Which place is cheaper, El Chalten 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 El Chalten?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or El Chalten? 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 El Chalten?
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.
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 Tours for Seniors to Argentina, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Argentina, The Best 10-Day Tours in Argentina, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Argentina.
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Puerto Iguazu Prices
Argentina PricesEl Chalten Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $71El Chalten $80
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $71, while the average daily cost in El Chalten is $80. 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 El Chalten in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $50El Chalten $62
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $100El Chalten $124
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and El Chalten
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu 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.
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 El Chalten Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $3.82El Chalten $3.03
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: $8.00
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $11
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $17
- Iguazu Airport Private Transfer: $22
- Iguazu Falls Argentina Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Hotels: $25
- Transfer from Iguazú Airport to hotels on the Argentine side: $30
- Private Transfer to or from Puerto Iguazu Airport IGR: $35
- Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In Transfer: $54
- Private Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu: $75
- Iguazu Falls Saver Package! Both sides excursions & transfers : $79
- Transfers IGR from the (ARG) to IGU (BRA) with PasseioTur: $80
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $100
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or El Chalten?
Prices for flights to both El Chalten 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 $7.84El Chalten $8.05
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: $33
- Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner in Iguazu: $38
- Argentine Experience: Immersive Dinner & Wine Pairing in Iguazú: $65
- Iguazu Falls: The Argentine Experience Interactive Dinner: $65
- Madero Tango Iguazú - Premium Dinner (Foz do Iguaçu/Puerto Iguazú): $69
- From Foz do Iguaçu: Madero Tango with dinner: $115
- Churrascaria Rafain - Show and Dinner : $117
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $120
- Foz do Iguaçu: Argentinean Cooking Class: $142
- Dinner Tango Show in Iguazú Falls - no transfers -: $152
- Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusive: $155
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $42El Chalten $34
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: $31
- Argentinian Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour: $32
- Iguazu Falls Tour on Brazil Side: $37
- Ciudad del Este Shopping Tour: $40
- Foz do Iguaçu: Brazil/Argentina Sides Iguazu Falls Day Tour: $40
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Half-Day Sightseeing Tour : $42
- From San Ignacio Ruins and Wanda Mines Tour: $46
- Iguaza Falls Brazilian Side & Bird Park Tour: $46
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Tour from Puerto Iguazu: $49
- Full-Day Tour to Iguazu Falls : $49
- Iguazu Falls Brazilian Side Tour: $49
Tours and Activities in El Chalten
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for El Chalten are as follows:
- 3 Hours Grilled Lamb Experience in Estancia Bonanza: $90
- Chalten Kayak Experience: $210
- Rafting experience on the Rio de las Vueltas in Patagonia: $120
- Rio de las Vueltas Rafting Experience - El Chalten: $120
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $9.78El Chalten $7.21
When comparing the travel costs between Puerto Iguazu and El Chalten, we can see that El Chalten 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. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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 El Chalten Expensive?.
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.