Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or Puerto Madryn?
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 Puerto Madryn or El Calafate?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Madryn or El Calafate? 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 El Calafate?
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.
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 2-Week Tours in Argentina, The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires.
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Puerto Madryn Prices
Argentina PricesEl Calafate Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Madryn $76El Calafate $73
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Madryn is $76, while the average daily cost in El Calafate is $73. 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 El Calafate in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Madryn $51El Calafate $46
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Madryn $102El Calafate $92
Compare Hotels in Puerto Madryn and El Calafate
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Madryn 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: Puerto Madryn Hotel Prices and El Calafate Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Madryn $3.17El Calafate $5.25
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Madryn
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:
- View of the whales: transfer to El Doradillo beach: $150
- Trelew Airport Shuttle Transfer To Puerto Madryn : $49
- Puerto Madryn Airport Private Transfer: $215
- Puerto Madryn Airport PMY Private Transfer to Puerto Madryn City: $33
- From Punta Tombo Day Trip with Hotel Transfer: $138
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Calafate
Also for El Calafate, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Transfer from El Calafate Airport to downtown Hotel: $11
- Transfer iPrivate Vehicle from Calafate Airport (FTE) - Calafate City: $25
- Private Transfer Hotel-Bus Station or Bus Station-Hotel (Calafate): $35
- Shared Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Calafate): $35
- El Calafate Airport (FTE) Private Transfer to El Calafate City: $40
- Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $44
- Private Airport Transfer in Calafate: $45
- Roundtrip transfer in Private Car from Calafate Airport (FTE)- Calafate City: $49
- Private Transfer: Calafate Airport to City Center: $59
- Transfer to Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $72
- Perito Moreno Glacier Expedition - Transfer & Guide inc.: $98
- FTE Aiport transfer Group 4 to 6 people with luggage: $116
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Madryn or El Calafate?
Prices for flights to both El Calafate 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 $9.51El Calafate $8.37
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: $75
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Tour with Dinner & Transfer: $107
- Country Afternoon with Dinner Show - Estancia 25 de Mayo: $125
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner and Wine Included: $182
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Experience with Dinner from Calafate: $190
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Madryn $56El Calafate $65
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: $110
- Cruise Shore Exc. Ea San Lorenzo (Penguins) Lunch Included: $130
- Cruise Shore Excursion Ea San Lorenzo Peninsula Valdes - Patagonia - Argentina: $189
- Cruise Shore Excursion Peninsula Valdes - Box Lunch Included: $105
- Cruise Shore Excursion Peninsula Valdes - Pto Madryn - Patagonia - Argentina: $95
- Cruise Shore Excursion Pta Tombo (penguins): $105
- Cruise Shore Excursion Punta Tombo - From Puerto Madryn Patagonia: $120
- Cruise Shore Punta Loma and city overview: $83
- Dolphin Watching Adventure: $105
- El Doradillo Whale Watching Half-Day Tour from Puerto Madryn: $55
- Exclusive Peninsula Valdes Nature & Wildlife for Cruise Guests: $120
- Excursion to Punta Loma and Puerto Madryn for Cruisers: $60
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: $15
- Self-Guided History Museum Tour: $15
- Guided Tour National Park+Perito Moreno Glacier+Sailing (optional): $47
- Bus ticket to Puerto Natales, Chile: $48
- From Perito Moreno walkways + optional Boat Tour : $65
- Perito Moreno Glacier Walkway Tour: $78
- Perito Moreno Glacier & Optional Boat Cruise: $78
- Round Trip Ticket-Bus to Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $78
- Perito Moreno Glacier Guided Tour: $79
- Day Tour to the Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $80
- Tour to Walkways of the Perito Moreno Glacier: $80
- Pedestrian City Tour Paired with Wines: $85
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Madryn $15El Calafate $10
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: $85
When comparing the travel costs between Puerto Madryn and El Calafate, we can see that Puerto Madryn is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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 El Calafate Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Madryn or El Calafate?
Puerto Madryn has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of El Calafate. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Madryn 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.