Which place is cheaper, Boquete or Puerto Iguazu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or Boquete?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Boquete? 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 Boquete?
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.
Boquete
Boquete is a village located in the pacific west of Panama. This town very recently became an attractive destination for tourists and expatriates. Before the early 2000's, it was a quiet town hidden away in the mountains with very little tourism. After the development of Valle Escondido, which is a largely residential area, many North Americans flocked to this town and an expat community developed. Boquete is known for it's near perfect year round temperature of about seventy degrees Fahrenheit, beautiful untouched nature, and world renowned coffee.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Panama City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Panama City.
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Puerto Iguazu Prices
Argentina PricesBoquete Prices
Panama Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $56Boquete $67
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $56, while the average daily cost in Boquete is $67. 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 Boquete in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $40Boquete $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $80Boquete $44
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Boquete
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Boquete? 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: Boquete Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $3.05Boquete $5.21
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: $14
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $21
- Iguazu Falls Argentina Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Hotels: $22
- Puerto Iguazú Round-Trip Airport Transfer: $25
- Puerto Iguazu Airport (IGR) Private Transfer to Puerto Iguazu: $27
- Private Transfer between Airport and Downtown Iguazu: $39
- Private Transfer to or from Puerto Iguazu Airport IGR: $40
- Wanda Mines Guided Tour with Transfer / From Iguassu Falls: $56
- Iguazu Falls Argentina Brazil Duty Free Shop with Transfers: $66
- Private Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu: $83
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $85
- Iguazú Falls Combo: Argentina & Brazil, with Transfers: $86
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Boquete
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Boquete:
- Private transfer from Boquete to Bocas del Toro: $165
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Boquete?
Prices for flights to both Boquete 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 $6.26Boquete $32
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:
- Puerto Iguazú: Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner: $34
- Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner in Iguazu: $39
- ASADOR: Argentine Asado Cooking Class: $70
- Argentine Experience: Immersive Dinner & Wine Pairing in Iguazú: $75
- Iguazu Falls: The Argentine Experience Interactive Dinner: $75
- Churrascaria Rafain - Show and Dinner: $125
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $130
- Dinner Tango Show in Iguazú Falls - no transfers -: $152
- Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusive: $155
- FD Iguazu Falls Argentinian side + Dinner Tango Show -no transfer: $211
- Rafain Steakhouse Dinner & Show: $232
- Foz do Iguaçu: Argentinean Cooking Class: $244
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $33Boquete $17
Tours and Activities in Puerto Iguazu
For Puerto Iguazu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Iguazu Falls Argentinian Side Full-Day Tour: $18
- Hito Tres Fronters and La Aripuca City Tour: $27
- Iguazu Falls: Complete Argentine Side Experience: $28
- Foz do Iguaçu: Brazil/Argentina Sides Iguazu Falls Day Tour: $41
- Explore Iguazu Falls in Brazil: An Unforgettable Experience: $44
- From San Ignacio Ruins and Wanda Mines Tour: $46
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Half-Day Sightseeing Tour: $48
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Tour from Puerto Iguazu: $49
- Full-Day Tour to Iguazu Falls: $49
- Iguazu Falls Argentine Side Tour & Ecological Train Ride: $55
- Visit to San Ignacio Ruins and Wanda Mines Full day Tour: $57
- Iguazu Falls : Complete Argentine Side Experience: $59
Tours and Activities in Boquete
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Boquete are as follows:
- Ancestral Coffee Experience in Boquete: $55
- Boquete Adventure - E-Bike Tour (2 hrs.) (2 Person Min.): $55
- Boquete Panoramic Tour: $200
- Boquete Rock climbing tour: $80
- Chasing Waterfalls Adventure in Boquete: $100
- Coffee Tasting Experience-Los Molinos Hotel-Panama's Top Product: $25
- Dirtbike adventure in Boquete (half day): $200
- Epic Cloud Forest Horseback Riding Adventure in Boquete: $55
- Family experience in boiler Thermal wells and limestone: $65
- Fun Adventure at Finca CreaDora Cafe and Animals and Hiking: $35
- Guided Market Tour with Sensory Coffee Tasting Boquete: $48
- Hiking Experience in Caldera Transportation Included: $95
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $7.81Boquete $4.45
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Boquete, we can see that Boquete is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Iguazu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Iguazu is in South America and Boquete is in Central 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 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 Boquete would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Boquete 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 Boquete Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or Boquete?
Puerto Iguazu has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Boquete. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and Boquete, 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.