Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or Isla Mujeres?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Isla Mujeres or El Calafate?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Isla Mujeres and El Calafate. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Isla Mujeres or El Calafate?
Isla Mujeres
About eight miles from the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Isla Mujeres is an island in the Mexican Caribbean Sea. The town, of the same name, has a population of about 13,000. Tourism has grown in the area since the 1970s and today it is a significant part of the island's economy. As such, there are plenty of amenities that cater specifically to visitors. The island's proximity to Cuba make it a common transit point for Cubans in route to the United States.
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 Historical Tours in Mexico, The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina, and The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayIsla Mujeres $148El Calafate $10
The average daily cost (per person) in Isla Mujeres is $148, 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 Isla Mujeres and El Calafate in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personIsla Mujeres $78El Calafate $3.42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomIsla Mujeres $156El Calafate $6.84
Compare Hotels in Isla Mujeres and El Calafate
Looking for a hotel in Isla Mujeres 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.
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: Isla Mujeres Hotel Prices and El Calafate Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Isla Mujeres $35El Calafate $3.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Isla Mujeres
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Isla Mujeres:
- Private Transfer: Playa Mujeres to Cancun Airport CUN in SUV: $123
Typical Local Transportation Prices in El Calafate
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in El Calafate:
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Taxi$1.39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Calafate
Also for El Calafate, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $12
- Transfer from the airport to your hotel in El Calafate: $14
- Shared Transfer from El Calafate Airport to downtown Hotel: $15
- Shared Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Calafate): $32
- Private Transfer Hotel-Bus Station or Bus Station-Hotel (Calafate): $35
- Roundtrip transfer in Private Car from Calafate Airport (FTE)- Calafate City: $49
- Excursion to the Perito Moreno Glacier, with guide and transfer to / from the hotel: $60
- Private Airport Transfer: $64
- Shared transfer to El Calafate -El Chaltén: $75
- Laguna de Los Tres Transfer & Self-Guided Hike: $101
- Perito Moreno Glacier Mini Trek with Transfer: $456
Is it cheaper to fly into Isla Mujeres or El Calafate?
Prices for flights to both El Calafate and Isla Mujeres 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 dayIsla Mujeres $46El Calafate $3.71
Typical Food Prices in El Calafate
For El Calafate, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Dessert$0.01
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Dinner$1.81
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Dinner$1.07
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:
- Argentine Dinner with Live Music Folklore -Estancia 25 de Mayo: $48
- Country Afternoon with Dinner Show - Estancia 25 de Mayo: $100
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Tour with Dinner & Transfer: $126
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $141
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Experience with Dinner from Calafate: $155
- Estancia 25 de Mayo in El Calafate - PM visit with dinner: $186
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Isla Mujeres $21El Calafate $3.71
Tours and Activities in Isla Mujeres
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Isla Mujeres are as follows:
- Romantic tour in Isla Mujeres: $126
- Scuba Diving Adventure WITHOUT CERTIFICATION! Try it today!: $185
- 3 Hours VIP Semiprivate Tour Isla Mujeres Full Snorkeling Experience : $84
- Cancun Jungle Kingdom Adventure ATV, Zipline and Cenote : $70
- Cancun: Full-Day Catamaran Cruise to Isla Mujeres: $79
- Cancun: Isla Mujeres 12 pm Catamaran Tour with Snorkeling: $59
- Crystal Boat Tour to Isla Mujeres and Reefs: $43
- From Cancún: Isla Mujeres Sunset Catamaran Cruise: $75
- From Riviera Maya: Isla Contoy & Isla Mujeres Full-Day Tour: $163
- Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Adventure at the Underwater Museum: $47
- Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Tour: $90
- Isla Mujeres Snorkeling Tour Adventure: $49
Typical Entertainment Prices in El Calafate
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for El Calafate's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Glacerium Museum$1.39
Tours and Activities in El Calafate
For El Calafate, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Panoramic Tour with Punta Walichu: $57
- Perito Moreno Glacier & Optional Boat Cruise: $62
- El Calafate, Perito Moreno Glacier classic tour with guide: $62
- Argentine Cuisine Experience in El Calafate: $65
- Southroad Calafate Balcony Experience with Tour Mode Options: $70
- From Full-Day Tour to El Chaltén: $79
- El Calafate City Sightseeing Tour Including Walichu Caves: $80
- El Chalten Complete Experience Full Day Tour from El Calafate: $80
- Full Day Guided Tour Perito Moreno National Park and Glacier: $80
- El Calafate City Tour and Walichu caves: $81
- Perito Moreno Glacier Sightseeing Tour: $87
- Half-Day Tour at Estancia 25 de Mayo Field Afternoon: $90
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayIsla Mujeres $25El Calafate $1.86
Sample the Local Flavors in Isla Mujeres
Also in Isla Mujeres, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Isla Mujeres Golf Cart Bar Crawl : $175
Typical Alcohol Prices in El Calafate
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in El Calafate:
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Beer$0.01
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Alcohol$0.37
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Isla Mujeres and El Calafate, we can see that Isla Mujeres is more expensive. And not only is El Calafate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Isla Mujeres is in North America and El Calafate 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 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 Isla Mujeres would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Isla Mujeres 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 Isla Mujeres Expensive? and Is El Calafate Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Isla Mujeres or El Calafate?
Isla Mujeres has a larger population, and is about 56% larger than the population of El Calafate. When comparing the sizes of Isla Mujeres 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.
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.