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

Should you visit San Fernando or Puerto Madryn?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Fernando 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.

Where Should I go: San Fernando or Puerto Madryn?

San Fernando

As the industrial capital of Trinidad & Tobago, San Fernando is an oil city which attracts more business visitors than tourists. While it is primarily focused on industry, the city has a certain charm with its old buildings and sloping streets that frame pretty views of the sea. It is the big city of Trinidad's southern half with plenty to offer in nightlife, especially during Carnival.

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 The Best 2-Week Tours in Argentina, and The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto Madryn or San Fernando?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in San Fernando is $153, 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 San Fernando and Puerto Madryn in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    San Fernando $74
    Puerto Madryn $5.25
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    San Fernando $148
    Puerto Madryn $11
Compare Hotels in San Fernando and Puerto Madryn

Looking for a hotel in San Fernando 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 San Fernando


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: Puerto Madryn Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    San Fernando $50
    Puerto Madryn $3.28

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Madryn

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:

  • From Punta Tombo Day Trip with Hotel Transfer: $131
  • Trelew Airport Shuttle Transfer To Puerto Madryn : $47

Is it cheaper to fly into San Fernando or Puerto Madryn?

Prices for flights to both Puerto Madryn and San Fernando 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
    San Fernando $48
    Puerto Madryn $5.69

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    San Fernando $28
    Puerto Madryn $5.77

Typical Entertainment Prices in Puerto Madryn

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Puerto Madryn are as follows:


  • 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:

  • 4 x 4 experience around Puerto Madryn: $100
  • Cruise Shore Excursion Ea San Lorenzo Peninsula Valdes - Patagonia - Argentina: $229
  • Cruise Shore Excursion Peninsula Valdes - Pto Madryn - Patagonia - Argentina: $119
  • Cruise Shore Excursion Punta Tombo - Tickets included - Puerto Madryn Patagonia: $129
  • Excursion to Punta Loma and Puerto Madryn for Cruisers: $60
  • From City and Punta Loma Tour: $70
  • From Florentino Ameghino Dam Day Tour: $194
  • From Penguin Tour & Península Valdés Day Trip: $152
  • From Valdes Peninsula Full-Day Tour: $130
  • Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience: $90
  • Full Day Peninsula Valdes Experience - optional Whale Watching : $87
  • Full Day Punta Tombo - Walking Among Penguins Experience - Madryn: $105

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    San Fernando $22
    Puerto Madryn $3.13


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Fernando and Puerto Madryn, we can see that San Fernando is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Madryn much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Fernando is in Caribbean Islands and Puerto Madryn 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 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 San Fernando would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Fernando 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 San Fernando Expensive? and Is Puerto Madryn Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, San Fernando or Puerto Madryn?

Puerto Madryn has a larger population, and is about 14% larger than the population of San Fernando. When comparing the sizes of San Fernando 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.


When is the best time to visit San Fernando or Puerto Madryn?

Puerto Madryn has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Fernando experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit San Fernando or Puerto Madryn in the Summer?

Both Puerto Madryn and San Fernando during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to San Fernando because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In the summer, San Fernando is a little warmer than Puerto Madryn. Typically, the summer temperatures in San Fernando in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Madryn averages at about 22°C (71°F)in January.

It rains a lot this time of the year in San Fernando. San Fernando usually gets more rain in July than Puerto Madrynin January. San Fernando gets 266 mm (10.5 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July and January
    San Fernando 27°C (81°F) 
    Puerto Madryn 22°C (71°F)

Should I visit San Fernando or Puerto Madryn in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both San Fernando and Puerto Madryn. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Fernando year-round.

In October, San Fernando is generally much warmer than Puerto Madrynin April. Daily temperatures in San Fernando average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Madryn fluctuates around 14°C (58°F).

San Fernando gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, San Fernando usually receives more rain than Puerto Madrynin April. San Fernando gets 199 mm (7.8 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October and April
    San Fernando 27°C (81°F) 
    Puerto Madryn 14°C (58°F)

Should I visit San Fernando or Puerto Madryn in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to San Fernando as well as Puerto Madryn. San Fernando attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

San Fernando is much warmer than Puerto Madryn in the winter. The daily temperature in San Fernando averages around 26°C (78°F) in January, and Puerto Madryn fluctuates around 7°C (45°F)in July.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Puerto Madryn. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in San Fernando this time of the year. In the winter, San Fernando often gets more sunshine than Puerto Madrynin July. San Fernando gets 241 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Madryn receives 209 hours of full sun.

San Fernando usually gets more rain in January than Puerto Madrynin July. San Fernando gets 71 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January and July
    San Fernando 26°C (78°F) 
    Puerto Madryn 7°C (45°F)

Should I visit San Fernando or Puerto Madryn in the Spring?

Both Puerto Madryn and San Fernando are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Fernando throughout the year.

In the spring, San Fernando is much warmer than Puerto Madryn. Typically, the spring temperatures in San Fernando in April average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Madryn averages at about 14°C (58°F)in October.

In April, San Fernando usually receives more rain than Puerto Madrynin October. San Fernando gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April and October
    San Fernando 27°C (81°F) 
    Puerto Madryn 14°C (58°F)

Typical Weather for Puerto Madryn and San Fernando

San Fernando Puerto Madryn
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 26°C (78°F) 71 mm (2.8 in) 22°C (71°F) 11 mm (0.4 in)
Feb 26°C (79°F) 43 mm (1.7 in) 21°C (69°F) 18 mm (0.7 in)
Mar 26°C (80°F) 34 mm (1.3 in) 18°C (64°F) 20 mm (0.8 in)
Apr 27°C (81°F) 51 mm (2 in) 14°C (58°F) 14 mm (0.6 in)
May 28°C (82°F) 117 mm (4.6 in) 10°C (51°F) 17 mm (0.7 in)
Jun 27°C (81°F) 252 mm (9.9 in) 7°C (45°F) 14 mm (0.6 in)
Jul 27°C (81°F) 266 mm (10.5 in) 7°C (45°F) 18 mm (0.7 in)
Aug 27°C (81°F) 225 mm (8.9 in) 9°C (48°F) 16 mm (0.6 in)
Sep 27°C (81°F) 203 mm (8 in) 11°C (53°F) 10 mm (0.4 in)
Oct 27°C (81°F) 199 mm (7.8 in) 14°C (58°F) 20 mm (0.8 in)
Nov 27°C (80°F) 228 mm (9 in) 18°C (64°F) 14 mm (0.6 in)
Dec 26°C (79°F) 155 mm (6.1 in) 20°C (68°F) 12 mm (0.5 in)