Which place is cheaper, Ushuaia or Ilha Grande?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Ilha Grande or Ushuaia?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ilha Grande or Ushuaia? 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 Ushuaia?
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.
Ushuaia
Ushuaia is a city on the Tierra del Fuego island of Argentina on the Beagle Strait. The city is considered to be one of the southernmost cities in the world and is often used as a base for cruises to Antarctica. Ushuaia's close proximity to Antarctica and their amazing hiking trails have made it a popular tourist destination over the past few decades.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Brazil, The Best Eco Tours in Brazil, The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Buenos Aires.
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Ilha Grande Prices
Brazil PricesUshuaia Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIlha Grande $80Ushuaia $0.00
The average daily cost (per person) in Ilha Grande is $80, while the average daily cost in Ushuaia is $0.00. 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 Ushuaia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIlha Grande $35Ushuaia -
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIlha Grande $70Ushuaia $0.00
Compare Hotels in Ilha Grande and Ushuaia
Looking for a hotel in Ilha Grande or Ushuaia? 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.
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: Ushuaia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ilha Grande $17Ushuaia -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ilha Grande
Also for Ilha Grande, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from GIG to anywhere in the City Angra dos Reis: $182
- Private Transfer from Angra dos Reis to Airport GIG in Rio : $182
- Private Transfer Angra dos Reis to Rio de Janeiro: $91
- From Angra dos Reis: Shared Transfer to Rio de Janeiro: $46
- Regular Transfer Angra dos Reis x Rio de Janeiro and Airports: $36
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ushuaia
Also for Ushuaia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Ushuaia:Trekking Glaciar & Ice Caves W/Lunch and Transfer: $176
- Transfers to Cerro Castor: $20
- Shared One-way Airport Transfer: $7.00
- National Park, Train and Navigation. Airport transfer included: $204
- Husky Trekking with Transfer: $62
- Escondido and Fagnano Lakes with transfer: $112
- Complete Husky Experience + Buoy Park with Transfer: $124
- Antarctic Experience W/Snowmobile Ride & Transfer: $242
- Airport Transfer: $10
- Ushuaia to Ushuaia Airport (USH) - Departure Private Transfer: $25
- Ushuaia city to Ushuaia Airport(USH) - Departure Private Transfer: $24
- Ushuaia Low cost Transfers: $17
Is it cheaper to fly into Ilha Grande or Ushuaia?
Prices for flights to both Ushuaia 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
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Food Meals for one dayIlha Grande $35Ushuaia -
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ushuaia
For Ushuaia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Adventure and Snow Moto + Buffet Lunch or Pizza Rodizio + Transfer: $96
- Beaver Sighting with Dinner off Lake Fagnano: $170
- Ushuaia City Tour: Vespertine Tour with Dinner: $189
- Snowmobile + Snowshoeing + Huskies + Skiing + Lunch or Pizza Buffet: $195
- Tierra del Fuego National Park PM - with Dinner included: $210
- Discovering Lakes Escondido and Fagnano with sunset dinner: $210
- Puerto Almanza and Punta Paraná Tour with Dinner: $210
- Tierra del Fuego National Park: vespertine tour with dinner: $210
- Snow and Fire with Dinner in Firepit, Sledge Ride and Snowmobile: $250
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ilha Grande $6.36Ushuaia -
Tours and Activities in Ilha Grande
For Ilha Grande, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Angra dos Reis Lagoons Shared Speedboat Tour: $78
- Angra Dos Reis Daily Tour To Paradise. Boat Trip Lunch And Fruits Included: $67
- Angra Super Blue Lagoon Speedboat Tour: $76
- Angra dos Reis Island Hopping Speedboat Tour from Ilha Grande: $69
- Boat Adventure through the Super Blue Lagoon in Angra dos Reis: $77
- Boat Tour To The Beaches Of Angra Dos Reis: $18
- Discover Angra’s Hidden Paradise Islands by Speedboat Tour: $78
- Diving Adventures in Angra dos Reis: $177
- From Ilha Grande - Paradise Island 7 h - Speedboat tour: $65
- Full-Day Ilha Grande Northern Coast Speedboat Tour: $63
- Half-Day Ilha Grande Schooner Tour: $42
- Ilha Grande - From Abrãao: Lopes Mendes beach tour & trekking: $25
Tours and Activities in Ushuaia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ushuaia.
- 3-Hour Tour Sailing through the Beagle Channel: $105
- 4×4 Off Road Tour to Escondido and Khami Lakes: $200
- 4W4 Adventure in Lagos Full Day with Roast : $170
- 4WD Off-Road Lakes Adventure in Tierra del Fuego: $167
- 4x4 Adventure at Lago Fagnano from Ushuaia: $236
- 4x4 Lake Fagnano Adventure from Ushuaia: $218
- 5-Hour National Park + City tour - USHUAIA (Private Tour): $205
- 5.5-Hour Nat Park w/ Hiking *Shore Excursion* USHUAIA (Shared tour for cruises): $150
- 5hrs of Trekking Experience in Martial Glacier: $115
- Adventure in the Lakes Fueguinos quadricycles and Patagonian lamb: $238
- Adventure through Lagos 4X4 in Ushuaia: $162
- Albino's Eye Glacier Full-Day Trekking Tour from Ushuaia: $286
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIlha Grande $10Ushuaia -
Sample the Local Flavors in Ushuaia
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Ushuaia:
- Photo tour and Wine Tasting in Ushuaia City: $115
- City tour and Wine tasting: $115
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ilha Grande and Ushuaia, we can see that Ilha Grande is more expensive. And not only is Ushuaia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ushuaia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia.
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 Ushuaia Expensive?.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.