Which place is cheaper, Puerto Madryn or Santa Elena?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Santa Elena or Puerto Madryn?
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 Puerto Madryn. 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 Puerto Madryn?
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%.
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 G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica, The Best 2-Week Tours in Argentina, and The Best 3-Week Tours in Argentina.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanta Elena $92Puerto Madryn $14
The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Elena is $92, 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 Santa Elena and Puerto Madryn in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanta Elena $55Puerto Madryn $5.25
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanta Elena $110Puerto Madryn $11
Compare Hotels in Santa Elena and Puerto Madryn
Looking for a hotel in Santa Elena 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.
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.Santa Elena $11Puerto Madryn $3.28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Elena
Also for Santa Elena, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Peñas Blancas to Liberia Airport (LIR) Departure Private Transfer: $38
- Direct transfer from Monteverde to San Jose, English Speaking Driver: $180
- Private Transfer Lake crossing from Monteverde To Arenal From 1 to 6 passengers: $249
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde to Samara : $269
- Private Transfer From Monteverde To La Fortuna From 1 to 6 passengers: $270
- One Way Private Transfer from Monteverde - Liberia: $276
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 Santa Elena or Puerto Madryn?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Madryn 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 $24Puerto Madryn $5.69
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:
- Night Walk in Monteverde with Dinner Included: $55
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santa Elena $30Puerto Madryn $5.77
Tours and Activities in Santa Elena
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santa Elena.
- Wildlife Tour in Curicancha : $25
- Monteverde Butterfly Gardens Tour: $26
- Adventure Day - Outdoor activities for Family and Friends Special Package.: $29
- Monteverde: Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour: $30
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour: $30
- Kinkajou Night Walk Tour: $30
- CuriCancha Reserve Admission Ticket: $33
- Curicancha Birdwatching Tour: $34
- Night Adventures in Monteverde: $35
- Natural History Tour - Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve: $35
- Authentic experience of Coffee, Cane and Caco inside the forest: $37
- Regular Guided tour Monteverde Reserve: $38
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 daySanta Elena $6.22Puerto Madryn $3.13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santa Elena and Puerto Madryn, we can see that Santa Elena is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Madryn much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santa Elena is in Central America 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 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 Puerto Madryn.
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 Puerto Madryn Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Santa Elena or Puerto Madryn?
Puerto Madryn has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Santa Elena experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Santa Elena or Puerto Madryn in the Summer?
Both Puerto Madryn and Santa Elena during the summer are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Santa Elena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Santa Elena is a little warmer than Puerto Madryn in the summer. The daily temperature in Santa Elena averages around 28°C (82°F) in July, and Puerto Madryn fluctuates around 22°C (71°F)in January.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. Santa Elena usually gets more rain in July than Puerto Madrynin January. Santa Elena gets 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuarySanta Elena 28°C (82°F)Puerto Madryn 22°C (71°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Puerto Madryn in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Santa Elena and Puerto Madryn. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round.
In the autumn, Santa Elena is much warmer than Puerto Madryn. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Santa Elena in October average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Madryn averages at about 14°C (58°F)in April.
Santa Elena gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Santa Elena usually receives more rain than Puerto Madrynin April. Santa Elena gets 254 mm (10 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
-
Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilSanta Elena 27°C (81°F)Puerto Madryn 14°C (58°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Puerto Madryn in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Santa Elena as well as Puerto Madryn. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
In January, Santa Elena is generally much warmer than Puerto Madrynin July. Daily temperatures in Santa Elena average around 27°C (81°F), and Puerto Madryn fluctuates around 7°C (45°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Puerto Madryn. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Santa Elena this time of the year. In the winter, Santa Elena often gets more sunshine than Puerto Madrynin July. Santa Elena gets 264 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Puerto Madryn receives 209 hours of full sun.
Santa Elena usually gets less rain in January than Puerto Madrynin July. Santa Elena gets 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 18 mm (0.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
-
Winter Average Temperatures January and JulySanta Elena 27°C (81°F)Puerto Madryn 7°C (45°F)
Should I visit Santa Elena or Puerto Madryn in the Spring?
Both Puerto Madryn and Santa Elena are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Santa Elena throughout the year.
Santa Elena is much warmer than Puerto Madryn in the spring. The daily temperature in Santa Elena averages around 29°C (85°F) in April, and Puerto Madryn fluctuates around 14°C (58°F)in October.
In April, Santa Elena usually receives more rain than Puerto Madrynin October. Santa Elena gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Puerto Madryn receives 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.
-
Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberSanta Elena 29°C (85°F)Puerto Madryn 14°C (58°F)
Typical Weather for Puerto Madryn and Santa Elena
| Santa Elena | Puerto Madryn | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 27°C (81°F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 22°C (71°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) |
| Feb | 28°C (83°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (84°F) | 4 mm (0.2 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Apr | 29°C (85°F) | 28 mm (1.1 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| May | 29°C (83°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 10°C (51°F) | 17 mm (0.7 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 226 mm (8.9 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Jul | 28°C (82°F) | 164 mm (6.5 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) |
| Aug | 26°C (79°F) | 289 mm (11.4 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (82°F) | 328 mm (12.9 in) | 11°C (53°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Oct | 27°C (81°F) | 254 mm (10 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Nov | 27°C (81°F) | 121 mm (4.8 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 14 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 27°C (81°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 12 mm (0.5 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.