Which place is cheaper, El Chalten or Oaxaca de Juarez?
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 Oaxaca de Juarez or El Chalten?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Oaxaca de Juarez or El Chalten? 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: Oaxaca de Juarez or El Chalten?
Oaxaca de Juarez
Officially known as Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca is the capital and largest city in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It's a beautiful colonial city in the foothills of the Sierra Madre. The city has beautiful architecture and a variety of festivals as well as a tree lined square called El Zocalo. Oaxaca's economy is heavily dependent on tourism and it is a wonderful place to see Mexican art and handicrafts. There are many artists and artisans in Oaxaca and the contemporary art scene is on the rise. The artists combine the area's rich indigenous culture and tradition with a modern twist. While you're in the area you should definitely make a point of experiencing the area's wonderful museums, interesting architecture, charming hotels and unique twist on Mexican cuisine.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Argentina, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Argentina.
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Oaxaca de Juarez Prices
Mexico PricesEl Chalten Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOaxaca de Juarez $54El Chalten $64
The average daily cost (per person) in Oaxaca de Juarez is $54, while the average daily cost in El Chalten is $64. 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 Oaxaca de Juarez and El Chalten in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOaxaca de Juarez $19El Chalten $50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOaxaca de Juarez $38El Chalten $100
Compare Hotels in Oaxaca de Juarez and El Chalten
Looking for a hotel in Oaxaca de Juarez or El Chalten? 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: Oaxaca de Juarez Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Oaxaca de Juarez $12El Chalten $2.42
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oaxaca de Juarez
Also for Oaxaca de Juarez, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Transfer from Downtown Oaxaca to the Airport: $7.89
- Private Transfer from your Hotel in Oaxaca to the Oaxaca Airport: $14
- Secure Private Transfer : Downtown Oaxaca Airport (OAX): $20
- Transfer Private Hotel to Oaxaca Airport: $21
- Private Transfer Airport Hotel in Oaxaca: $28
- Oaxaca city: Roundtrip Private/Shared Airport Transfer: $29
- From Oaxaca One way shared transfer to San Jose del Pacifico: $29
- Oaxaca hotels to Oaxaca Xoxocotlan Airport (OAX) - Departure Private Transfer: $29
- Transfer Oaxaca Centro Boerve del Agua: $30
- Private transfer from Oaxaca Airport to Oaxaca City: $50
- Oaxaca Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $58
- Oaxaca Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca de Juárez - Round-Trip Transfer: $58
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Chalten
Some specific examples of transportation prices in El Chalten:
- Private Transfer from El Calafate Airport to El Chaltén: $300
- Private Transfers in El Chaltén and PN Los Glaciares: $80
Is it cheaper to fly into Oaxaca de Juarez or El Chalten?
Prices for flights to both El Chalten and Oaxaca de Juarez 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 dayOaxaca de Juarez $24El Chalten $6.43
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Oaxaca de Juarez
For Oaxaca de Juarez, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Oaxaca: Walking Traditional Food Tour with Ancestral Drinks: $26
- Private Oaxaca Street Food Tour - Best Rated: $35
- Food Tour at the 20 de Noviembre Market (All Inclusive): $52
- Oaxaca: Guided Food Tour with Local Chef and food experts: $54
- Legends and Ghosts Sightseeing Tour in Downtown Oaxaca with Dinner: $55
- FOOD TOUR IN THE ABASTOS MARKET: $61
- Oaxaca: Evening Street Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $66
- Oaxaca Streets Food Tour with 14+ Tastings: $69
- Oaxacan Vegetarian Cooking Class: $69
- Oaxaca: Vegetarian Cooking Class: $70
- Bike Ride and Street Food Tour in Oaxaca: $70
- Oaxaca: 10 Mexican Salsas Cooking Class with Taco Tasting: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Oaxaca de Juarez $12El Chalten $27
Tours and Activities in Oaxaca de Juarez
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Oaxaca de Juarez.
- Oaxaca Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt: $5.00
- Oaxaca: Colonial City Bus Tour: $5.81
- Oaxaca City Tour: History, Markets, and Local Flavors: $7.60
- Oaxaca: Legends Tour Mezcalbús: $8.71
- Immerse Yourself in Oaxaca: Guided Cultural Walking Tour: $15
- Oaxaca Walking Tour: $20
- Oaxaca Walking Tour: $20
- Oaxaca: Monte Alban, Cuilapam, and Artisan Villages Tour: $21
- Monte Alban Half Day Guided Tour: $21
- Oaxaca: Oaxaca City Beyond the Surface Walking Tour: $23
- Monte Alban Only - Half Day Guided Tour - Oaxaca: $23
- Bike Adventure to the World's Widest Tree: $25
Tours and Activities in El Chalten
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for El Chalten are as follows:
- 3 Hours Grilled Lamb Experience in Estancia Bonanza: $220
- Charms of Mendoza Private Tour 3 Wineries with Paired Lunch: $355
- El Calafate: Viedma Glacier Cruise + El Chaltén: $272
- El Chaltén: Viedma Glacier Boat & Iceberg Walk Adventure: $160
- Rafting experience on the Rio de las Vueltas in Patagonia: $120
- Rio de las Vueltas Rafting Experience - El Chalten: $120
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOaxaca de Juarez $14El Chalten $5.75
Sample the Local Flavors in Oaxaca de Juarez
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Oaxaca de Juarez:
- Oaxaca Pub Crawl with Shots and Party Games: $19
- Oaxaca Pub Crawl: $19
- Oaxaca: Sustainable Mezcal Tour at an Award-Winning Family Distillery: $24
- Hierve el Agua, Tule Tree, Mitla and Mezcal Distillery Tour: $55
- Breakfast in Tlacolula; Ancestral and industrial mezcal distillery: $55
- Hierve el Agua, Mitla, El Tule Tree, Rugs, Mezcal Distillery Tour: $58
- Hierve el Agua and distillery of mezcal tour: $60
- Oaxaca: Hierve el Agua & Mezcal Distillery Small-Group Tour: $70
- Distillery Tour and Agave Fields by Mal de Amor Mezcal: $70
- Oaxaca: Mezcal Distillery Tour with Tastings: $134
- Mezcal Distillery Day Trip: $140
- Artisanal Mezcal distillery in an authentic Zapotec village: $150
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Oaxaca de Juarez and El Chalten, we can see that El Chalten is more expensive. And not only is Oaxaca de Juarez much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Oaxaca de Juarez is in North America and El Chalten 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 Oaxaca de Juarez would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Oaxaca de Juarez 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 Oaxaca de Juarez.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Oaxaca de Juarez Expensive? and Is El Chalten 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.