A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Pereira vs. El Chalten for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Pereira or El Chalten?

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 Pereira 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, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Pereira or El Chalten?

Pereira

Situated in a small valley in the western Andes, Pereira is the capital city of Risaralda, Colombia. The city is surrounded by coffee producing agriculture and sits in the middle of a triangle of cities including Bogota, Medillin and Cali, each of which is about a three to five hour drive away.

The city itself is very much student oriented, as there are many universities around town and at least one quarter of the population is made up of students. There is also a very European vibe to the city and you will find the area beautiful with many parks and museums.

Pereira's economy is based on government, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, trade, commerce, and tourism. Agricultural products include sugarcane, cacao, rubber, cereals, coffee, and livestock. Apparel is the main manufacturing product, along with aluminium goods, motorcycles and telecommunications technology.

Pereira is found in a warm moorland area with an average temperature of around 72 degrees. The temperatures remain relatively consistent throughout the year with highs in the high 70s Fahrenheit to low 80s Fahrenheit. Low temperatures are usually in the low 60s Fahrenheit. Rain is heaviest during the months of April and May as well as October and November.

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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina, and The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, El Chalten or Pereira?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Pereira is $64, while the average daily cost in El Chalten 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 Pereira and El Chalten in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Pereira $26
    El Chalten $4.49
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Pereira $52
    El Chalten $8.98
Compare Hotels in Pereira and El Chalten

Looking for a hotel in Pereira 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.

Hotels in Pereira


Hotels in El Chalten


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: Pereira Hotel Prices and El Chalten Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Pereira $20
    El Chalten $2.40
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pereira

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Pereira are as follows:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $1.18

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pereira

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Pereira:

  • One-Way Private Transfer from Matecaña Airport: $12
  • Manizales Arrival or Departure Transfer La Nubia Airport: $20
  • Manizales Arrival or Departure Transfer: Matecaña Intl Airport: $41
  • One way transfer from Pereira to Salento AND/OR Salento to Pereira: $43
  • Manizales Arrival or Departure Transfer: Matecaña Airport: $45
  • Private Transfer Pereira to Salento (or vice versa): $59
  • Santa Rosa Cabal to Pereira Airport PEI - Departure Transfer: $64
  • Pereira Airport(PEI)to Santa Rosa Cabal- Arrival Private Transfer: $64
  • Pereira Airport (PEI) to Santa Rosa Cabal - Round-Trip Transfer: $128

Is it cheaper to fly into Pereira or El Chalten?

Prices for flights to both El Chalten and Pereira 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Pereira $23
    El Chalten $3.72
Typical Food Prices in Pereira

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Pereira:


  • Hamburger
    $1.67

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Pereira $18
    El Chalten $2.70

Tours and Activities in Pereira

Here are a few actual costs in Pereira for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Coffee Tour at the Finca del Café: $40
  • City Tour Historic Center of Manizales in Caldas: $46
  • Santa Rita Waterfall and Salento Hike Tour: $48
  • Filandia and Salento Coffee Towns Tour: $57
  • Cocora Valley and Salento Hike Tour: $79
  • Coffee Farm and Salento Walking Tour with Lunch: $87
  • Coffee Farm and Salento Walking Tour with Lunch: $92
  • Paratrike experience over the sky of Colombia: $95
  • Tour to hot springs of Santa Rosa from Pereira, Armenia or Salento: $104
  • Private Tour of Chocolate Plantation and Processing: $113
  • Private Tour to the Coffee Park from Pereira or Armenia: $115
  • Tour Santa Rosa hot springs from Pereira, Armenia or Salento: $117

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: $55
  • Rafting experience on the Rio de las Vueltas in Patagonia: $90
  • Rio de las Vueltas Rafting Experience - El Chalten: $90

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Pereira $14
    El Chalten $1.24


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pereira and El Chalten, we can see that Pereira is more expensive. And not only is El Chalten much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to El Chalten would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in El Chalten 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 Pereira would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pereira than you might in El Chalten.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pereira Expensive? and Is El Chalten Expensive?.