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

Should you visit Grand Cayman or El Calafate?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Grand Cayman and El Calafate. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Grand Cayman or El Calafate?

Grand Cayman

When people think of the Cayman Islands, they typically think of offshore bank accounts and sunny, cruise ship ports. Grand Cayman has more to offer travelers than a playground for the wealthy or a short stopover for cruise passengers. This tropical island is the largest of the three Cayman Islands, it is a shopper's heaven, a center for global finance and an ideal vacation spot.

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 Cayman?

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 Cayman is $242, while the average daily cost in El Calafate 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Grand Cayman and El Calafate in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Grand Cayman $149
    El Calafate $37
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Grand Cayman $298
    El Calafate $74
Compare Hotels in Grand Cayman and El Calafate

Looking for a hotel in Grand Cayman 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 Cayman


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: Grand Cayman Hotel Prices and El Calafate Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Grand Cayman $31
    El Calafate $4.20

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Grand Cayman

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

  • Private Transfer from Airport to morritts: $180
  • Privat Transfer from Owen Roberts Airport GCM to George Town Port: $103

Hired Cars and Shuttles in El Calafate

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

  • Transfer to Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $77
  • Transfer from El Calafate Airport to El Chaltén: $190
  • Shared Transfer from El Calafate Airport to downtown Hotel: $11
  • Roundtrip transfers to Perito Moreno Glacier: $149
  • Private Transfer: Calafate Airport to City Center: $59
  • Private Transfer to El Calafate Airport (FTE): $29
  • Private Transfer from El Calafate Airport (FTE): $29
  • Private Airport Transfer in Calafate: $45
  • Perito Moreno Full Day Minitrekking with Transfer & Walkways: $460
  • FTE Aiport transfer Group 4 to 6 people with luggage: $116
  • Excursion to the Perito Moreno Glacier, with guide and transfer to / from the hotel: $79
  • Transfers Between Airport and Hotels: $44

Is it cheaper to fly into Grand Cayman or El Calafate?

Prices for flights to both El Calafate and Grand Cayman 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 Cayman $67
    El Calafate $6.69

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 Cayman $41
    El Calafate $52

Tours and Activities in Grand Cayman

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

  • StingrayCity ,Coral Garden & Starfish Tour. : $69
  • 2 Stop Reef Snorkel and Glass Bottom Boat Adventure: $35
  • 3 Stop Boat Tour Stingray City Coral Gardens and Starfish Point: $65
  • Acquarius Stingray City and Snorkel Tours: $79
  • Cayman 2 in 1 Combo Tour Stingray City Reef Snorkel Adventure: $77
  • Cayman 3 in 1 Combo Adventure Stingray City Reef Snorkeling: $104
  • Cayman Adventure Stingrays Starfish plus Crystal Caves : $89
  • Cayman Bioluminescent Bay Night Tour: $144
  • Cayman Combo Tour: Starfish Point, Stingray City & Coral Gardens: $119
  • Cayman Crystal Caves Tour in Grand Cayman: $143
  • Cayman's Classic Food Tasting & Cultural Experience: $179
  • CaymanVisitor Hide & Seek GeoTour Self-Drive Tour: $13

Tours and Activities in El Calafate

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

  • Argentine Cuisine Experience in El Calafate: $130
  • 4 Days & 3 Nights El Calafate & El Chaltén Magical Adventure: $1,350
  • Adventure Horseback Riding on Cerro Frias: $140
  • CAÑADON EXPERIENCE - TREKKING & STAY - PRIVATE VEHICLE: $1,500
  • CALAFATE: Panoramic tour: The best balconies of Calafate: $194
  • Calafate Panoramic tour: The best balconies of Calafate 4x4: $210
  • Calafate: Perito Moreno Glacier Boat Tour: $207
  • DARWIN EXPERIENCE KAYAK & ADVENTURE: $240
  • Day Tour to the Perito Moreno Glacier from El Calafate: $88
  • Discover La Leona Petrified Forest: Guided Hiking Tour: $224
  • EL CALAFATE Native experience lakes and caverns: $214
  • "Perito Moreno Glacier with the Tour - Blue Safari".: $319

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Grand Cayman $13
    El Calafate $8.33
Typical Alcohol Prices in Grand Cayman

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Grand Cayman:


  • Beer
    $4.95

Sample the Local Flavors in Grand Cayman

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Grand Cayman:

  • Cayman Spirits Co. Distillery Tour Pass Ticket Only: $24
  • Cayman Art and Wine Tour: $150


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


Which is Bigger, Grand Cayman or El Calafate?

Grand Cayman has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of El Calafate. When comparing the sizes of Grand Cayman 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.