A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers La Ceiba vs. El Chalten for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit La Ceiba 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 La Ceiba and El Chalten can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: La Ceiba or El Chalten?

La Ceiba

La Ceiba is the third largest city in Honduras, situated on the north Caribbean coast. The city has a population of about a quarter million people. Many people who visit this city do so before heading into Pico Bonito National Park. It hasn't had the best infrastructure for tourists in the past but is developing fast. It is about 200 kilometers from San Pedro Sula, another large city in Honduras.

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 Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Argentina, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, El Chalten or La Ceiba?

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 La Ceiba is $74, while the average daily cost in El Chalten is $65. 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 La Ceiba and El Chalten in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    La Ceiba $22
    El Chalten $50
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    La Ceiba $44
    El Chalten $100
Compare Hotels in La Ceiba and El Chalten

Looking for a hotel in La Ceiba 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.

Hotels in La Ceiba


Hotels in El Chalten


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: La Ceiba Hotel Prices and El Chalten Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    La Ceiba $30
    El Chalten $2.44

Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Ceiba

Some specific examples of transportation prices in La Ceiba:

  • From Copan: One Way Shared Transfer to La Ceiba: $29
  • Ferry Transfer between La Ceiba and Roatán Island: $43
  • From Roatan: One Way Shared transfer to La Ceiba: $49
  • Private Transfer from Goloson Airport (LCE) to Banana Coast Port: $180
  • Private Transfer from La Ceiba hotels to Banana Coast Cruise Port: $180

Is it cheaper to fly into La Ceiba or El Chalten?

Prices for flights to both El Chalten and La Ceiba 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
    La Ceiba $30
    El Chalten $6.48

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    La Ceiba $21
    El Chalten $27

Tours and Activities in El Chalten

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for El Chalten are as follows:

  • Rafting experience on the Rio de las Vueltas in Patagonia: $100
  • Rio de las Vueltas Rafting Experience - El Chalten: $100
  • 3 Hours Grilled Lamb Experience in Estancia Bonanza: $220

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    La Ceiba $4.85
    El Chalten $5.80


When comparing the travel costs between La Ceiba and El Chalten, we can see that La Ceiba is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Even though La Ceiba is in Central America and El Chalten is in South America, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is La Ceiba Expensive? and Is El Chalten Expensive?.