Should you visit Ushuaia or Puerto Madryn?
Should I visit Ushuaia or Puerto Madryn? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Ushuaia
Ushuaia is a city on the Tierra del Fuego island of Argentina on the Beagle Strait. The city is considered to be one of the southernmost cities in the world and is often used as a base for cruises to Antarctica. Ushuaia's close proximity to Antarctica and their amazing hiking trails have made it a popular tourist destination over the past few decades.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Puerto Madryn or Ushuaia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Ushuaia is $81, while the average daily cost in Puerto Madryn is $99. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Ushuaia and Puerto Madryn in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $80 in Ushuaia For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $37. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Puerto Madryn the cost is $74 on average.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Ushuaia cost around $15 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $6.00.
Food in Puerto Madryn costs travelers about $40 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Ushuaia $15
Puerto Madryn $40
Typical Food prices in Ushuaia
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ushuaia:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ushuaia
For Ushuaia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Meeting with Beavers and Lagoon Tour with Dinner:
$176
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $23 per day to get around in Puerto Madryn.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Ushuaia
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Ushuaia are as follows:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ushuaia
Also for Ushuaia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Ushuaia Airport Shared Transfer:
$7.30
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Private Airport Transfer: Malvinas Argentinas Int. Airport (USH) to Ushuaia:
$14
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Private Airport Transfer: Ushuaia to Malvinas Argentinas International (USH):
$14
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Ushuaia Airport Arrival Transfer:
$15
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Ushuaia Airport Departure Transfer:
$18
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Transfer Cerro Castor (Round Trip):
$19
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Shared Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Ushuaia):
$22
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Private Transfer Hotel-Bus Station or Bus Station-Hotel (Ushuaia):
$27
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Transfer Ushuaia Airport - Hotel in Ushuaia - Ushuaia Airport:
$35
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Transfer Ushuaia Airport - Hotel in Ushuaia - Ushuaia Airport:
$35
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Shared Round-Trip Airport Transfer:
$38
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Private Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Ushuaia):
$54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Madryn
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:
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Puerto Madryn Airport Private Transfer:
$138
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Puerto Madryn Trelew Airport Shuttle Transfer:
$15
Is it cheaper to fly into Ushuaia or Puerto Madryn?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Madryn and Ushuaia 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.
Entertainment
In Ushuaia, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $89 per person, per day.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $41 per person, per day in Puerto Madryn. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Ushuaia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ushuaia.
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Ushuaia Double Decker Bus Tour:
$16
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Estancia Harberton Museum Admission Ticket:
$25
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Tierra del Fuego National Park Admission Ticket:
$25
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Tierra del Fuego National Park Half-Day Tour with Optional End of the World Train Ride:
$32
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City Tour:
$32
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City Tour "Bajo Cero" + Mini Trekking + Thematic Gallery:
$37
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Ushuaia City Half-Day Tour with optional Museums:
$39
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Ushuaia City Tour with Museums:
$39
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Double-Decker Sightseeing Tour:
$39
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Ushuaia-End of the World tour -National Park 4 hours (shared tour-):
$40
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Tierra Del Fuego National Park Tour:
$42
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City Tour of Ushuaia:
$51
Typical Entertainment prices in Puerto Madryn
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Puerto Madryn are as follows:
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Whale Watching for Two
$3.06
Tours and Activities in Puerto Madryn
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Madryn are as follows:
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3-Day Atlantic Patagonia Wild Nature Experience at Bahia Bustamante Lodge:
$421
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Chubut Welsh Colonies Tour:
$64
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City Tour and Sea Lions at Punta Loma from Puerto Madryn:
$29
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Cruise Shore excursion to Punta Tombo:
$100
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Cruise shore excursion to Peninsula Valdes:
$120
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Discover Valdes Peninsula Day Tour:
$99
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Excursion Sib Tour to the valley of the Chubut river:
$113
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Florentino Ameghino Dam Day Tour:
$152
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Full Day Tour to Florentino Ameghino Dam from Puerto Madryn:
$75
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Full Day Tour to Punta Ninfas from Puerto Madryn:
$110
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Patagonia Ranch and El Pedral Penguin Colony Tour from Puerto Madryn:
$125
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Peninsula Valdes & Estancia San Lorenzo Full Day Tour:
$155
Alcohol
The average person spends about $22 on alcoholic beverages in Puerto Madryn per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typical Alcohol prices in Ushuaia
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Ushuaia are as follows:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ushuaia and Puerto Madryn, we can see that Puerto Madryn is more expensive. And not only is Ushuaia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ushuaia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ushuaia 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 Puerto Madryn would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Madryn than you might in Ushuaia.
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