A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Salento vs. Puerto Madryn for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Salento or Puerto Madryn?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Salento or Puerto Madryn? 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: Salento or Puerto Madryn?

Salento

Founded in 1850, Salento is one of the oldest towns in Quindio. This colonial Colombian town has retained much of its old world charm, with its colorful buildings, large square and, of course, the obligatory church. Because the main route between Cali and Bogota which used to pass through Salento was diverted, the town didn't develop as quickly as others in the Quindio region. This gave Salento the opportunity to evolve into a thriving community of craftsmen and artisans as well as remaining one of the region's most prolific coffee producers. Salento is located 24 km northeast of the departmental capital Armenia. However, unlike its colorful neighbor, Armenia itself has very little to offer tourists. Salento attracts those wishing to learn about the coffee regions and for those who simply admire breathtaking scenery, and especially the stunning Cocora Valley.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Colombia, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, The Best Camping Tours in Argentina, and The Best Luxury Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Madryn or Salento?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Salento is $39, while the average daily cost in Puerto Madryn is $61. 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 Salento and Puerto Madryn in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Salento $11
    Puerto Madryn $41
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Salento $22
    Puerto Madryn $82
Compare Hotels in Salento and Puerto Madryn

Looking for a hotel in Salento 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.

Hotels in Salento


Hotels in Puerto Madryn


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: Salento Hotel Prices and Puerto Madryn Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Salento $14
    Puerto Madryn $2.53

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salento

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Salento:

  • Private Pereira Airport Transfer: To/From Salento: $54

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Madryn

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:

  • Trelew Airport Shuttle Transfer To Puerto Madryn : $42
  • From Punta Tombo Day Trip with Hotel Transfer: $138
  • Puerto Madryn Airport Private Transfer: $216

Is it cheaper to fly into Salento or Puerto Madryn?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Madryn and Salento 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Salento $16
    Puerto Madryn $7.60

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Salento

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Salento.

  • Cooking Stories - Cocinando Historias: $46

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Salento $12
    Puerto Madryn $45

Tours and Activities in Salento

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Salento are as follows:

  • Coffee Tour Salento-Ocaso Farm- English Tour: $15
  • Coffee Tour at Finca El Ocaso Finca Tradicional-Español: $15
  • Coffee tour in the heart of the coffee region: $30
  • Guided Walking Tour with Photography Museum Visit: $46
  • Coffee Master Roasting, Brewing and Tasting Tour: $50
  • Coffee Farm Shared Tour: $51
  • Santa Rita Waterfall and Salento Private Tour: $60
  • Tour Valle del Cocora and Salento, including a typical lunch: $61
  • From Cocora Valley Shared Tour: $63
  • Armenia, Quindio: Coffee Tour, Transportation, and Quimbaya Gold Museum: $64
  • Salento & Cocora Valley Tour: $75
  • Private Colombian Coffee Farm Tour with Tastings in Armenia: $78

Tours and Activities in Puerto Madryn

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Madryn are as follows:

  • Madryn Bike Tours. Punta Loma: sea lions, shipwrecks, and cliffs: $55
  • El Doradillo Whale Watching Half-Day Tour from Puerto Madryn: $60
  • Excursion to Punta Loma and Puerto Madryn for Cruisers: $60
  • Shore Tour Punta Loma & city tour cruise passengers Puerto Madryn: $65
  • Punta Loma & City Tour for Cruise Passengers: $65
  • Puerto Madryn Punta Loma Shore Tour with Craft Beer Tasting: $70
  • El Doradillo Whale Watching Half-Day Tour: $70
  • Punta Loma Shore Excursion with City tour: $75
  • Cruise Shore Punta Loma and city overview: $83
  • Solo Ballenas - Share-Based Whale Watching and Guided Tour: $83
  • Peninsula Valdes Full Day Tour: $90
  • Punta Tombo Tour, the Penguin Experience: $90

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Salento $11
    Puerto Madryn $12


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Salento and Puerto Madryn, we can see that Puerto Madryn is more expensive. And not only is Salento much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Salento would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salento 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 Puerto Madryn would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Madryn than you might in Salento.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Salento Expensive? and Is Puerto Madryn Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Salento or Puerto Madryn?

Puerto Madryn has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Salento. When comparing the sizes of Salento 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.