Which place is cheaper, El Chalten or San Juan?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit San Juan or El Chalten?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit San Juan 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.
Where Should I go: San Juan or El Chalten?
San Juan
If you've ever set foot on a Caribbean cruise, you've probably spent a bit of time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, maybe you should consider spending more than just a port day in this beautiful and historically rich city.
As the capital and largest city in all of Puerto Rico, San Juan is home to approximately 400,000 people. Established in 1521, it is also the second oldest European-founded settlement in the Americas.
As this city fuses a historic paradise with modern day energy, it has absolutely everything to offer. Intellectual wanderers, beach bums, rainforest adventurers and radical surfers will all find plenty to do in San Juan.
El Chalten
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.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Juan $192El Chalten $9.93
The average daily cost (per person) in San Juan is $192, 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 San Juan and El Chalten in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Juan $124El Chalten $4.42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Juan $248El Chalten $8.84
Compare Hotels in San Juan and El Chalten
Looking for a hotel in San Juan 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: San Juan Hotel Prices and El Chalten Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Juan $14El Chalten $2.37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Juan
Also for San Juan, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to San Juan Airport: $22
- Mendoza: One-Way Private Transfer from Airport: $25
- Private Transportation in Puerto Rico From or To San Juan Airport(SJU) Transfers: $33
- San Juan hotels to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
- Oneway Transfer- San Juan(SJU, hotel, airbnb, port) to Río Grande: $68
- Old Walking Tour with Shopping and Hotel Transfer: $70
- Roundtrip-Transfer from: SJU Airport,Cruises and Hotels in Puerto Rico LuxurySUV: $70
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Tesla Y Luxury SUV, Select Zone: $77
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Tesla S Lux Sedan, Select Zone: $79
- Oneway Transfer San Juan to Ceiba: Ferry, Vieques/Culebra Airport: $80
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Lexus Luxury Sedan, Select Zone: $81
- Puerto Rico Island Wide Transfer, Ford Premium SUV, Select Zone: $87
Is it cheaper to fly into San Juan or El Chalten?
Prices for flights to both El Chalten and San Juan 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 daySan Juan $36El Chalten $3.66
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Old San Juan Sunset Food Tour with Drinks: $156
- Savor the Sunset: Old San Juan Walk and Food Tour: $159
- City Lights Sky High Dinner Experience: $165
- Authentic Flavors of San Juan Food Tour: $170
- Private Local Food Tour in San Juan: $275
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Juan $49El Chalten $2.66
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Juan
For San Juan, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Horseback Riding Tour$40
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Full Day Snorkeling Trip$100
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1 Hr Windsurfing Lesson$75
Tours and Activities in San Juan
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Juan.
- Self-Guided Audio Tour of Historic Buildings: $5.99
- Discover Old In-App Audio Tour of History: $11
- Self-Guided Tour with Audio Guide: $14
- Group Transportation in airport, cruise ships, hotels, bnb's in San Juan, PR: $20
- Old Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $25
- History, Legends, & Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $30
- Historical Walking Tour in Old San Juan: $30
- Old San Juan Walking Tour with a Certified Guide: $30
- Old San Juan City Walking Tour: $39
- Old San Juan Walking Tour: $39
- Legacy Tour at Casa BarcadÍ in Puerto Rico: $45
- Walking tour of Oaxaca City: $48
Tours and Activities in El Chalten
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for El Chalten are as follows:
- 3 Hours Grilled Lamb Experience in Estancia Bonanza: $55
- Rafting experience on the Rio de las Vueltas in Patagonia: $90
- Rio de las Vueltas Rafting Experience - El Chalten: $90
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Juan $12El Chalten $1.22
Sample the Local Flavors in San Juan
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in San Juan:
- Pinones Pub crawl in Puerto Rico: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Juan and El Chalten, we can see that San Juan is more expensive. And not only is El Chalten much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Juan 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 San Juan would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Juan 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 San Juan Expensive? and Is El Chalten Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit San Juan or El Chalten?
El Chalten has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but San Juan experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit San Juan or El Chalten in the Summer?
Both El Chalten and San Juan during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to San Juan because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
San Juan is around the same temperature as El Chalten in the summer. The daily temperature in San Juan averages around 28°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. San Juan usually gets less rain in July than El Chaltenin January. San Juan gets 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuarySan Juan 28°C (83°F)El Chalten 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit San Juan or El Chalten in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both San Juan and El Chalten. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to San Juan year-round.
In the autumn, San Juan is a little warmer than El Chalten. Typically, the autumn temperatures in San Juan 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. San Juan gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, San Juan usually receives less rain than El Chaltenin April. San Juan gets 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilSan Juan 28°C (82°F)El Chalten 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit San Juan or El Chalten in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to San Juan as well as El Chalten. San Juan attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In January, San Juan is generally much warmer than El Chaltenin July. Daily temperatures in San Juan average around 25°C (77°F), and El Chalten fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).
San Juan usually gets more rain in January than El Chaltenin July. San Juan gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulySan Juan 25°C (77°F)El Chalten 16°C (61°F)
Should I visit San Juan or El Chalten in the Spring?
Both El Chalten and San Juan are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to San Juan throughout the year.
San Juan is a little warmer than El Chalten in the spring. The daily temperature in San Juan averages around 26°C (79°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 San Juan. San Juan usually receives more sunshine than El Chalten during spring. San Juan 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, San Juan usually receives less rain than El Chaltenin October. San Juan gets 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberSan Juan 26°C (79°F)El Chalten 22°C (72°F)
Typical Weather for El Chalten and San Juan
| San Juan | El Chalten | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 25°C (77°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Feb | 25°C (77°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| Mar | 26°C (78°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (79°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| May | 27°C (81°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (83°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Aug | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (82°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 160 mm (6.3 in) |
| Dec | 26°C (78°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 140 mm (5.5 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.