A Travel Price Comparison for Argentina Ushuaia vs. San Carlos de Bariloche for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Ushuaia or San Carlos de Bariloche?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Ushuaia or San Carlos de Bariloche? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Ushuaia or San Carlos de Bariloche?

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.

San Carlos de Bariloche

Set in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Argentina, San Carlos de Bariloche is the biggest city in the Lake District. Bariloche is popular for skiing and snowboarding in the winter and trekking, swimming, fishing and horseback riding in the summertime.

No matter the time of year, there is something for everyone in Bariloche. Skiing season begins from June to October while fishing season is from November to April. Summer is from December to March, but visiting during low seasons (Spring in October to December and Autumn in late-April to mid-June) also has its benefits when it comes to saving cash and avoiding crowds.

Check out our ultimate guide to Hiking in Patagonia.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina, The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, San Carlos de Bariloche or Ushuaia?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Ushuaia Prices
    Argentina Prices
    San Carlos de Bariloche Prices
    Argentina Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Ushuaia $11
    San Carlos de Bariloche $7.87

The average daily cost (per person) in Ushuaia is $11, while the average daily cost in San Carlos de Bariloche is $7.87. 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 Ushuaia and San Carlos de Bariloche in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Ushuaia $4.71
    San Carlos de Bariloche $2.23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Ushuaia $9.42
    San Carlos de Bariloche $4.46
Compare Hotels in Ushuaia and San Carlos de Bariloche

Looking for a hotel in Ushuaia or San Carlos de Bariloche? 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.

Hotels in Ushuaia


Hotels in San Carlos de Bariloche


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: Ushuaia Hotel Prices and San Carlos de Bariloche Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Ushuaia -
    San Carlos de Bariloche $1.90
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ushuaia

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Ushuaia are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $0.03

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ushuaia

Also for Ushuaia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Low Cost Ushuaia Transfer from/to the airport: $7.99
  • Ushuaia Low cost Transfers: $8.00
  • Airport Transfer: $10
  • Ushuaia Airport Shared Transfer: $13
  • Low Cost Esmeralda Lagoon Round Trip Transfer: $15
  • Ushuaia Airport Departure Transfer: $17
  • Ushuaia Private Transfer from City to Airport (USH): $17
  • Transfer from the airport to the hotel in shared service: $19
  • Transfer from your accommodation to Ushuaia airport: $19
  • Transfer from the hotel to the airport in shared service: $19
  • Transfer from Ushuaia airport to your accomodation: $19
  • Private Transfer - Ushuaia International Airport (USH): $20

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Carlos de Bariloche

Some specific examples of transportation prices in San Carlos de Bariloche:

  • Bariloche Airport BRC to Cerro Catedral RoundTrip Transfer: $188
  • Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Villa Traful: $157
  • Private Transfer from Hotel Tronador to Bariloche (BRC) Airport: $157
  • Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Hotel Tronador: $157
  • Private Transfer Bariloche or Villa La Angostura to Bariloche Airport by Minibus: $149
  • BARILOCHE: PRIVATE TRANSFER FROM AIRPORT TO CITY CENTER: $135
  • Private Transfer from Bariloche (BRC) Airport to Villa La Angostura: $131
  • Private Transfer Bariloche or Villa La Angostura to Bariloche Airport BRC by van: $124
  • Cerro Catedral to Bariloche Airport (BRC) - Departure Transfer: $94
  • Bariloche Airport Departure Private Transfer: $88
  • Bariloche Airport Round Trip Shuttle Transfer: $88
  • Bariloche Airport Arrival Private Transfer: $88

Is it cheaper to fly into Ushuaia or San Carlos de Bariloche?

Prices for flights to both San Carlos de Bariloche 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Ushuaia $3.15
    San Carlos de Bariloche $4.01
Typical Food Prices in Ushuaia

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Ushuaia:


  • Lunch for Two
    $0.05

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ushuaia

For Ushuaia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • 4WD Off Road Beaver Watching with Dinner in Shelter: $160
  • Tierra del Fuego National Park PM - with Dinner included: $168
  • Discovering Lakes Escondido and Fagnano with sunset dinner: $210

Typical Food Prices in San Carlos de Bariloche

Some typical examples of dining costs in San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:


  • Pastries
    $0.01
  • Empanadas
    $0.03

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Ushuaia $11
    San Carlos de Bariloche $2.55

Tours and Activities in Ushuaia

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ushuaia.

  • Panoramic City Train Tour: $20
  • Ushuaia City Tour: $26
  • Double-Decker Sightseeing Tour: $27
  • CITY TOUR + MARTIAL GLACIER RESERVE VISIT: $30
  • Ushuaia City Half-Day Tour: $31
  • An Hour Tour in the City of Ushuaia: $32
  • Exploring Double Decker Bus Tour: $34
  • USHUAIA : City Tour + Martial Glacier Reserve: $37
  • 1 Hour City Tour in Ushuaia : $39
  • LANDSCAPES AND DELIGHTS - CITY TOUR: $45
  • Tierra del Fuego National Park Tour: $53
  • Ushuaia Low Cost Park tour: $58

Tours and Activities in San Carlos de Bariloche

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for San Carlos de Bariloche are as follows:

  • 2-Days Experience Bariloche with Airfare from Buenos Aires: $1,690
  • 4-Hour Guided Tour of the Small Circuit: $60
  • Adventure in El Manso Horseback Riding in the Heart of Patagonia: $250
  • Adventure to Cerro Tronador and Black Ventisquero from Bariloche: $114
  • Bariloche Horseback Riding & Traditional Argentine Barbecue Tour: $193
  • Bariloche San Martin de los Andes and Seven Lakes Road Tour: $150
  • Bariloche TOUR Cerro Catedral with ascent and guide: $150
  • Bariloche: Beer Tour through 3 breweries: $181
  • Bariloche: Blest Port and Cantaros Waterfall Tour : $190
  • Bariloche: Cerro Tronador and Ventisquero Negro Glacier Tour: $77
  • Bariloche: Cerro Tronador and Ventisquero Negro Tour: $113
  • Bariloche: Full-Day El Bolsón and Puelo Lake Tour: $72

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Ushuaia -
    San Carlos de Bariloche $1.53
Typical Alcohol Prices in Ushuaia

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Ushuaia are as follows:


  • Wine
    $0.04
  • Beer
    $0.01

Sample the Local Flavors in Ushuaia

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Ushuaia:

  • Photo tour and Wine Tasting in Ushuaia City: $115
  • City tour and Wine tasting: $115

Typical Alcohol Prices in San Carlos de Bariloche

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in San Carlos de Bariloche from other travelers:


  • Beer
    $0.01

Sample the Local Flavors in San Carlos de Bariloche

Also in San Carlos de Bariloche, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Bariloche: Patagonian Experience wine tasting: $80
  • Bariloche: Wine Tasting Winehouse Experience: $100


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ushuaia and San Carlos de Bariloche, we can see that Ushuaia is more expensive. And not only is San Carlos de Bariloche much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to San Carlos de Bariloche would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Carlos de Bariloche 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 Ushuaia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ushuaia than you might in San Carlos de Bariloche.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ushuaia Expensive? and Is San Carlos de Bariloche Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Ushuaia or San Carlos de Bariloche?

San Carlos de Bariloche has a larger population, and is about 64% larger than the population of Ushuaia. When comparing the sizes of Ushuaia and San Carlos de Bariloche, 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.