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

Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or Flores?

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

Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Flores? 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 Flores?

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.

Flores

The town of Flores is located in Peten, Guatemala. The main hub is located on an island on Lago Peten Itza, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. On the other side of the causeway are the towns of Santa Elena and San Benito, however, all three are often referred to as Flores. Most people visit the area for its proximity to the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal, though the town itself is also charming with colonial buildings and historic churches lining the cobbled streets.

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 3-Day Tours in Guatemala, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Guatemala.


Which place is cheaper, Flores or Puerto Iguazu?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $8.20, while the average daily cost in Flores is $33. 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 Flores in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Puerto Iguazu $3.26
    Flores $8.62
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Puerto Iguazu $6.52
    Flores $17
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Flores

Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Flores? 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 Flores


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 Flores Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Puerto Iguazu $2.52
    Flores $7.86

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu

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

  • Transfer from Iguazú Airport to hotels on the Argentine side: $15
  • 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 Saver Package! Both sides excursions & transfers : $79
  • Iguazu Falls Argentina Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Hotels: $13
  • Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In-Out Transfers: $52
  • Argentine and Brazilian Falls with transfers: $57

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Flores

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

  • Transfer from Flores Guatemala to Caye Caulker Belize: $43
  • Tikal Transfer and Tour Guide From Flores: $60
  • Round-Trip VIP Exclusive Transfer to Tikal from Flores: $137
  • Private transfer Mundo Maya Airport to Flores Island Hotels: $10
  • Belize, Caye Caulke, San Pedro Van/ Ferry Transfer: $20
  • Bus transfer from Flores, Guatemala to Belize City: $20

Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Flores?

Prices for flights to both Flores 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 $3.01
    Flores $13

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:

  • 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 Dinner & Show: $117
  • Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse Gran Meliá Hotel Exclusive - Private Tour: $120
  • Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $120
  • From Foz do Iguaçu: Madero Tango with dinner: $123
  • Foz do Iguaçu: Argentinean Cooking Class: $135
  • Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusive: $145
  • Dinner Tango Show in Iguazú Falls: $145
  • Churrascaria Rafain - Show and Dinner : $150

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Puerto Iguazu $2.69
    Flores $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 Iguazu Falls Bus Tour: $93
  • 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 Falls with Gran Aventura Boat Tour: $227
  • Argentinian Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour: $31
  • Bird Park & Iguassu Brazilian Side From Puerto Iguazú Hotels - Private Tour: $120
  • 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: $67
  • City Tour Puerto Iguazú Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusivo: $135

Typical Entertainment Prices in Flores

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Flores's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Tikal Entrance (for 2)
    $39
  • Map of Tikal
    $3.22

Tours and Activities in Flores

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

  • Shared Guided Sunset Tour in Yaxhá from Flores: $25
  • 2-Day Tour to Tikal and Yaxhá from Flores Island: $220
  • Admire The Sunrise In Tikal - Private Tour From Flores: $214
  • Awaken to Tikals' Sunrise Exclusive Tour: $199
  • Basic Tour to Tikal Includes Transportation and Guide Service: $25
  • Enjoy The Sunset On Top Of A Mayan Pyramid In Yaxha - Private Tour From Flores: $199
  • 1-Day Tikal Tour Private Service From your Hotel: $185
  • From Flores Guided Tour to Tikal with transportation + lunch: $75
  • From 2-Day Tikal & Yaxhá Tour: $299
  • From Blue Crater private day tour: $160
  • From El Pucte Blue Crater Private Day Tour: $200
  • From Exclusive Tikal Group Tour: $77

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Puerto Iguazu $1.29
    Flores $21

Typical Alcohol Prices in Flores

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Flores are as follows:


  • Two Margaritas
    $2.57


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Flores, we can see that Flores 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 Flores 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 Flores would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Flores 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 Flores Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or Flores?

Puerto Iguazu has a larger population, and is about 57% larger than the population of Flores. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and Flores, 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.