Should you visit Mendoza or El Chalten?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Mendoza and El Chalten. 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. So, let's dig into it.
Mendoza
Mendoza is a city in western Argentina and more precisely in the desertic Cuyo region. Mendoza is the center of the Argentinian wine industry and is famed around the world for its vineyards and wine production. Spread across the valley of the Rio Mendoza and in the foothills of the Andean mountain range, Mendoza is also near the Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside of the Himalayas. The bustling and scenic city of wide, leafy avenues, atmospheric plazas and cosmopolitan cafes spoils visitors with unique natural attractions and historical landmarks. If you can, visit Mendoza during the harvest festival at the end of February. There are many events and festivals in Mendoza and they are usually free. Each has a different theme, and they usually have a stage with singing and dancing and booths that sell food around a plaza. Seventy percent of Argentina's wines are produced here, and Mendoza is especially known for its world-famous malbecs.
El Chalten
El Chalten is probably one of the most beautiful areas of Patagonia, especially at the slightest ray of sunshine and one of your cheapest destination while you are travelling in Patagonia. Indeed, you will spend your days hiking and there are no park fees. There are restaurants, souvenir shops, and outdoor stores but most of them will not accept credit cards so before heading out, get cash in El Calafate or your previous stop. For the beginners, it will be long hikes in a magical setting and for the experts perhaps a week long expedition to the greatest glaciers of the world. To discover the way people live in the pampa, you may also decide to stay at an Estancia. In the stunning Estancia Santa Thelma, about 300km away from El Chalten, you will be able to explore the surroundings by horse, live a unique experience in the middle of the nature and its vast plains occupied by thousands of merino sheep and horses and of course eat a typical meal of the region.
Which city is cheaper, El Chalten or Mendoza?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Mendoza is $52, while the average daily cost in El Chalten is $70. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Mendoza and El Chalten in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Mendoza, $40 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Mendoza, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $20, such as in a hostel.
The average price for accommodation for two people in El Chalten is $62. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Food
While meal prices in Mendoza can vary, the average travelers spends about $23 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Mendoza should cost around $9.20 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Mendoza is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
While meal prices in El Chalten can vary, the average travelers spends about $26 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in El Chalten should cost around $10 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in El Chalten is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Mendoza $23
El Chalten $26
Typical Food prices in Mendoza
For Mendoza, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mendoza
For Mendoza, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Gourmet Dinner at Espacio Trapiche:
$54
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Cooking class experience at a Mendoza winery:
$145
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Asado cooking class and dinner in Mendoza city.:
$168
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Winery dinner. Enjoy the best restaurant in a winery:
$252
Local Transportation
Mendoza's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $10 per person, per day on transportation in Mendoza.
The cost of a taxi ride in El Chalten is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $17 per person, per day, on local transportation in El Chalten.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mendoza
Also for Mendoza, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Mendoza Airport Shuttle Transfer:
$11
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Shared Transfer Mendoza Bus Station / Downtown Hotel:
$13
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Private Airport Transfer: El Plumerillo International Airport (MDZ) to Mendoza:
$22
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Private Airport Transfer: Mendoza to El Plumerillo International Airport (MDZ):
$22
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One Way Transfer - Mendoza Airport to/from Mendoza City:
$25
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Private Transfer in Mendoza:
$29
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Mendoza Airport Arrival Transfer:
$55
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Premium Spa Day & Fango Therapy at Cacheuta Hot Springs with Lunch and Transfers:
$93
Is it cheaper to fly into Mendoza or El Chalten?
Prices for flights to both El Chalten and Mendoza 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Mendoza can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $15 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Entertainment and activities in El Chalten typically cost an average of $19 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Tours and Activities in Mendoza
For Mendoza, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Half Day Mendoza City Sightseeing Tour:
$15
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Mendoza City Tour:
$15
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FOLLOW MENDOZA, Walking City & Park tour:
$20
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Villavicencio Natural Reserve Half-Day Tour from Mendoza:
$23
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Mendoza City & General San Martin Park 2.5-Hour Tour:
$28
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Mendoza Half-Day Sightseeing Tour:
$29
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City Tour of Mendoza with Cerro de la Gloria:
$32
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From High Andes Aconcagua Mountain Tour:
$32
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Mendoza walking tour. Visit Mendoza city:
$35
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Wineries tour in Mendoza with La Carrodilla Church:
$36
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Full Day High Mountain Tour from Mendoza:
$39
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From San Rafael Sightseeing and Atuel Canyon Tour:
$39
Tours and Activities in El Chalten
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for El Chalten are as follows:
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2-Day Chalten Adventure tour: Laguna de los Tres, Mount Fitz Roy & Cerro Torre:
$333
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2-Day Hiking Tour of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre from El Chalten:
$553
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3-Day Eco-Lodge Trekking Tour at Los Glaciares National Park from El Chalten:
$789
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El Chalten Rafting Experience:
$149
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El Chalten Rafting Experience:
$225
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Module Fitz Roy Adventure:
$305
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Mendoza spend on average $8.79 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about $8.59 on alcoholic beverages in El Chalten per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Mendoza
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Mendoza:
Sample the Local Flavors in Mendoza
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mendoza:
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Vineyards with Wine Tasting in Mendoza:
$21
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Mendoza Wine Tour with Lunch:
$80
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Sunday Wine Tasting Tour and Argentinien BBQ:
$80
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Bike wine tour. Visit 2 of the best wineries:
$81
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Private Uco Valley Tour including Lunch and Wine Tasting from Mendoza:
$95
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Private Lujan Wine Tour with Gourmet Wine-Paired Lunch from Mendoza:
$100
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Mendoza 4-Day Sightseeing and Wine Tour:
$103
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Half day wine tour. Visit 2 wineries in Lujan de Cuyo:
$103
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Private Wine Tasting and Vineyards Tour from Mendoza:
$136
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Deluxe Mendoza Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour:
$145
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Bike wine tours. Visit 3 wineries and enjoy gourmet lunch:
$153
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Luján de Cuyo best Wines- Ultimate Wine Tour:
$154
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mendoza and El Chalten, we can see that El Chalten is more expensive. And not only is Mendoza much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Mendoza would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mendoza 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 El Chalten would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in El Chalten than you might in Mendoza.
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