Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or Merida?
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 Merida or El Calafate?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Merida or El Calafate, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Merida or El Calafate?
Merida
Merida is the largest city on the Yucatan Peninsula, which separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea. It is also the capital of the state of Yucatan as a whole. There is a population of 750,000 and is very rich in diversity and culture.
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 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina.
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Merida Prices
Mexico PricesEl Calafate Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMerida $105El Calafate $61
The average daily cost (per person) in Merida is $105, while the average daily cost in El Calafate is $61. 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 Merida and El Calafate in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMerida $43El Calafate $38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMerida $86El Calafate $76
Compare Hotels in Merida and El Calafate
Looking for a hotel in Merida 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: Merida Hotel Prices and El Calafate Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Merida $18El Calafate $4.39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merida
Also for Merida, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- transfer from/to airport progress sisal telchac celestun: $148
- Transfer to and from Valladolid Izamal Chichen Itza Airport: $148
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Merida Airport (MID): $39
- Private Transfer from Merida city hotels to Progreso Cruise Port: $132
- Private Transfer from Merida Rejon Airport (MID) to Progreso Port: $132
- Private Transfer Merida to Playa del Carmen with Flexible Stops: $245
- Private Transfer Mérida to Cancun with Flexible Sightseeing: $258
- Private Transfer From Merida to Uxmal, English Speaking Driver: $153
- Merida Rejon Airport(MID)to Tulum hotels-Arrival Private Transfer: $213
- Merida Airport (MID) Private Transfer to Merida Centre: $40
- Mérida International Airport (MID) to Merida hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $25
- Airport Transfer to Merida Hotels Private: $32
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Calafate
Also for El Calafate, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from your hotel to El Calafate airport: $16
- Transfer from the airport to your hotel in El Calafate: $16
- Shared Transfer from El Calafate to El Chaltén: $80
- Shared Transfer from El Calafate Airport to downtown Hotel: $11
- Shared Transfer Airport - Hotel in El Calafate: $20
- Private Transfer: Calafate Airport to City Center: $59
- Private Transfer to El Calafate Airport (FTE): $25
- Private Transfer Hotel-Bus Station or Bus Station-Hotel (Calafate): $35
- Private Airport Transfer in Calafate: $45
- Perito Moreno Glacier expedition with transfer Included: $62
- Perito Moreno Full Day Minitrekking with Transfer & Walkways: $460
- One Way Transfer from Airport-Hotel downtown(Calafate) vice versa: $16
Is it cheaper to fly into Merida or El Calafate?
Prices for flights to both El Calafate and Merida 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 dayMerida $49El Calafate $6.99
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Merida
For Merida, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Street Food Tour + Historic Tour Merida - Best Rated: $44
- Twilight Tastes Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Yucatán Flavours Food Tour with 15+ Tastings: $59
- Merida Walking Food Tour. Authentic & Local Cuisine: $70
- Hands On night Mexican Cooking with Masa: $82
- Empanadas, Salsas and Spirits in Hands-On Mexican Cooking Night: $82
- Cooking with Strangers in Mérida, Yucatán: $88
- Uxmal, two Amazing Cenotes & Local Food Tour from Mérida: $94
- Taste of the Yucatan: Merida Cooking Class and Market Visit: $95
- Mérida Food Tour: Markets and Street Flavors: $95
- Flavors of Yucatán Cooking class & market tour: $97
- Vanilla Cooking Class and Tasting Experience: $112
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: $55
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Dinner & Show with Transfer: $72
- Country Afternoon with Dinner Show - Estancia 25 de Mayo: $92
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Tour with Dinner & Transfer: $98
- Stargazing Tour with Dinner and Transfers: $120
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Country Afternoon with Dinner Show and Riding: $128
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner and Wine Included: $179
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Experience with Dinner and Horseback Riding: $225
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $255
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Merida $15El Calafate $54
Typical Entertainment Prices in Merida
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Merida's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Train at the Zoo$0.12
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Uxmal Entrance (for 2)$19
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Mayan Village Entrance (for 2)$5.76
Tours and Activities in Merida
For Merida, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2-hour Temazcal experience in the Mayan world: $177
- 3 Hour Tour in The Sotuta de Peón Live Museum: $59
- 3x1 Tour Chichen Itza Magic Town & Cenote & Izamal from Merida: $108
- 4 Cenotes Tour in Homún all inclusive from Merida: $85
- Adventure 4 cenotes: $115
- Adventure to Hacienda Mucuyche & Oxkintok, 2 cenotes from Mérida: $118
- Bar hopping tour in Merida: $69
- Beach Tour in Yucalpetén from Mérida: $106
- Bird Watching Tour North of Mérida-Half Day: $300
- Boat tour through the mangroves of Celestún and Playa from Merida: $104
- Cenote Adventure: Suytun Oxman and Valladolid Town Tour: $120
- Chichen Itza Ruins Adventure! Cenote Ikkil and Izamal from Merida: $105
Tours and Activities in El Calafate
For El Calafate, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- “Todo Glaciares” Scenic Glacier Boat Tour from El Calafate: $235
- 2-Day Tours from Torres del Paine & Perito Moreno: $289
- 4 Days & 3 Nights El Calafate & El Chaltén Magical Adventure: $1,350
- Adventure Horseback Riding on Cerro Frias: $150
- CAÑADON EXPERIENCE - TREKKING & STAY - PRIVATE VEHICLE: $1,500
- Calafate Panoramic tour: The best balconies of Calafate 4x4: $210
- Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier Boat Tour: $207
- DARWIN EXPERIENCE KAYAK & ADVENTURE: $240
- Darwin Experience - kayaks & adventure: $250
- Day Tour to the Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $88
- EL CALAFATE Native experience lakes and caverns: $214
- El Calafate City Sightseeing Tour Including Walichu Caves: $105
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMerida $15El Calafate $8.71
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Merida and El Calafate, we can see that Merida is more expensive. And not only is El Calafate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Merida 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 Merida would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Merida 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 Merida Expensive? and Is El Calafate Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Merida or El Calafate?
Merida has a larger population, and is about 90 times larger than the population of El Calafate. When comparing the sizes of Merida 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.