Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) 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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) 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: Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) or El Calafate?
Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)
An island of the Caribbean Netherlands, St. Eustatius, sometimes called Statia, is a small, relatively unknown destination to the greater tourist areas of the Caribbean. As a result, however, it is its own treasure consisting of a dormant volcano known as the Quill and featuring a lush rainforest, narrow volcanic beaches, many dive sites, and a quaint harbor town.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina, and The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayOranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $188El Calafate $10
The average daily cost (per person) in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) is $188, 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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) and El Calafate in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personOranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $92El Calafate $3.42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomOranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $184El Calafate $6.84
Compare Hotels in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) and El Calafate
Looking for a hotel in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) 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: El Calafate Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $70El Calafate $3.53
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius):
- St. Kitts & Nevis Airport Hotel & Boat Shared/Private Transfers: $45
- St. Christophe Harbour Transfers: $67
- Shared or Private St Kitts Airport Roundtrip Transfer : $32
- ST Kitts private Luxury Air Port Transfer: $300
- Private Transfer from St. Kitts Airport to Park Hyatt: $55
- Private Airport Transfer to Belmont Estate Farm, Kititian Hill: $70
- Catamaran Party Cruise to Nevis from St Kitts with Transfer from Frigate Bay: $150
- Beach Transfer Frigate Bay Beach: $26
- St. Kitts Hotel Transfers: $80
- International Airport/Private Jet Terminal Transfers: $67
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:
- Laguna de Los Tres Transfer & Self-Guided Hike: $101
- Perito Moreno Glacier Mini Trek with Transfer: $456
- Private Airport Transfer: $64
- Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $12
- Excursion to the Perito Moreno Glacier, with guide and transfer to / from the hotel: $60
- Private Transfer Hotel-Bus Station or Bus Station-Hotel (Calafate): $35
- Roundtrip transfer in Private Car from Calafate Airport (FTE)- Calafate City: $49
- Shared Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Calafate): $32
- Shared Transfer from El Calafate Airport to downtown Hotel: $15
- Shared transfer to El Calafate -El Chaltén: $75
- Transfer from the airport to your hotel in El Calafate: $14
Is it cheaper to fly into Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) or El Calafate?
Prices for flights to both El Calafate and Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) 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 dayOranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $51El 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.Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $37El Calafate $3.71
Tours and Activities in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius)
Here are a few actual costs in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 3 Hour St. Kitts Open Air Safari Exotic Tour: $75
- 3 Hours Private Royal Highlight Tour in St. Kitts: $260
- 3.5hr Private Power Catamaran Snorkel and Beach Experience: $155
- 5hr Private Powered Catamaran Snorkel and Beach Experience with Lunch: $178
- A Scenic, Historical and Guided Rainforest Tour: $80
- ATV Tour of St Kitts: $110
- Basseterre Food and Walking Tour: $77
- Basseterre Plantation Private Half Day Tour: $60
- Beach Adventure Tour: $93
- Best of St. Kitts Highlight Tour.: $250
- Best of St. Kitts Private Half Day Tour: $240
- Best of St. Kitts Tour: $135
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
- 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 Chalten Complete Experience Full Day Tour from El Calafate: $80
- Full Day Guided Tour Perito Moreno National Park and Glacier: $80
- El Calafate City Sightseeing Tour Including Walichu Caves: $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
- Full Day Tour in El Chalten: $90
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayOranjestad (Sint Eustatius) $26El 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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) and El Calafate, we can see that Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) is more expensive. And not only is El Calafate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) is in Caribbean Islands 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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) 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 Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) Expensive? and Is El Calafate Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) or El Calafate?
El Calafate has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius). When comparing the sizes of Oranjestad (Sint Eustatius) 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.