Which place is cheaper, Arica or Puerto Iguazu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Argentina, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Argentina, The Best 10-Day Tours in Chile, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $8.20Arica $79
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $8.20, while the average daily cost in Arica is $79. 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 Puerto Iguazu and Arica in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $3.26Arica $35
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $6.52Arica $70
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.
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
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $2.52Arica $18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu
Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer In + Transfer Out IGR Airport Puerto Iguazú Hotels Selva de Iryapu: $145
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $8.00
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $11
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $8.34
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $98
- Iguazu Falls Argentina Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Hotels: $20
- Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In-Out Transfers: $61
- Argentine and Brazilian Falls with transfers: $67
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Arica
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Arica are as follows:
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Short Taxi Ride$2.10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arica
Also for Arica, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Arica Hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $24
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica city hotels: $22
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Hotels: $24
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $27
- Private Transfer from Arica Cruise Port to Arica Airport (ARI): $30
- Private Transfer from Arica City hotels to Arica Cruise Port: $22
- Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port : $27
- Private Transfer from Arica Airport (ARI) to Arica Cruise Port: $31
- Arica Airport Private Transfer: $85
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
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Food Meals for one dayPuerto Iguazu $3.01Arica $28
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 from Foz do Iguaçu: $45
- Iguazu Falls: The Argentine Experience Interactive Dinner: $59
- Argentine Experience: Immersive Dinner & Wine Pairing in Iguazú: $60
- Puerto Iguazú: Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner: $76
- Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Selva Iriapu Hotels Exclusive: $110
- Rafain Steakhouse Show - Dinner and Show Included: $115
- Rafain Steakhouse Dinner & Show: $117
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $120
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse Gran Meliá Hotel Exclusive - Private Tour: $120
- From Foz do Iguaçu: Madero Tango with dinner: $123
- Foz do Iguaçu: Argentinean Cooking Class: $135
- Dinner Tango Show in Iguazú Falls: $145
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $2.69Arica $20
Tours and Activities in Puerto Iguazu
For Puerto Iguazu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 3hr Experience Learning to Make an Argentine Asado: $150
- Adventure at the Iguazú Fly Park: $80
- Argentina: Full-Day Iguazu Falls and Great Adventure Tour: $144
- Argentine Falls Full-Day Guided Tour One of the 7 Wonders of the World: $31
- Argentinean Side Iguassu Falls - Private Tour Hotels in Puerto Iguazú Exclusive: $140
- Argentinian Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour: $33
- Brazilian Side Falls: Brazilian Falls Tour with Parque Das Aves:: $120
- Brazilian Side of Iguassu Falls and Itaipu Dam Full-Day Sightseeing Tour from Puerto Iguazú: $78
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Half-Day Sightseeing Tour : $41
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Tour from Puerto Iguazu: $55
- Brazilian Side of the Falls - All Tickets Included: $74
- City Tour Puerto Iguazú Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusivo: $135
Tours and Activities in Arica
For Arica, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Archaeological Tour: $32
- Archeological Sightseeing tour in Arica: $103
- Arica Private Sightseeing Tour : $134
- Half day Panoramic City Tour: $49
- Private Tour to Tacna from Arica: $256
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $1.29Arica $19
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.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Puerto Iguazu Expensive? and Is Arica Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or Arica?
Arica has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Puerto Iguazu. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and Arica, 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.
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.