A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Grand-Bourg vs. El Calafate for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Grand-Bourg 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 Grand-Bourg 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: Grand-Bourg or El Calafate?

Grand-Bourg

Marie-Galante is an island of the Guadeloupe archipelago, a French overseas territory in the Caribbean. Sometimes called the "Big Pancake" for its circular shape and flat terrain, the island is a prime location for sugar fields which provide the ingredients for Marie Galante's famous cane juice rum. The island is also known for its many windmills, beaches, and historic plantations.

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 2-Week Tours from Buenos Aires, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, El Calafate or Grand-Bourg?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Grand-Bourg is €215, while the average daily cost in El Calafate is €55. 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 Grand-Bourg and El Calafate in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Grand-Bourg 98
    El Calafate 35
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Grand-Bourg 196
    El Calafate 70
Compare Hotels in Grand-Bourg and El Calafate

Looking for a hotel in Grand-Bourg 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.

Hotels in Grand-Bourg


Hotels in El Calafate


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: El Calafate Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Grand-Bourg 53
    El Calafate 3.97

Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Calafate

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

  • "Todo Glaciares" Boat Tour + optional transfers from El Calafate : $205
  • Perito Moreno Glacier Mini Trek with Transfer: $441
  • Private Airport Transfer: $296
  • Punta Walichu Reserve W Lunch & Transfer: $18
  • Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $44
  • Excursion to the Perito Moreno Glacier, with guide and transfer to / from the hotel: $79
  • FTE Aiport transfer Group 4 to 6 people with luggage: $116
  • Perito Moreno Full Day Minitrekking with Transfer & Walkways: $460
  • Private Airport Transfer in Calafate: $45
  • Private Transfer from El Calafate Airport (FTE): $29
  • Private Transfer to El Calafate Airport (FTE): $29
  • Private Transfer: Calafate Airport to City Center: $59

Is it cheaper to fly into Grand-Bourg or El Calafate?

Prices for flights to both El Calafate and Grand-Bourg 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
    Grand-Bourg 85
    El Calafate 6.32

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:

  • Estancia 25 de Mayo Dinner & Show with Transfer: $72
  • Estancia 25 de Mayo Tour with Dinner & Transfer: $98
  • Country Afternoon with Dinner Show - Estancia 25 de Mayo: $115
  • Stargazing Tour with Dinner and Transfers: $120
  • Estancia 25 de Mayo in El Calafate - PM visit with dinner: $165
  • Estancia 25 de Mayo Experience with Dinner from Calafate: $190
  • Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner and Wine Included: $190
  • Lakes and Caves Tour with Dinner: $255

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Grand-Bourg 26
    El Calafate 49

Tours and Activities in El Calafate

For El Calafate, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Self-Guided History Museum Tour: $15
  • Guided Tour National Park+Perito Moreno Glacier+Sailing (optional): $47
  • Perito Moreno Glacier & Optional Boat Cruise: $67
  • From Perito Moreno walkways + Boat Tour (optional): $70
  • Perito Moreno Glacier Walkway Tour: $71
  • Perito Moreno Glacier Guided Tour: $79
  • Tour to Walkways of the Perito Moreno Glacier: $83
  • Day Tour to the Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $88
  • From Full-Day Tour to El Chaltén: $89
  • Full Day Guided Tour Perito Moreno National Park and Glacier: $90
  • Los Glaciares National Park and Perito Moreno Glacier Tour: $92
  • Perito Moreno Glacier Full Day Tour with optional Navigation : $96

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Grand-Bourg 39
    El Calafate 7.87


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Grand-Bourg and El Calafate, we can see that Grand-Bourg is more expensive. And not only is El Calafate much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Grand-Bourg is in Caribbean Islands 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 Grand-Bourg would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Grand-Bourg 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 Grand-Bourg Expensive? and Is El Calafate Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Grand-Bourg or El Calafate?

El Calafate has a larger population, and is about 36% larger than the population of Grand-Bourg. When comparing the sizes of Grand-Bourg 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.