Which place is cheaper, Arica or Puerto Madryn?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Madryn or Arica?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Madryn or Arica? 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: Puerto Madryn or Arica?
Puerto Madryn
Puerto Madryn is mostly known as the gateway to Peninsula Valdes, welcoming tourists who come for whale watching. The Peninsula Valdes is a nature reserve designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site; 97 km long and 63 km wide, it is connected to the continent by an isthmus of 35 km from which we can see both gulfs, San Jose at north and the Nuevo at south.
Arica
A mixture of coastline, desert and high Andean plateau, Arica is a seaside resort town, known for its surfing beaches located at the tip of Northern Chile. Arica boasts that it is "the land of the eternal spring," but its temperate climate and beaches are not the only reason to visit this small city. Arica's tourism is still principally geared toward domestic visitors and those from southern Peru and La Paz, who flock to its beaches mid-December through February. It is very easy to spend a few days in Arica in the sand, or seeing the sights in town, at a slow pace but the city also offers plenty of fun activities and exciting day trips.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Argentina, The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina, The Best 10-Day Tours in Chile, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Madryn $14Arica $79
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Madryn is $14, while the average daily cost in Arica is $79. 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 Puerto Madryn and Arica in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Madryn $5.25Arica $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Madryn $11Arica $70
Compare Hotels in Puerto Madryn and Arica
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Madryn or Arica? 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: Puerto Madryn Hotel Prices and Arica Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Madryn $3.28Arica $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Madryn
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:
- Trelew Airport Shuttle Transfer To Puerto Madryn : $47
- From Punta Tombo Day Trip with Hotel Transfer: $131
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arica
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arica are as follows:
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Short Taxi Ride$2.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arica
Also for Arica, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica city hotels: $22
- Private Transfer from Arica City hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $22
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Hotels: $24
- Private Transfer from Arica Hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $24
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $27
- Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port : $27
- Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port: $30
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $30
- Arica Airport Private Transfer: $85
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Madryn or Arica?
Prices for flights to both Arica and Puerto Madryn 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 dayPuerto Madryn $5.69Arica $28
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Madryn $5.77Arica $20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Puerto Madryn
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Puerto Madryn are as follows:
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Whale Watching for Two$0.35
Tours and Activities in Puerto Madryn
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Madryn are as follows:
- 4 x 4 experience around Puerto Madryn: $100
- Cruise Shore Excursion Ea San Lorenzo Peninsula Valdes - Patagonia - Argentina: $229
- Cruise Shore Excursion Peninsula Valdes - Pto Madryn - Patagonia - Argentina: $119
- Cruise Shore Excursion Punta Tombo - Tickets included - Puerto Madryn Patagonia: $129
- Excursion to Punta Loma and Puerto Madryn for Cruisers: $60
- From City and Punta Loma Tour: $70
- From Florentino Ameghino Dam Day Tour: $194
- From Penguin Tour & Península Valdés Day Trip: $152
- From Valdes Peninsula Full-Day Tour: $130
- Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience: $90
- Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience - optional Whale Watching : $87
- Full Day Punta Tombo - Walking Among Penguins Experience - Madryn: $105
Tours and Activities in Arica
For Arica, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Archaeological Tour: $32
- Half day Panoramic City Tour: $49
- Archeological Sightseeing tour in Arica: $103
- Arica Private Sightseeing Tour : $134
- Private Tour to Tacna from Arica: $256
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Madryn $3.13Arica $19
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Madryn and Arica, we can see that Arica is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Madryn much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Puerto Madryn would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Madryn 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 Arica would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Arica than you might in Puerto Madryn.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Puerto Madryn Expensive? and Is Arica Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Madryn or Arica?
Arica has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Puerto Madryn. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Madryn and Arica, 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.