Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or Santa Elena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Santa Elena or El Calafate?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Santa Elena and El Calafate. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Santa Elena or El Calafate?
Santa Elena
Santa Elena is a cute town, and the closest to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It's one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica, and is a great place to experience the cloud forest and see some of country's unique wildlife.
In the Monteverde Cloud Forest you have a good chance of seeing rare quetzals which are the national bird of Costa Rica. Other common animals include white-faced capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, orange-kneed tarantulas, any of 8-9 species of hummingbirds, and sloth.
Santa Elena is about 1,400 meters above sea level and has a humid and damp environment. The average yearly temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit and the average rainfall is 3,000 millimetres. Humidity can be anywhere between 74% and 97%.
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 G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica, The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina.
-
Santa Elena Prices
Costa Rica PricesEl Calafate Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Elena $109El Calafate $58
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Elena is $109, 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 Santa Elena and El Calafate in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Elena $55El Calafate $37
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Elena $110El Calafate $74
Compare Hotels in Santa Elena and El Calafate
Looking for a hotel in Santa Elena 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
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santa Elena $11El Calafate $4.20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer Liberia Airport to Saint Helena Monte Verde: $210
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to your Destination: $240
- Private Transfer From Monteverde to San Jose With 2 Stops: $233
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
- MiniVan Departure Transfer Monteverde to San Jose Airport SJO: $215
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $197
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Calafate
Also for El Calafate, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Perito Moreno Full Day Minitrekking with Transfer & Walkways: $460
- Perito Moreno Glacier Mini Trek with Transfer: $441
- Private Airport Transfer: $296
- "Todo Glaciares" Boat Tour + optional transfers from El Calafate : $205
- Transfer from El Calafate Airport to El Chaltén: $190
- Roundtrip transfers to Perito Moreno Glacier: $149
- FTE Aiport transfer Group 4 to 6 people with luggage: $116
- Excursion to the Perito Moreno Glacier, with guide and transfer to / from the hotel: $79
- Transfer to Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $77
- Private Transfer: Calafate Airport to City Center: $59
- Private Airport Transfer in Calafate: $45
- Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $44
Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Elena or El Calafate?
Prices for flights to both El Calafate and Santa Elena 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 daySanta Elena $41El Calafate $6.69
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santa Elena
For Santa Elena, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Monteverde Cooking Class: $60
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
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Elena $30El Calafate $52
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Cloud Forest hanging bridges with a local naturalist tour guide: $22
- Curi-cancha Bird-Watching tour semi private : $40
- 2x1 Guided Tour Combo Hanging Bridges and Night Walk: $40
- 3 Hours Bird Watching Guided Experience in Bajo Cebadilla: $90
- 3 hours of the Longest and Highest Extreme Zip line Experience in Monteverde: $95
- Admission Ticket to Las Pumas Rescue Center : $20
- Adventure Day - Outdoor Fun for Family & Friends Package: $29
- Adventure Park High Ropes Course : $69
- Birdwatching Tour in Monteverde : $85
- Canopy Adventure From Monteverde: $86
- Cloud Forest Small Group Tour: $30
- Coffee Tour Monteverde : $60
Tours and Activities in El Calafate
For El Calafate, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Argentine Cuisine Experience in El Calafate: $130
- 4 Days & 3 Nights El Calafate & El Chaltén Magical Adventure: $1,350
- Adventure Horseback Riding on Cerro Frias: $140
- CAÑADON EXPERIENCE - TREKKING & STAY - PRIVATE VEHICLE: $1,500
- CALAFATE: Panoramic tour: The best balconies of Calafate: $194
- Calafate Panoramic tour: The best balconies of Calafate 4x4: $210
- Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier Boat Tour: $207
- DARWIN EXPERIENCE KAYAK & ADVENTURE: $240
- Discover La Leona Petrified Forest: Guided Hiking Tour: $224
- EL CALAFATE Native experience lakes and caverns: $214
- "Perito Moreno Glacier with the Tour - Blue Safari".: $319
- 4WD Adventure with Optional Hike or Zipline: $128
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one daySanta Elena $6.21El Calafate $8.33
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Elena and El Calafate, we can see that Santa Elena is more expensive. And not only is El Calafate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Elena 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 Santa Elena Expensive? and Is El Calafate Expensive?.
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.