A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Puerto Iguazu vs. Arica for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or Arica?

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

Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Arica? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Puerto Iguazu or Arica?

Puerto Iguazu

Puerto Iguazu is located in the northeastern part of Argentina at the border with Paraguay and Brazil. It is a tourist city and travel destination because of its close proximity to Iguazu Falls, which is only 18 kilometers away. Much of the city's infrastructure has grown to maintain the tourist crowds that come to see the falls. The town itself has a population of slightly over 80,000.

Arica

A mixture of coastline, desert and high Andean plateau, Arica is a seaside resort town, known for its surfing beaches located at the tip of Northern Chile. Arica boasts that it is "the land of the eternal spring," but its temperate climate and beaches are not the only reason to visit this small city. Arica's tourism is still principally geared toward domestic visitors and those from southern Peru and La Paz, who flock to its beaches mid-December through February. It is very easy to spend a few days in Arica in the sand, or seeing the sights in town, at a slow pace but the city also offers plenty of fun activities and exciting day trips.

Which city is cheaper, Arica or Puerto Iguazu?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $34, while the average daily cost in Arica is $66. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Puerto Iguazu and Arica in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Puerto Iguazu $14
    Arica $29
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Puerto Iguazu $28
    Arica $58
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Arica

Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Arica? 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 Puerto Iguazu


Hotels in Arica


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: Puerto Iguazu Hotel Prices and Arica Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Puerto Iguazu $11
    Arica $15

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu

Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $4.98
  • Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $30
  • Iguazu: Transfer from Argentina Side: $95
  • Iguazu Falls: Day Tour including transfers and guided tour: $245
  • Iguazu Falls Pass: Transfers in/out + Visit to Iguazu Falls Argentininan Side: $110
  • Iguazu Airport Private Transfer: $63

Typical Local Transportation prices in Arica

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arica are as follows:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $2.17

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arica

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

  • Arica Airport Private Transfer: $76

Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Arica?

Prices for flights to both Arica and Puerto Iguazu 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
    Puerto Iguazu $13
    Arica $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Puerto Iguazu

For Puerto Iguazu, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • El Quincho Del Tio Querido - Dinner And Show: $27
  • Foz do Iguaçu Folkloric Show with Dinner from Puerto Iguazú: $30
  • Skip the Line: Dinner Tango Show in Iguazu Falls Ticket: $59
  • Folkloric Show with Dinner at Rafain Churrascaria: $63
  • Rafain Steakhouse Show - Dinner and Show Included: $69
  • Dinner Tango Show in Iguazú Falls: $85
  • Creative Cooking Class and Dinner with Wine in Iguazu: $87
  • Tio Querido Dinner and Folk Show in Puerto Iguazú: $90
  • Skip the Line: Dinner Samba Show Ticket in Rafain (brazilian side): $99
  • Full day Iguazu Falls Argentinian side + Tango Show (no dinner): $110
  • Full day Iguazu Falls Argentinian Side + Dinner Tango Show: $125
  • Visit to Iguazu Falls Brazilian Side + Dinner Samba Show in Rafain: $134

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Puerto Iguazu $11
    Arica $16

Tours and Activities in Puerto Iguazu

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

  • 2-Night Iguassu Falls Sightseeing Tour: $150
  • 2-Night Iguazu Rainforest Experience at Yacutinga Lodge: $608
  • 2-day Iguazu Falls Argentinian Side + City Tour with 3 frontiers landmark: $115
  • 3-Day Iguazu Falls Adventure: Brazil and Argentina: $363
  • 3-Day Iguazu Falls Exploring Tour: $172
  • 3-Day Iguazu Falls Self Guided Exploring Tour: $213
  • 3-Day Tour: Exploring Iguazu Falls in Private Service: $544
  • 3-Days Iguazu Falls Tour of the Argentinian and Brazilian Side: $491
  • 3-Days Private Experience at Iguazu: $790
  • 4-Day Tour to Iguazu Falls by Air from Buenos Aires: $1,058
  • 5-Day Adventure Trip in Iguazu: $538
  • 6-Day Iguazu Falls & Ibera Marshlands Luxury Tour: $1,800

Tours and Activities in Arica

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

  • 4-Days Unique Experience at the Chilean High Plateau: $1,038
  • Archeological Sightseeing tour in Arica: $82
  • Arica Private City Tour: $262
  • Arica Private Sightseeing Tour: $76
  • Arica Sightseeing Tour: $41
  • Half day Panoramic City Tour: $23
  • Full Day Tour to Tacna from Arica: $72
  • Private Arica and Ancient Cultures Tour: $346
  • Private Tour to Tacna from Arica: $165

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Puerto Iguazu $5.39
    Arica $16

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Arica, we can see that Arica is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Iguazu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Puerto Iguazu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Puerto Iguazu 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 Arica would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Arica than you might in Puerto Iguazu.

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.
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Puerto Iguazu vs. Arica Travel Comparison

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