Should you visit Ushuaia or Tilcara?
Should I visit Ushuaia or Tilcara? 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.
Tilcara
Tilcara signifies shooting star in Quechua. At 2465m of altitude, the little town of Tilcara is one of the most animated place of the area of the quebrada de humahuaca. Many South American backpackers and tourists from all around the world come to visit Tilcara and its pucara, the forteresse built by the Incas at the top of the hill, providing a stunning walk around the town. Tilcara hosts many festivals for different occasions such as the celebration of the Pachamama in August, the semana santa (Holy Week) in April, and the Enero Tilcareno, held in January as its name indicates, which is probably the busiest month of the year for the little town. If you enjoy concerts, parades and folklorique parties then definitely try to visit Tilcara during a festival month and avoid them if you prefer a calm and more relaxed holiday. There are many available activities around Tilcara including horseback riding, VTT, and you could also even try a ride in a caravan pulled by llamas.
Which city is cheaper, Tilcara 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 Tilcara 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Ushuaia and Tilcara 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.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $46 in Tilcara For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
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.
On average, meal and food prices in Tilcara cost around $24 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 $9.60.
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Food
Meals for one day
Ushuaia $15
Tilcara $24
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
Typical Food prices in Tilcara
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Tilcara:
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Sandwich
$0.05
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Burger
$0.10
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Fruit
$0.08
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Sandwich
$0.10
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Tilcara than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $15 on transportation in Tilcara on average per day.
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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Overnight Ushuaia - Airport transfers, Tierra del Fuego National Park and Lakes!:
$339
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Ushuaia Combo: Tierra del Fuego National Park & Round Trip Transfers to airport:
$114
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Private Transfer Airport-Port or Port-Airport (Ushuaia):
$55
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Private Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Ushuaia):
$54
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Shared Round-Trip Airport Transfer:
$38
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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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Private Transfer Hotel-Bus Station or Bus Station-Hotel (Ushuaia):
$27
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Shared Transfer Airport-Hotel-Airport (Ushuaia):
$22
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Transfer Cerro Castor (Round Trip):
$19
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Ushuaia Airport Departure Transfer:
$18
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Ushuaia Airport Arrival Transfer:
$15
Typical Local Transportation prices in Tilcara
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Tilcara:
Is it cheaper to fly into Ushuaia or Tilcara?
Prices for flights to both Tilcara 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.
Sightseeing expenses in Tilcara, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $14 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Ushuaia
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Ushuaia.
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2-Day Ushuaia Trekking and Rowing Small-Group Tour:
$606
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2-Days and 1 Night Experience Ushuaia with Airfare from Buenos Aires:
$1,046
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2-day tour: Tierra del Fuego National Park + Fagnano and Escondido Lakes:
$115
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2-day tour:Tierra del Fuego NP + Beagle Channel Navigation + Fagnano & Escondido:
$190
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3-Day Adventure Tour of Hiking, Canoeing and Sailing at the End of the World:
$425
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3-Days Unique Adventure at the End of the World - Ushuaia:
$485
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4 hours Tierra del Fuego National Park Tour with Chinese Guide:
$80
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4-Day Ushuaia Overland adventure - Lake Fagnano, Lake Escondido & San Pablo Cape:
$1,085
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4-Days Experience for Nature Lovers at Ushuaia:
$718
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4WD Off-Road Lakes Tierra del Fuego Adventure From Ushuaia:
$125
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5-Day Adventure Trip in Ushuaia:
$675
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5-Day Ushuaia Overland adventure - Lake Fagnano, San Pablo Cape & Beagle Channel:
$1,644
Tours and Activities in Tilcara
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tilcara.
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Full-Day Tour to Laguna de los Pozuelos from Tilcara:
$135
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Half-Day Mountain Bike Tour to Juella from Tilcara:
$58
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Tilcara, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $7.52.
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 Tilcara, we can see that Ushuaia is more expensive. And not only is Tilcara much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tilcara would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tilcara 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 Tilcara.
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