Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or San Pedro?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit San Pedro or El Calafate?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between San Pedro or El Calafate, 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 Pedro or El Calafate?
San Pedro
San Pedro is the largest town on Ambergris Caye, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Belize. Here you can find a tropical paradise with warm weather, clear blue waters, plenty of activities such as snorkeling and scuba diving, and a host of hotels, restaurants, and other amenities.
El Calafate
Located in Patagonia, El Calafate has become a popular tourist destination in Argentina because of its beautiful setting on the stunningly blue Lago Argentina. The town sits on the southern border of the lake in the southwestern part of the Santa Cruz Province. It's about 320 kilometers from Rio Gallegos.
The rise in popularity of Patagonia as a tourist destination has truly put this small town on the map. You'll find no shortage of trekkers in the town and it makes an excellent base to explore different parts of the Los Glaciares National Park. Popular places to visit include Perito Moreno Glacier, Cerro Chalten, and Cerro Torre.
El Calafate has a cold semi-arid climate. The summers are cool to warm and very dry while the winters are cold and damp. Lago Argentino has a significant influence over the town's climate. The shallow bay where the town is located is usually frozen during the winter months.
Check out our ultimate guide to Hiking in Patagonia.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Belize, The Best G Adventures Tours to Belize, The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina.
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San Pedro Prices
Belize PricesEl Calafate Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySan Pedro $163El Calafate $58
The average daily cost (per person) in San Pedro is $163, while the average daily cost in El Calafate is $58. 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 Pedro and El Calafate in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSan Pedro $66El Calafate $37
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSan Pedro $132El Calafate $74
Compare Hotels in San Pedro and El Calafate
Looking for a hotel in San Pedro or El Calafate? 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: El Calafate Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.San Pedro $34El Calafate $4.20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Pedro:
- Cave Tubing and Zipline Adventure (Boat Transfer): $210
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Calafate
Also for El Calafate, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Transfer from El Calafate Airport to downtown Hotel: $11
- Punta Walichu Reserve W Lunch & Transfer: $18
- Private Transfer to El Calafate Airport (FTE): $29
- Private Transfer from El Calafate Airport (FTE): $29
- Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $44
- Private Airport Transfer in Calafate: $45
- Private Transfer: Calafate Airport to City Center: $59
- Transfer to Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $77
- Excursion to the Perito Moreno Glacier, with guide and transfer to / from the hotel: $79
- FTE Aiport transfer Group 4 to 6 people with luggage: $116
- Roundtrip transfers to Perito Moreno Glacier: $149
- Transfer from El Calafate Airport to El Chaltén: $190
Is it cheaper to fly into San Pedro or El Calafate?
Prices for flights to both El Calafate and San Pedro 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 Pedro $69El Calafate $6.69
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in San Pedro.
- Maya Sunset Dinner Feast: $49
- The Maya Dinner Experience: Season 2: $111
- The Garifuna Dinner Experience: Season I: $111
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in El Calafate
For El Calafate, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Dinner & Show with Transfer: $72
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Tour with Dinner & Transfer: $98
- Country Afternoon with Dinner Show - Estancia 25 de Mayo: $115
- Stargazing Tour with Dinner and Transfers: $120
- Estancia 25 de Mayo in El Calafate - PM visit with dinner: $165
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Experience with Dinner from Calafate: $190
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner and Wine Included: $190
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $255
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.San Pedro $33El Calafate $52
Tours and Activities in San Pedro
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Pedro are as follows:
- Caye Caulker Private Camping Adventure: $100
- 3 Hours Barrier Reef Tour in Caye Caulker, Belize: $59
- All-Inclusive Full-Day Hol Chan Snorkeling Tour : $125
- Altun Ha Cave Tubing and Zip line Tours from San Pedro Ambergris Caye: $300
- Ambergris Caye Food and History Tour: $75
- Ambergris Caye Sunset Sail Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat: $85
- Belize Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley Snorkel Tour - Ambergris Caye: $113
- Belizean Food Experience: $87
- Double Activity Limo Tour - Altun Ha Ruins & ATV Jungle Adventure: $260
- Double Activity Limo Tour - Altun Ha Ruins & Zip Lining Adventure: $210
- Double Activity Limo Tour - Cave Tubing & Zip Lining: $205
- Double Activity Limo Tour - Zip Lining & ATV Jungle Adventure: $280
Tours and Activities in El Calafate
For El Calafate, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Self-Guided History Museum Tour: $15
- Guided Tour National Park+Perito Moreno Glacier+Sailing (optional): $47
- Perito Moreno Glacier & Optional Boat Cruise: $67
- From Perito Moreno walkways + Boat Tour (optional): $70
- Perito Moreno Glacier Walkway Tour: $71
- Perito Moreno Glacier Guided Tour: $79
- Tour to Walkways of the Perito Moreno Glacier: $83
- From Full-Day Tour to El Chaltén: $89
- Full Day Guided Tour Perito Moreno National Park and Glacier: $90
- Los Glaciares National Park and Perito Moreno Glacier Tour: $92
- Panoramic Tour with Punta Walichu: $96
- Perito Moreno Glacier Full Day Tour with optional Navigation : $96
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySan Pedro $16El Calafate $8.33
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between San Pedro and El Calafate, we can see that San Pedro is more expensive. And not only is El Calafate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since San Pedro is in Central America and El Calafate 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 Calafate would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in El Calafate 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 Pedro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Pedro than you might in El Calafate.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Pedro Expensive? and Is El Calafate Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, San Pedro or El Calafate?
San Pedro has a larger population, and is about 5% larger than the population of El Calafate. When comparing the sizes of San Pedro and El Calafate, 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.
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.