Which place is cheaper, El Chalten or Veracruz?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Veracruz or El Chalten?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Veracruz and El Chalten can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Veracruz or El Chalten?
Veracruz
Veracruz is the name of both a state and city in the country of Mexico. Locals often call the city "Puerto" (port) in order to differentiate the city from the state. The general area runs along the Gulf of Mexico and encompasses ruins, old colonial cities, lush green mountains, and delicious seafood.
El Chalten
El Chalten is probably one of the most beautiful areas of Patagonia, especially at the slightest ray of sunshine and one of your cheapest destination while you are travelling in Patagonia. Indeed, you will spend your days hiking and there are no park fees. There are restaurants, souvenir shops, and outdoor stores but most of them will not accept credit cards so before heading out, get cash in El Calafate or your previous stop. For the beginners, it will be long hikes in a magical setting and for the experts perhaps a week long expedition to the greatest glaciers of the world. To discover the way people live in the pampa, you may also decide to stay at an Estancia. In the stunning Estancia Santa Thelma, about 300km away from El Chalten, you will be able to explore the surroundings by horse, live a unique experience in the middle of the nature and its vast plains occupied by thousands of merino sheep and horses and of course eat a typical meal of the region.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina, and The Best Adventure Tours to Argentina.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVeracruz $122El Chalten $9.93
The average daily cost (per person) in Veracruz is $122, while the average daily cost in El Chalten is $9.93. 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 Veracruz and El Chalten in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVeracruz $54El Chalten $4.42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVeracruz $108El Chalten $8.84
Compare Hotels in Veracruz and El Chalten
Looking for a hotel in Veracruz or El Chalten? 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: Veracruz Hotel Prices and El Chalten Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Veracruz $28El Chalten $2.37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Veracruz
Also for Veracruz, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Colima Airport (CLQ) to Colima - Arrival Private Transfer: $14
- Shared Arrival Transfer: General Heriberto Jara International Airport to Veracruz Hotels: $23
- Airport Transfer: $25
- Colima Airport (CLQ) to Colima - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $28
- Transfer from Veracruz Airport to Hotel in Veracruz Port: $32
Is it cheaper to fly into Veracruz or El Chalten?
Prices for flights to both El Chalten and Veracruz 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 dayVeracruz $50El Chalten $3.66
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Veracruz $15El Chalten $2.66
Tours and Activities in Veracruz
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Veracruz.
- Hop-On Hop-Off Double-Decker Bus Tour: $7.87
- Panoramic Sightseeing Tour of Veracruz: $8.00
- San Juan de Ulua Fortress Skip-the-Line Ticket: $12
- San Juan de Ulua Fortress of Veracruz Skip-the-Line Ticket: $12
- Sightseeing City Tour and Aquarium: $22
- From Nature & Seafood Boat Tour to Madinga: $23
- 3-hour tour to the San Juan de Ulúa Fortress: $25
- Sightseeing City Tour and Wax & Ripley´s Museums: $25
- From San Juan de Ulua Prison Tour: $26
- Mandinga And Boat Trip Tour: $26
- Aquatico Inbursa Waterpark: Veracruz - Ticket: $27
- San Juan De Ulua Tour: $29
Tours and Activities in El Chalten
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for El Chalten are as follows:
- 3 Hours Grilled Lamb Experience in Estancia Bonanza: $55
- Rafting experience on the Rio de las Vueltas in Patagonia: $90
- Rio de las Vueltas Rafting Experience - El Chalten: $90
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVeracruz $17El Chalten $1.22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Veracruz and El Chalten, we can see that Veracruz is more expensive. And not only is El Chalten much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Veracruz is in North America and El Chalten 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 Chalten would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in El Chalten 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 Veracruz would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Veracruz than you might in El Chalten.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Veracruz Expensive? and Is El Chalten Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Veracruz or El Chalten?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. El Chalten is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Veracruz has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Veracruz or El Chalten in the Summer?
Both El Chalten and Veracruz during the summer are popular places to visit.
In July, Veracruz is generally around the same temperature as El Chaltenin January. Daily temperatures in Veracruz average around 27°C (81°F), and El Chalten fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).
El Chalten gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Veracruz. Veracruz usually gets more rain in July than El Chaltenin January. Veracruz gets 410 mm (16.1 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryVeracruz 27°C (81°F)El Chalten 27°C (81°F)
Should I visit Veracruz or El Chalten in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Veracruz and El Chalten.
Veracruz is a little warmer than El Chalten in the autumn. The daily temperature in Veracruz averages around 26°C (79°F) in October, and El Chalten fluctuates around 21°C (70°F)in April.
El Chalten receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Veracruz gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Veracruz usually receives less rain than El Chaltenin April. Veracruz gets 131 mm (5.2 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 150 mm (5.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilVeracruz 26°C (79°F)El Chalten 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Veracruz or El Chalten in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Veracruz as well as El Chalten.
In the winter, Veracruz is a little warmer than El Chalten. Typically, the winter temperatures in Veracruz in January average around 21°C (71°F), and El Chalten averages at about 16°C (61°F)in July.
Veracruz usually gets less rain in January than El Chaltenin July. Veracruz gets 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 30 mm (1.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyVeracruz 21°C (71°F)El Chalten 16°C (61°F)
Should I visit Veracruz or El Chalten in the Spring?
Both El Chalten and Veracruz are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
In April, Veracruz is generally a little warmer than El Chaltenin October. Daily temperatures in Veracruz average around 26°C (78°F), and El Chalten fluctuates around 22°C (72°F).
It's quite sunny in El Chalten. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Veracruz. Veracruz usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as El Chalten during spring. Veracruz gets 203 hours of sunny skies, while El Chalten receives 205 hours of full sun in the spring.
It rains a lot this time of the year in El Chalten. In April, Veracruz usually receives less rain than El Chaltenin October. Veracruz gets 19 mm (0.7 in) of rain, while El Chalten receives 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberVeracruz 26°C (78°F)El Chalten 22°C (72°F)
Typical Weather for El Chalten and Veracruz
| Veracruz | El Chalten | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 21°C (71°F) | 19 mm (0.7 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) |
| Feb | 22°C (71°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| Mar | 24°C (74°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 140 mm (5.5 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (78°F) | 19 mm (0.7 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 150 mm (5.9 in) |
| May | 28°C (82°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| Jun | 28°C (82°F) | 290 mm (11.4 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) |
| Jul | 27°C (81°F) | 410 mm (16.1 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Aug | 27°C (81°F) | 351 mm (13.8 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 30 mm (1.2 in) |
| Sep | 27°C (81°F) | 346 mm (13.6 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Oct | 26°C (79°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Nov | 25°C (76°F) | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 160 mm (6.3 in) |
| Dec | 23°C (73°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 140 mm (5.5 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.