Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or La Ceiba?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit La Ceiba 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 La Ceiba and El Calafate can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: La Ceiba or El Calafate?
La Ceiba
La Ceiba is the third largest city in Honduras, situated on the north Caribbean coast. The city has a population of about a quarter million people. Many people who visit this city do so before heading into Pico Bonito National Park. It hasn't had the best infrastructure for tourists in the past but is developing fast. It is about 200 kilometers from San Pedro Sula, another large city in Honduras.
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 Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina, and The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLa Ceiba $65El Calafate $10
The average daily cost (per person) in La Ceiba is $65, 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 La Ceiba and El Calafate in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLa Ceiba $24El Calafate $3.42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLa Ceiba $48El Calafate $6.84
Compare Hotels in La Ceiba and El Calafate
Looking for a hotel in La Ceiba 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: La Ceiba Hotel Prices and El Calafate Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.La Ceiba $32El Calafate $3.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Ceiba
Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Ceiba:
- Private Transfer from La Ceiba hotels to Banana Coast Cruise Port: $78
- Private Transfer from Goloson Airport (LCE) to Banana Coast Port: $78
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 La Ceiba or El Calafate?
Prices for flights to both El Calafate and La Ceiba 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 dayLa Ceiba $18El 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.La Ceiba $22El Calafate $3.71
Tours and Activities in La Ceiba
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for La Ceiba are as follows:
- ATV Tour : $110
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 dayLa Ceiba $5.16El Calafate $1.86
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 La Ceiba and El Calafate, we can see that La Ceiba is more expensive. And not only is El Calafate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since La Ceiba is in Central 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 La Ceiba would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Ceiba 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 La Ceiba Expensive? and Is El Calafate Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, La Ceiba or El Calafate?
La Ceiba has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of El Calafate. When comparing the sizes of La Ceiba 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.