Which place is cheaper, El Chalten or Saint Thomas?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Saint Thomas or El Chalten? 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.
Saint Thomas is a beautiful island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Together with St. John, St. Croix, and Water Island, it forms the unincorporated territory of the United States. The island is also home to the territorial capital and port of Charlotte Amalie. The island's population is just over 50,000, which is slightly less than half of the territory's total population.
El Chalten is probably one of the most beautiful areas of Patagonia, especially at the slightest ray of sunshine and one of your cheapest destination while you are travelling in Patagonia. Indeed, you will spend your days hiking and there are no park fees. There are restaurants, souvenir shops, and outdoor stores but most of them will not accept credit cards so before heading out, get cash in El Calafate or your previous stop. For the beginners, it will be long hikes in a magical setting and for the experts perhaps a week long expedition to the greatest glaciers of the world. To discover the way people live in the pampa, you may also decide to stay at an Estancia. In the stunning Estancia Santa Thelma, about 300km away from El Chalten, you will be able to explore the surroundings by horse, live a unique experience in the middle of the nature and its vast plains occupied by thousands of merino sheep and horses and of course eat a typical meal of the region.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina, and The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Saint Thomas is $218, while the average daily cost in El Chalten is $9.93. 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 Saint Thomas and El Chalten in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Saint Thomas or El Chalten? 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 typical examples of transportation costs in Saint Thomas are as follows:
Also for Saint Thomas, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both El Chalten and Saint Thomas 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.
For Saint Thomas, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Saint Thomas.
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for El Chalten are as follows:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Saint Thomas:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint Thomas and El Chalten, we can see that Saint Thomas is more expensive. And not only is El Chalten much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Saint Thomas is in Caribbean Islands and El Chalten is in South America, 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 El Chalten would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in El Chalten 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 Saint Thomas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Thomas than you might in El Chalten.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Saint Thomas Expensive? and Is El Chalten Expensive?.
El Chalten has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Saint Thomas experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Both El Chalten and Saint Thomas during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Saint Thomas because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Saint Thomas is around the same temperature as El Chalten in the summer. The daily temperature in Saint Thomas averages around 29°C (83°F) in July, and El Chalten fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in January.
El Chalten gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Saint Thomas usually gets less rain in July than El Chaltenin January. Saint Thomas gets 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Saint Thomas and El Chalten. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Saint Thomas year-round.
In the autumn, Saint Thomas is a little warmer than El Chalten. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Saint Thomas in October average around 28°C (82°F), and El Chalten averages at about 21°C (70°F)in April.
El Chalten receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Saint Thomas gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Saint Thomas usually receives around the same amount of rain as El Chaltenin April. Saint Thomas gets 146 mm (5.7 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
The winter brings many poeple to Saint Thomas as well as El Chalten. Saint Thomas attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In January, Saint Thomas is generally much warmer than El Chaltenin July. Daily temperatures in Saint Thomas average around 26°C (78°F), and El Chalten fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).
Saint Thomas usually gets more rain in January than El Chaltenin July. Saint Thomas gets 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
Both El Chalten and Saint Thomas are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Saint Thomas throughout the year.
Saint Thomas is a little warmer than El Chalten in the spring. The daily temperature in Saint Thomas averages around 27°C (80°F) in April, and El Chalten fluctuates around 22°C (72°F)in October.
It's quite sunny in El Chalten. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Saint Thomas. Saint Thomas usually receives more sunshine than El Chalten during spring. Saint Thomas gets 272 hours of sunny skies, while El Chalten receives 205 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in El Chalten. In April, Saint Thomas usually receives less rain than El Chaltenin October. Saint Thomas gets 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
Saint Thomas | El Chalten | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | 26°C (78°F) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
Feb | 26°C (78°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
Mar | 26°C (79°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) |
Apr | 27°C (80°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
May | 28°C (82°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
Jun | 28°C (83°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
Jul | 29°C (83°F) | 66 mm (2.6 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
Aug | 29°C (84°F) | 101 mm (4 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
Sep | 28°C (83°F) | 127 mm (5 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 146 mm (5.7 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 126 mm (4.9 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 160 mm (6.3 in) |
Dec | 26°C (80°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) |