Which place is cheaper, Puerto Madryn or Punta del Este?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Punta del Este or Puerto Madryn, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Punta del Este with its many beaches, elegant seaside homes, yacht harbor, high-rise apartment buildings, pricey hotels, ardent night scene and glitzy restaurants is a chic beach resort town in Uruguay. Many tourists come from Brazil and Argentina, on the other side of the Rio de la Plata, to get some nice sun and lay on the beach for a weekend getaway. Punta del Este is more expensive than other areas in Uruguay and has been called the Monaco of South America. Tourist season varies wildly from totally deserted in the winter to very crowded in the summer.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Cultural Tours in Uruguay, The Best Adventure Tours to Uruguay, The Best 2-Week Tours in Argentina, and The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Punta del Este is $98, while the average daily cost in Puerto Madryn is $14. 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 Punta del Este and Puerto Madryn in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Punta del Este or Puerto Madryn? 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.
Also for Punta del Este, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:
Prices for flights to both Puerto Madryn and Punta del Este 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.
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Punta del Este.
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:
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Punta del Este:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Punta del Este and Puerto Madryn, we can see that Punta del Este 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 Punta del Este would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Punta del Este 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 Punta del Este Expensive? and Is Puerto Madryn Expensive?.
Puerto Madryn has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Punta del Este. When comparing the sizes of Punta del Este and Puerto Madryn, 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.
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the southern hemisphere, summer is in January and winter is in July.
Both Puerto Madryn and Punta del Este during the summer are popular places to visit.
Punta del Este is around the same temperature as Puerto Madryn in the summer. The daily temperature in Punta del Este averages around 23°C (73°F) in January, and Puerto Madryn fluctuates around 22°C (71°F).
Punta del Este usually gets more rain in January than Puerto Madryn. Punta del Este gets 75 mm (3 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Punta del Este and Puerto Madryn.
In the autumn, Punta del Este is a little warmer than Puerto Madryn. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Punta del Este in April average around 17°C (63°F), and Puerto Madryn averages at about 14°C (58°F).
In April, Punta del Este usually receives more rain than Puerto Madryn. Punta del Este gets 84 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
The winter brings many poeple to Punta del Este as well as Puerto Madryn.
In July, Punta del Este is generally a little warmer than Puerto Madryn. Daily temperatures in Punta del Este average around 10°C (50°F), and Puerto Madryn fluctuates around 7°C (45°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Puerto Madryn. In the winter, Punta del Este often gets less sunshine than Puerto Madryn. Punta del Este gets 135 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Madryn receives 209 hours of full sun.
Punta del Este usually gets more rain in July than Puerto Madryn. Punta del Este gets 90 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
Both Puerto Madryn and Punta del Este are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
Punta del Este is a little warmer than Puerto Madryn in the spring. The daily temperature in Punta del Este averages around 16°C (61°F) in October, and Puerto Madryn fluctuates around 14°C (58°F).
In October, Punta del Este usually receives more rain than Puerto Madryn. Punta del Este gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.
Punta del Este | Puerto Madryn | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | 23°C (73°F) | 75 mm (3 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) |
Feb | 22°C (72°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) |
Mar | 20°C (68°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
Apr | 17°C (63°F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
May | 14°C (57°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) | 10°C (51°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) |
Jun | 11°C (52°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
Jul | 10°C (50°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) |
Aug | 11°C (52°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
Sep | 13°C (55°F) | 93 mm (3.7 in) | 11°C (53°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
Nov | 19°C (66°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
Dec | 21°C (70°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) |