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

Should you visit Ilha Grande or Puerto Madryn?

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

Should I visit Ilha Grande 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: Ilha Grande or Puerto Madryn?

Ilha Grande

Ilha Grande is a large, beautiful, island located off the southeast coast of Brazil. The island has few inhabitants, resulting in mostly unadulterated beaches and landscapes. There are over a dozen trails and beaches to explore, some of which have been called the best beaches in Brazil. Due to the limited number of inhabitants, ATMs are sparse on the island, so be sure to have cash with you before getting there.

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 3-Day Tours from Manaus, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Brazil, The Best 2-Week Tours in Argentina, and The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Madryn or Ilha Grande?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Ilha Grande is $70, 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 Ilha Grande and Puerto Madryn in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ilha Grande $38
    Puerto Madryn $5.33
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ilha Grande $76
    Puerto Madryn $11
Compare Hotels in Ilha Grande and Puerto Madryn

Looking for a hotel in Ilha Grande 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 Ilha Grande


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: Puerto Madryn Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ilha Grande $18
    Puerto Madryn $3.33

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ilha Grande

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

  • From Angra dos Reis: Speedboat Transfer to Araçatiba: $28
  • From Speedboat Transfer to Angra dos Reis: $28
  • From Araçatiba: Speedboat Transfer to Angra dos Reis: $28
  • Regular Transfer Angra dos Reis x Rio de Janeiro and Airports: $39
  • From Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $48
  • From Angra dos Reis: Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $56
  • Shuttle Transfer from Ilha Grande (Abraão) to Paraty: $79
  • Private Transfer Angra dos Reis to Rio de Janeiro: $91
  • From Rio de Janeiro:Shared Roundtrip Transfer to Araçatiba: $108
  • Private Transfer from GIG to anywhere in the City Angra dos Reis: $195
  • Private Transfer from Angra dos Reis to Airport GIG in Rio : $195
  • Departure Transfer: Angra dos Reis to GIG or SDU Airport by Van: $246

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 Ilha Grande or Puerto Madryn?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Madryn and Ilha Grande 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
    Ilha Grande $21
    Puerto Madryn $5.78

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ilha Grande $6.77
    Puerto Madryn $5.86

Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande

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

  • From Abraão, Lopes Mendes Beach Tour & Trekking: $21
  • Boat Tour To The Beaches Of Angra Dos Reis: $21
  • Ilha Grande - From Abrãao: Lopes Mendes beach tour & trekking: $25
  • Half-Day Blue Lagoon Schooner Tour: $40
  • Half-Day Ilha Grande Schooner Tour: $40
  • Six hour speedboat tour of Ilha Grande. Be amazed by the Blue and Green Lagoons: $40
  • Tour Of The Motorboat The Paradisiac Islands Of Angra Dos Reis: $43
  • Rio de Janeiro: Ilha Grande with Boat Tour & Optional Lunch: $49
  • Schooner Cruise with Caipirinha drinks by the Blue Lagoon: $50
  • Angra dos Reis with Speedboat Tour and Paradise Islands: $58
  • Ilha Grande - Private Historical Walking Tour with Natural Pool.: $60
  • Full-Day Ilha Grande Northern Coast Speedboat Tour: $67

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
    Ilha Grande $11
    Puerto Madryn $3.18


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ilha Grande and Puerto Madryn, we can see that Ilha Grande 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 Ilha Grande would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ilha Grande 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 Ilha Grande Expensive? and Is Puerto Madryn Expensive?.