Which place is cheaper, Ponce or Puerto Madryn?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Madryn or Ponce?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Madryn or Ponce? 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 Ponce?
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.
Ponce
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Argentina, and The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Madryn $14Ponce $205
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Madryn is $14, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $205. 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 Ponce in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Madryn $5.25Ponce $151
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Madryn $11Ponce $302
Compare Hotels in Puerto Madryn and Ponce
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Madryn or Ponce? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Madryn $3.28Ponce $10
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
- San Juan Departure Share Transfer: $27
- Isabela / Hatillo to Aguadilla Airport(BQN) - DepartureTransfer: $44
- San Juan PR Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Transfer: $46
- San Juan hotels to San Juan PR Cruise Port - Departure Transfer: $46
- San Juan Port to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- Private Transfers from SJU Airport to Isla Verde, Condado or San Juan área : $60
- San juan Puerto Rico PrivateTransfers Airport,Hotels,Cruise Ports: $60
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
- Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87
- San Juan Airport (SJU) to San Juan hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $92
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Madryn or Ponce?
Prices for flights to both Ponce 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 $5.69Ponce $35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.
- Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
- Private Half-Day Food Tour : $130
- Private San Juan Cooking Class with a Local Expert: $146
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Madryn $5.77Ponce $56
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:
- Kayaking adventure in Puerto Madryn: $60
- Excursion to Punta Loma and Puerto Madryn for Cruisers: $60
- From City and Punta Loma Tour: $70
- Shore Excursion: Punta Loma+City Tour, for cruise passengers: $70
- Punta Loma Shore Excursion with City tour: $75
- Punta Loma Excursion for Cruise Passengers: $75
- Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience - optional Whale Watching : $87
- Peninsula Valdes Full Day Tour: $88
- Punta Tombo Tour, the Penguin Experience: $88
- Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience: $90
- Shore Excursion Punta Loma Sea Lions Reserve Including Puerto Madryn City Tour : $95
- Wonderful Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery Tour : $100
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
- Talking Buildings of Old San Juan: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Footsteps in San Juan Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $17
- Private Sunset Walking Tour in San Juan: $25
- Old San Juan Tour (1 Hour) by DUHO: $25
- Salsa Tours PR Sunset Salsa Beach Class in San Juan, Puerto Rico : $29
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- Guided Walking Tour in Ponce: $30
- Guided City Walking Tour: $32
- La Perla Cultural Tour: $35
- Historic Old San Juan Sunset Walking Tour: $39
- Bio Bay Boat Tour with Swimming from La Parguera, Puerto Rico: $50
- Turtle spotting snorkeling adventure- no Jets : $50
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Madryn $3.13Ponce $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Ponce
Also in Ponce, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Artisan Puertorrican Winery and Distillery Tour: $50
- Old San Juan Bar Crawl: Experience Local Hotspots: $65
- Local Puerto Rican Rum Distillery Tour - Ron Pepon: $90
- Rum Distillery and Old San Juan Tour: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Madryn and Ponce, we can see that Ponce is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Madryn much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Madryn is in South America and Ponce is in Caribbean Islands, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Ponce would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ponce 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 Ponce Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Madryn or Ponce?
Ponce has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Puerto Madryn. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Madryn and Ponce, 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.
When is the best time to visit Puerto Madryn or Ponce?
Puerto Madryn has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Ponce experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Puerto Madryn or Ponce in the Summer?
Both Ponce and Puerto Madryn are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Ponce because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In January, Puerto Madryn is generally cooler than Poncein July. Daily temperatures in Puerto Madryn average around 22°C (71°F), and Ponce fluctuates around 28°C (83°F).
In January, Puerto Madryn usually receives less rain than Poncein July. Puerto Madryn gets 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyPuerto Madryn 22°C (71°F)Ponce 28°C (83°F)
Should I visit Puerto Madryn or Ponce in the Autumn?
Both Ponce and Puerto Madryn during the autumn are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Ponce year-round.
Puerto Madryn is much colder than Ponce in the autumn. The daily temperature in Puerto Madryn averages around 14°C (58°F) in April, and Ponce fluctuates around 28°C (82°F)in October.
Ponce gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Puerto Madryn usually gets less rain in April than Poncein October. Puerto Madryn gets 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberPuerto Madryn 14°C (58°F)Ponce 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Puerto Madryn or Ponce in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Puerto Madryn and Ponce. Ponce attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In the winter, Puerto Madryn is much colder than Ponce. Typically, the winter temperatures in Puerto Madryn in July average around 7°C (45°F), and Ponce averages at about 25°C (77°F)in January.
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Ponce this time of the year. In Puerto Madryn, it's very sunny this time of the year. Puerto Madryn usually receives less sunshine than Ponce during winter. Puerto Madryn gets 209 hours of sunny skies, while Ponce receives 240 hours of full sun in the winter.
In July, Puerto Madryn usually receives less rain than Poncein January. Puerto Madryn gets 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryPuerto Madryn 7°C (45°F)Ponce 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Puerto Madryn or Ponce in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Puerto Madryn as well as Ponce. The warm climate attracts visitors to Ponce throughout the year.
In October, Puerto Madryn is generally much colder than Poncein April. Daily temperatures in Puerto Madryn average around 14°C (58°F), and Ponce fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
Puerto Madryn usually gets less rain in October than Poncein April. Puerto Madryn gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Ponce receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilPuerto Madryn 14°C (58°F)Ponce 26°C (79°F)
Typical Weather for Ponce and Puerto Madryn
| Puerto Madryn | Ponce | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 22°C (71°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Feb | 21°C (69°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Mar | 18°C (64°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Apr | 14°C (58°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| May | 10°C (51°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Jun | 7°C (45°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jul | 7°C (45°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
| Aug | 9°C (48°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Sep | 11°C (53°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Oct | 14°C (58°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 28°C (82°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
| Nov | 18°C (64°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) |
| Dec | 20°C (68°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) | 26°C (78°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) |
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.