is $50, 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 Huaraz and El Calafate in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Huaraz $20
    El Calafate $3.48
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Huaraz $40
    El Calafate $6.96
Compare Hotels in Huaraz and El Calafate

Looking for a hotel in Huaraz 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.

Hotels in Huaraz


Hotels in El Calafate


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: Huaraz Hotel Prices and El Calafate Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Huaraz $10
    El Calafate $3.59
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Huaraz

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Huaraz are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $2.18

Typical Local Transportation Prices in El Calafate

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in El Calafate:


  • Taxi
    $1.41

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
  • Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $12
  • Mini trekking Perito Moreno with Footbridges visit and Transfer: $230
  • Roundtrip transfer in Private Car from Calafate Airport (FTE)- Calafate City: $49
  • Shared transfer to El Calafate -El Chaltén: $75
  • South Glacier Pioneers with transfer: $300

Is it cheaper to fly into Huaraz or El Calafate?

Prices for flights to both El Calafate and Huaraz 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
    Huaraz $18
    El Calafate $3.77
Typical Food Prices in Huaraz

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Huaraz:


  • Lunch
    $5.99
  • Chips
    $1.50

Typical Food Prices in El Calafate

For El Calafate, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Dessert
    $0.01
  • Dinner
    $1.83
  • Dinner
    $1.08

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:

  • Estancia 25 de Mayo Tour with Dinner & Transfer: $114
  • Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $117
  • Estancia 25 de Mayo in El Calafate - PM visit with dinner: $186

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Huaraz $20
    El Calafate $3.76
Typical Entertainment Prices in Huaraz

Here are a few typical costs in Huaraz for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Climbing Gear
    $17

Tours and Activities in Huaraz

Here are a few actual costs in Huaraz for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 69 Lake Tour of Peru: $26
  • Ancash: Adventure and Climbing to Mountain Alpamayo |6D-5N|: $3,303
  • Ancash: Nevado pastors and puyas Raymondi Tour | Full Day |: $40
  • Ancash: Trek and Adventure to Quillcayhuanca |3Days-2Nights|: $410
  • From Ancash: Fantastic tour Huaraz/Nevado Pastoruri |4D-3N|: $192
  • From Ancash: Huaraz Adventure with meals |3Days-2Nights|: $142
  • From Ancash: Tour Huaraz with Puya Raymondi |4Days-3Nights|: $197
  • From Ancash: Tour fantastic in Huaraz |2Days-1Night|: $92
  • From Ancash: Tour in Huaraz with tickets and Hotel |5D-4N|: $250
  • From Huaraz | Live an adventure between mountains and lakes: $214
  • From Huaraz || Full day tour Laguna 69 in -Cordillera Blanca: $36
  • From Chavín de Huantar fullday tour: $56

Typical Entertainment Prices in El Calafate

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for El Calafate's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Glacerium Museum
    $1.41

Tours and Activities in El Calafate

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

  • city tour: $20
  • Panoramic Tour with Punta Walichu: $57
  • Full Day Guided Tour Perito Moreno National Park and Glacier: $60
  • Perito Moreno Glacier & Optional Boat Cruise: $62
  • From Full-Day Tour to El Chaltén: $66
  • Southroad Calafate Balcony Experience with Tour Mode Options: $70
  • Half-Day Tour at Estancia 25 de Mayo Field Afternoon: $74
  • Full Day Tour in El Chalten: $75
  • Calafate City Tour with Walichu Caves: $78
  • El Calafate City Sightseeing Tour Including Walichu Caves: $80
  • El Chalten Complete Experience Full Day Tour from El Calafate: $80
  • El Calafate City Tour and Walichu caves: $81

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Huaraz $15
    El Calafate $1.89

Typical Alcohol Prices in El Calafate

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in El Calafate:


  • Beer
    $0.01
  • Alcohol
    $0.38


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


Which is Bigger, Huaraz or El Calafate?

Huaraz has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of El Calafate. When comparing the sizes of Huaraz 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.