Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or Tulum?
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 Tulum or El Calafate?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Tulum and El Calafate can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Tulum or El Calafate?
Tulum
When you think of ancient ruins you probably picture dusty archaeological digs surrounded by sand and professors in khaki shorts. What if I told you there is a way to see ancient ruins and visit a tropical beach? That's exactly what you find in Tulum, Mexico.
Built near the end of Mayan era, the ruins of Tulum served as a port before the arrival of the Spanish. It may have been called Zama, meaning City of Dawn, given that these ruins face the sunrise. Because of Tulum's access to both land and sea routes, this spot was an important hub for the trade industry. It may have had another claim to fame, too. According to some murals and other works around the site, it seems this spot was an important site for the worship of the Diving or Descending God. Today, the area is the third most visited archaeological site in all of Mexico with daily tour buses dropping off visitors.
This area is usually packed with people looking to get a glimpse of the seaside ruins. To avoid crowds and capture the best view of the day, try to arrive as early as possible.
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, The Best Historical Tours in Mexico, The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina.
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Tulum Prices
Mexico PricesEl Calafate Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTulum $140El Calafate $58
The average daily cost (per person) in Tulum is $140, 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 Tulum and El Calafate in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTulum $57El Calafate $36
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTulum $114El Calafate $72
Compare Hotels in Tulum and El Calafate
Looking for a hotel in Tulum 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: Tulum Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tulum $27El Calafate $4.17
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tulum
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Tulum are as follows:
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Scooter Rental$17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tulum
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tulum:
- Xcaret to Tulum - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $81
- Tulum to Xcaret - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $112
- Tulum to Playa del Carmen - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $118
- Tulum to Chetumal - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $244
- Tulum to Cancún Airport (CUN) - Private Departure Transfer: $130
- Tulum to Bacalar - Private Transfer with Optional Sightseeing: $194
- Tulum Archaeological Zone: Cenote, Lunch & Transfer: $203
- Tulum Archaeological Zone and El Jaguar Park, with Transfer and Lunch: $163
- Tulum Airport: One-Way or Roundtrip Private Transfer: $302
- Tulum Airport to Riviera Maya Private Transfer: $120
- Tulum Airport Private Transfer to Hotels and Airbnbs: $73
- Transfer from Hotel and Airbnb to Tulum Airport: $63
Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Calafate
Also for El Calafate, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Calafate: Airport Transfer: $12
- Shared Transfer from El Calafate Airport to Hotel or v.v.: $16
- Transfer from your hotel to El Calafate airport: $16
- Transfer from the airport to your hotel in El Calafate: $16
- One Way Transfer from Airport-Hotel downtown(Calafate) vice versa: $16
- Shared Transfer Airport - Hotel in El Calafate: $18
- Airport Transfer Calafate Regular Bus or Private Car: $20
- Private Transfer to El Calafate Airport (FTE): $25
- Transfers from the Airport to El Calafate with City Tour: $29
- Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $32
- Airport Transfer - Downtown: $35
- Private Transfer Hotel-Bus Station or Bus Station-Hotel (Calafate): $35
Is it cheaper to fly into Tulum or El Calafate?
Prices for flights to both El Calafate and Tulum 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 dayTulum $57El Calafate $6.64
Typical Food Prices in Tulum
Some typical examples of dining costs in Tulum are as follows:
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Lunch$2.86
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tulum
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tulum.
- Salsa Class,Mezcalita Workshop & Mexican Dinner: $87
- Yucatecan cooking class with a local chef in Tulum: $89
- Tortilla & Taco Cooking Class – Mexican Cuisine from scratch: $93
- Tulum Vegan Food Tour: $96
- Mexican Cooking from Scratch in a Local Home in Tulum: $100
- Mexican Cooking class experience in Tulum: $138
- Private Authentic Mayan Cooking Class with Tulum Hotel Transfers: $280
- Private Mayan Food Cooking Class, Cenote and Coba Ruins: $289
- Private transfer for 5 hours (go dinner,cenotes, shopping and more): $299
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:
- Argentine Dinner with Live Music Folklore -Estancia 25 de Mayo: $55
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Dinner & Show with Transfer: $88
- Country Afternoon with Dinner Show - Estancia 25 de Mayo: $92
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Tour with Dinner & Transfer: $138
- Estancia 25 de Mayo in El Calafate - PM visit with dinner: $165
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner and Wine Included: $179
- Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $197
- Estancia 25 de Mayo Experience with Dinner and Horseback Riding: $225
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tulum $30El Calafate $52
Tours and Activities in Tulum
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tulum are as follows:
- 2 Cenotes Guided Snorkeling Adventure in Tulum: $149
- 2 Cenotes Private Tour – VIP Adventure with Expert Guide: $175
- 2 tanks Cenote Diving Adventure in Tulum for Certified Divers: $200
- ATV Cenote and Zipline Adventure from Tulum: $129
- ATV Extreme Adventure Single with Ziplines and Cenote Swim: $151
- ATV Extreme Adventure Single with Ziplines and Cenote Swim: $156
- Adventure at Chichen Itza! Cenote and Valladolid from Tulum City: $98
- Akumal Private Tour: Turtles, Coral Reef, Cenote, Beach, Lunch: $203
- Authentic Mexican Tacos Flavors and 5th Av Tour: $129
- Azulik Uh May Ticket Pass: $82
- Bacalar Full day Experience Kayacs from Tulum: $138
- Birdwatching in Sian Ka´an Muyil from Tulum - Shared Group Tour: $119
Tours and Activities in El Calafate
For El Calafate, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- El Calafate History Museum Tour: $15
- Self-Guided History Museum Tour: $15
- Yeti Ice Bar: An Icy Adventure in the Heart of El Calafate: $33
- Guided Tour of the National Park + Perito Moreno Glacier + Boat Cruise (optional): $48
- Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier Guided Full-Day Tour: $52
- Perito Moreno Glacier Guided Expedition with optional Cruise: $60
- Full Day Guided Tour Perito Moreno National Park and Glacier: $60
- Round Trip Ticket-Bus to Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $61
- Bus ticket to Puerto Natales, Chile: $62
- Perito Moreno Glacier & Optional Boat Cruise: $69
- Perito Moreno Glacier Guided Tour: $69
- Perito Moreno Glacier Full Day Tour with Optional Boat Safari: $80
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTulum $24El Calafate $8.26
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tulum and El Calafate, we can see that Tulum is more expensive. And not only is El Calafate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tulum is in North 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 Tulum would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tulum 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 Tulum Expensive? and Is El Calafate Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tulum or El Calafate?
Tulum has a larger population, and is about 5% larger than the population of El Calafate. When comparing the sizes of Tulum 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.