Which place is cheaper, Florianopolis or Puerto Iguazu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or Florianopolis?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Florianopolis? 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 Florianopolis?
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.
Florianopolis
With a population of almost 500,000, Florianopolis is the capital city of the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. The city is split between mainland Brazil and Santa Catarina Island.
Florianopolis has grown in popularity with tourists recently because of its wonderful scenery, beautiful beaches, and fascinating culture. Many Brazilians have also moved here, leaving behind the big cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Florianopolis has a warm humid subtropical climate. There are summer, winter, spring and fall seasons. Frosts are rare but do occur occasionally. Highs during the warmest months are usually in the high 70s Fahrenheit. Rain is evenly distributed throughout the year and there is no distinct dry season.
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 G Adventures Tours to Brazil, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Rio de Janeiro.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $8.20Florianopolis $62
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $8.20, while the average daily cost in Florianopolis is $62. 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 Florianopolis in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $3.26Florianopolis $26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $6.52Florianopolis $52
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Florianopolis
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Florianopolis? 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 Florianopolis Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $2.52Florianopolis $13
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 Florianopolis
Also for Florianopolis, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer Florianópolis Airport / Costão do Santinho: $78
- Shared transfer from Florianópolis airport to Balneário Camboriú: $35
- Roundtrip transfer from Florianópolis Airport to Bombinhas: $168
- Private Transfer from Florianópolis Airport to Bombinhas: $97
- Private Transfer from FLN Airport to the City Balneario Camboriú : $84
- Private Transfer Florianopolis Airport to Bal. Camboriu: $96
- Private Transfer Florianópolis Airport to City Center: $32
- One Way Transfer : Florianopolis Airport to or from Florianopolis: $64
- Hercilio Luz Airport - North Island Transfer: $14
- Florianópolis Airport Transfer anywhere on the island by Floripa Nativa: $40
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Florianopolis?
Prices for flights to both Florianopolis 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 $3.01Florianopolis $22
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
Typical Food Prices in Florianopolis
For Florianopolis, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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A Quick Snack$0.44
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $2.69Florianopolis $26
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 Florianopolis
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Florianopolis's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Internet$0.59
Tours and Activities in Florianopolis
For Florianopolis, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Balneário Camboriú City Tour from Florianópolis: $35
- Bike Tour in Florianopolis - Sunset, Photography and History: $70
- Blumenau City Tour - departing from Florianópolis: $37
- Blumenau City Tour from Florianópolis: $38
- Bombinhas Beach and 4 Islands Tour: $22
- Florianópolis Full Day City Tour: $25
- Floripa City Tour by Bus - Whole Island - The Most Complete City Tour: $32
- Historic Center Walking Tour in Florianopolis with Local Bar Hop: $14
- Lagoinha do Leste Hiking and Photography Adventure : $42
- Mountain biking experiences in Florianópolis: $58
- Private Day Tour: Florianópolis Island with Professional Pictures: $154
- Private South Island Beaches and Lagoons Tour: $44
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $1.29Florianopolis $8.68
Typical Alcohol Prices in Florianopolis
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Florianopolis from other travelers:
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Beer$0.59
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Florianopolis, we can see that Florianopolis 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 Florianopolis would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Florianopolis 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 Florianopolis Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or Florianopolis?
Florianopolis has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Puerto Iguazu. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and Florianopolis, 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.