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

Should you visit Piriapolis or El Calafate?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Piriapolis 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: Piriapolis or El Calafate?

Piriapolis

Piriapolis is a small beach town between Montevideo and Punta del Este in Uruguay. It is a more laid back version of Punta del Este with fewer fancy restaurants and clubs but it has perhaps more charm, with its grand old hotel and beachfront promenade backed by small mountains. The rather old-school coastal resort is vaguely reminiscent of a Mediterranean beach 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.


Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or Piriapolis?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Piriapolis is $66, 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 Piriapolis and El Calafate in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Piriapolis $27
    El Calafate $3.51
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Piriapolis $54
    El Calafate $7.02
Compare Hotels in Piriapolis and El Calafate

Looking for a hotel in Piriapolis 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.

Hotels in Piriapolis


Hotels in El Calafate


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: Piriapolis Hotel Prices and El Calafate Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Piriapolis $31
    El Calafate $3.62

Typical Local Transportation Prices in El Calafate

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in El Calafate:


  • Taxi
    $1.43

Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Calafate

Also for El Calafate, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Airport Transfer - Downtown: $22
  • El Calafate Airport Private Transfer: $107
  • Perito Moreno Glacier Mini Trek with Transfer: $456
  • Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $12
  • Excursion to the Perito Moreno Glacier, with guide and transfer to / from the hotel: $60
  • Mini trekking Perito Moreno with Footbridges visit and Transfer: $230
  • One Way Shared transfer from Hotel downtown Calafate to the Calafate Airport : $15
  • One Way Transfer from Airport-Hotel downtown(Calafate) vice versa: $15
  • Private Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Calafate): $90
  • 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 in El Calafate: $32

Is it cheaper to fly into Piriapolis or El Calafate?

Prices for flights to both El Calafate and Piriapolis 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
    Piriapolis $23
    El Calafate $3.81

Typical Food Prices in El Calafate

For El Calafate, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Dessert
    $0.01
  • Dinner
    $1.85
  • Dinner
    $1.09

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: $114
  • Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $117
  • Estancia 25 de Mayo in El Calafate - PM visit with dinner: $186

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Piriapolis $5.82
    El Calafate $3.80

Typical Entertainment Prices in El Calafate

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for El Calafate's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Glacerium Museum
    $1.43

Tours and Activities in El Calafate

For El Calafate, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • El Calafate History Museum Tour: $9.00
  • city tour: $20
  • Panoramic Tour with Punta Walichu: $57
  • Full Day Guided Tour Perito Moreno National Park and Glacier: $60
  • Perito Moreno Glacier & Optional Boat Cruise: $62
  • Argentine Cuisine Experience in El Calafate: $65
  • From Full-Day Tour to El Chaltén: $66
  • Alternative tour to the Perito Moreno Glacier: $71
  • Half-Day Tour at Estancia 25 de Mayo Field Afternoon: $74
  • Full Day Tour in El Chalten: $75
  • Calafate City Tour with Walichu Caves: $78
  • Round Trip Ticket-Bus to Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $79

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Piriapolis $8.02
    El Calafate $1.91

Typical Alcohol Prices in El Calafate

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in El Calafate:


  • Beer
    $0.01
  • Alcohol
    $0.38

Sample the Local Flavors in El Calafate

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in El Calafate:

  • Calafate Wine Tours | Pedestrian City Tour Paired with Wines: $42


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Piriapolis and El Calafate, we can see that Piriapolis is more expensive. And not only is El Calafate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Piriapolis would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Piriapolis 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 Piriapolis Expensive? and Is El Calafate Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Piriapolis or El Calafate?

El Calafate has a larger population, and is about 0% larger than the population of Piriapolis. When comparing the sizes of Piriapolis 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.