Which place is cheaper, Cancun 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 Cancun?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Cancun? 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 Cancun?
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.
Cancun
In the northeast corner of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular destinations. The area that is now Cancun was actually selected specifically by the Mexican government for development as a tourist destination. The area was chosen because it has fourteen miles of beautiful white beaches, nearby Mayan ruins, and turquoise blue water with nearby snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Prior to its development as a tourist destination, there were few inhabitants in the area.
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 Playa del Carmen, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Cancun.
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Puerto Iguazu Prices
Argentina PricesCancun Prices
Mexico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $57Cancun $153
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $57, while the average daily cost in Cancun is $153. 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 Cancun in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $41Cancun $89
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $82Cancun $178
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Cancun
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Cancun? 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 Cancun Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $3.07Cancun $16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu
Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfers IGR from the (ARG) to IGU (BRA) with PasseioTur: $80
- Transfer In + Transfer Out IGR Airport Puerto Iguazú Hotels Selva de Iryapu: $145
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $11
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $17
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Private Transfer: $22
- Puerto Iguazu Airport (IGR) Private Transfer to Puerto Iguazu: $27
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $100
- Private Transfers Full Day Iguazú Falls: $130
- Private Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu: $78
- Iguazu Falls 2-Day Tour with Airport Transfer: $348
- Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In Transfer: $79
- Brazilian Waterfalls Tour and Bird Park with Transfer: $102
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cancun
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Cancun:
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Taxi Around Town$1.52
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Airport Shuttle (for 2)$13
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Ferry to Isla de Mujeres (for 2)$15
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Local Bus (for 2)$1.85
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cancun
Also for Cancun, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Xcaret 1 Day Tour from Cancun with Hotel Transfer: $228
- Tulum One Way Or Roundtrip Private Transfer: $132
- Transfers From Hotel to Hotel: $120
- Transfer in Luxury Mercedes Benz Minivan: $96
- Transfer from Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen: $123
- Transfer Redondo Private Airport Cancun to Playa del Carmen: $145
- Transfer Airport-Hotel ( One Way ) Apto Cancun to Playa del Carmen: $87
- Transfer Airport To Excellence Finest Atelier Playa Mujeres: $75
- Super Combo ATV in Cancun with Zipline, Snorkel, Cenote, transfer: $115
- Shared transfer R/T VAN Apto-Muelle Ferry Isla Mujeres-Apto C/ Tickets Ferry: $40
- Shared Transfer from Cancun Airport : $6.00
- Shared Round-Trip Transfer To/From Cancun International Airport: $20
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Cancun?
Prices for flights to both Cancun 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 $6.30Cancun $45
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:
- Madero Tango Iguazú - Premium Dinner (Foz do Iguaçu/Puerto Iguazú): $30
- Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner in Iguazu: $36
- El Quincho Del Tio Querido - Dinner And Show from Foz do Iguaçu: $44
- Argentine Experience: Immersive Dinner & Wine Pairing in Iguazú: $65
- Iguazu Falls: The Argentine Experience Interactive Dinner: $65
- Iguazu: The Argentine Experience Dinner with Wine Pairing: $69
- Puerto Iguazú: Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner: $98
- Churrascaria Rafain - Show and Dinner : $117
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $120
- Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusive: $155
- Foz do Iguaçu: Argentinean Cooking Class: $157
Typical Food Prices in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cancun
For Cancun, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cancun Pirate Ship Adventure : Dinner & Show at Sea 2 for 1 Deal: $50
- Pirate Show in Cancun! Dinner & drinks: $62
- Cancun Street Food Tour with Food Stalls, Local Market and Murals: $64
- Pirate Shop & Dinner at Cancun! Drinks, Adventure and Fun: $65
- Cancun Walking Food Tour: Local Food, Markets, and Street Art.: $77
- Puerto Morelos Walking Food Tour: $77
- Mexican Cooking Class with fresh Local Market ingredients selection and transpor: $79
- Cancun Taco & Mexican Food Tour with Tequila Tasting: $79
- Cancun Private Mural Art and Food Tour: $81
- Hands-On Cooking Class in Drink & Cook Authentic Dishes: $85
- Pirate’s Night Out: Dinner and Entertainment in the Caribbean: $89
- Unforgettable Pirate Dinner Adventure in the Mexican Caribbean: $89
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $33Cancun $32
Tours and Activities in Puerto Iguazu
For Puerto Iguazu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 day- Tour on both sides of the waterfalls: $111
- 1-Day Private Tour In the Iguacu Falls of Brazil and Argentina : $106
- 2-Day Private Tour Both Waterfalls ARG/BRA: $182
- 2Day Iguazu Tour HELICOPTER Ride & Airfare from Buenos Aires: $590
- 3-Day Iguazu Falls Exploring Tour From Argentina and Brazil: $299
- Argentina: Full-Day Iguazu Falls and Great Adventure Tour: $142
- Argentine Falls Package with Great Adventure and Brazilian Falls: $250
- Argentine Side Iguassu Falls Private Tour Hotels in Puerto Iguazú: $140
- Argentinean Falls with Gran Aventura Boat Tour: $238
- Argentinian Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour: $32
- Bird Park & Iguassu Brazilian Side From Puerto Iguazú Hotels - Private Tour: $135
- Bird Park & Iguassu Brazilian Side Gran Meliá Hotel Exclusive - Private Tour: $130
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cancun
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Cancun's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Seasick Pills$0.54
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Whale Shark Tour (for 2)$92
Tours and Activities in Cancun
For Cancun, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2 Day Combo Tour, Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Xplor and Chichen Itza Option: $260
- 3 in 1 Tour to Coba Cenote and Maya Village: $149
- Atv tour from Cancun with ziplines and cenote swim experience: $30
- Cancun Private Street Art Tour: $65
- Clear Boat Tour in Cancun 1.5 hours great for pictures: $19
- Coco Bongo Music And Show Ticket: $90
- Holbox plus Island Magic by boat Tour from Cancun : $144
- Isla Contoy and Isla Mujeres Tour from Cancun: $152
- Isla Mujeres Catamaran Platinum Tour with Open Bar: $115
- LDS Tour to Chichen Itza + Cenote : $215
- Las Coloradas and Rio Lagartos Day Tour from Cancun: $105
- Private Tour to Tulum Ruins and Cenotes : $257
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $7.86Cancun $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Cancun
Also in Cancun, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Social Pub Crawl in Cancun: $35
- Bar Crawl Madness Tour in Cancun: $99
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Cancun, we can see that Cancun 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 Cancun is in North 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 Cancun would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cancun 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 Cancun Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or Cancun?
Cancun has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Puerto Iguazu. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and Cancun, 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.