Which place is cheaper, Mendoza 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 Mendoza?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Madryn or Mendoza? 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 Mendoza?
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.
Mendoza
Mendoza is a city in western Argentina and more precisely in the desertic Cuyo region. Mendoza is the center of the Argentinian wine industry and is famed around the world for its vineyards and wine production. Spread across the valley of the Rio Mendoza and in the foothills of the Andean mountain range, Mendoza is also near the Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside of the Himalayas. The bustling and scenic city of wide, leafy avenues, atmospheric plazas and cosmopolitan cafes spoils visitors with unique natural attractions and historical landmarks. If you can, visit Mendoza during the harvest festival at the end of February. There are many events and festivals in Mendoza and they are usually free. Each has a different theme, and they usually have a stage with singing and dancing and booths that sell food around a plaza. Seventy percent of Argentina's wines are produced here, and Mendoza is especially known for its world-famous malbecs.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Camping Tours in Argentina, The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina, The Best Budget Tours to Argentina, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Argentina.
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Puerto Madryn Prices
Argentina PricesMendoza Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Madryn $60Mendoza $56
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Madryn is $60, while the average daily cost in Mendoza is $56. 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 Mendoza in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Madryn $40Mendoza $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Madryn $80Mendoza $84
Compare Hotels in Puerto Madryn and Mendoza
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Madryn or Mendoza? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Madryn $2.52Mendoza $4.15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Madryn
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:
- Trelew Airport Shuttle Transfer To Puerto Madryn: $49
- Transfer Trelew Airport Puerto Madryn: $40
- Transfer El Tehuelche Airport Puerto Madryn: $15
- Puerto Madryn Airport PMY Private Transfer to Puerto Madryn City: $33
- Private Transfer to or from Puerto Madryn or Trelew Airport: $100
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mendoza
Also for Mendoza, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared 1-Way or Round Trip MDZ Airport Transfer: $9.00
- Private Transfers Airport Hotel in Mendoza: $11
- MDZ Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $13
- Mendoza Airport (MDZ) Private Transfer to Mendoza City: $18
- MDZ Airport Private Transfer to Mendoza City Center: $22
- Ushuaia: Transfer Ida & Volta para Cerro Castor desde hotel: $25
- Mendoza Airport Shuttle Transfer: $27
- Private Transfer in Mendoza I Personal Driver: $30
- Mendoza to Mendoza Intl Airport (MDZ)- Departure Private Transfer: $33
- Private 1-Way or Round-Trip MDZ Airport Transfer: $38
- Private Transfer Mendoza Airport MDZ to Lujan de Cuyo or Maipu: $38
- Private Transfer Lujan de Cuyo or Maipu to Mendoza Airport MDZ: $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Madryn or Mendoza?
Prices for flights to both Mendoza 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 $7.56Mendoza $5.81
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mendoza
For Mendoza, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 4-Hour Argentine Cooking Class at Grazie Mille Winery: $91
- Mendoza Meals Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $95
- 3h Cooking Class in Mendoza with 7 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $99
- Original Asado Cooking Class at a Local's Home: $114
- Sunset Horseback Riding Tour in Lunlunta with Dinner Included: $120
- Cooking Class with 7 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $150
- City Tour with Dinner at a Local Restaurant: $164
- Full-Day Small-Group Mendoza Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $195
- Horseback Riding at Sunset and Dinner in Mendoza: $205
- Horseback Riding at Sunset and Dinner at an Estancia in Mendoza: $210
- Private Roast & Wine Dinner with Chef Sommelier: $220
- Tango Show with Dinner at Hualta Winery Hotel: $220
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Madryn $44Mendoza $23
Tours and Activities in Puerto Madryn
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Madryn are as follows:
- 3 hour 4x4 tour around Puerto Madryn: $115
- All Included Península Valdés Experience Shore Tour: $169
- Bike Tour Whales in Playa Doradillo: $64
- Bike Tour to El Doradillo: Whales from the Coast: $75
- Cruise Passengers: Peninsula Valdés With Ticket Included: $170
- Cruise Passengers: Puerto Madryn City Tour & Punta Loma: $115
- Cruise Shore Exc. Ea San Lorenzo (Penguins) Box Lunch Incl.: $179
- Cruise Shore Excursion Ea San Lorenzo Peninsula Valdes: $179
- Cruise Shore Excursion Peninsula Valdes - Box Lunch Included: $105
- Cruise Shore Excursion Peninsula Valdes Pto Madryn: $119
- Cruise Shore Excursion Pta Tombo (Penguins): $115
- Cruise Shore Excursion Puerto Madryn City Tour: $25
Tours and Activities in Mendoza
For Mendoza, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- City Center Walking Tour with a Local Guide: $20
- Mendoza City: Immigrant Sightseeing Tour – Squares, Museums, Artisans, Casino, Theater: $22
- Malbec Experience in Bodega Tierras Altas: $22
- Luján de Cuyo Wine Region Self-Guided Bike Tour: $23
- Self-Guided Bike Tour in Luján de Cuyo Wine Region (Mendoza): $23
- Standard City Tour: $23
- Half-Day Sightseeing Tour: $24
- City Tour of Mendoza: $25
- City Tour: $25
- Guided Walking Tour of the Historic Quarter plus Mendoza-Style Snack: $25
- City Tour: $25
- City Highlights Tour: $26
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Madryn $12Mendoza $5.90
Sample the Local Flavors in Mendoza
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mendoza:
- Walking & Wine Tasting Tour & San Martin Park Gate: $17
- Burlesque Cabaret Show with Wine: $20
- Antigal Winery Tour with Wine Tasting & Choice of Experiences: $31
- Maipu Wine Tour: 3 Wineries and Olive Oil Factory: $37
- Wine, Distillery & Chocolate Tour with Tastings: $39
- Mendoza Wine Tasting at Bodega Ciclo Andino with Snacks: $39
- Half-Day Wine Tour with Tastings: $41
- Classic Wine Tasting: $44
- La Histórica Winery Tour and Wine Tasting: $48
- Premium Wine Tasting: $66
- Malbec Across Argentina: Wine Tasting with a Sommelier: $69
- Argentina’s 100-Point Wines: Exclusive Wine Tasting in Mendoza: $79
When comparing the travel costs between Puerto Madryn and Mendoza, 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 Mendoza Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Madryn or Mendoza?
Mendoza has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Puerto Madryn. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Madryn and Mendoza, 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.