Which place is cheaper, Iquique or Puerto Madryn?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Puerto Madryn or Iquique? 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.
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.
Located in a golden crescent of coastline, the beautiful beach city with an ocean that's several shades of blue and a historic centre that offers the perfect balance of culture and relaxation is counted among Chile's premier beach resorts. The city is home to the duty free zone called "Zofri" and a growing number of high rise resort hotels along its beaches. Slightly more expensive and polluted than neighboring population centers, such as Arica, Iquique and its chaotic duty-free shopping zone (zona franca) have become the perfect summer holiday destination for Chilean families.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Argentina, The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Madryn is $14, while the average daily cost in Iquique is $96. 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 Iquique in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Madryn or Iquique? 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.
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:
Also for Iquique, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Iquique 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.
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Puerto Madryn are as follows:
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Madryn are as follows:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Iquique.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Madryn and Iquique, we can see that Iquique 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 Iquique would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Iquique 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 Iquique Expensive?.
Iquique has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Puerto Madryn. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Madryn and Iquique, 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.