Which place is cheaper, Granada 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 Granada?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Granada? 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 Granada?
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.
Granada
Granada is Nicaragua's oldest colonial city, and arguably, the most beautiful city in the country. It sits on the northern edge of Lake Nicaragua (Lago Cocibolca) and has many beautifully colored buildings and nice churches. The city's beauty and colonial architecture, along with its relative safety and accessibility, make it one of Nicaragua's top tourist destinations. The city has long been a center for commerce, but today its economy depends heavily on tourism. The city is the sixth largest in Nicaragua and a real estate boom in the early 2000's brought a large number of expats to the town.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, and The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua.
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Puerto Iguazu Prices
Argentina PricesGranada Prices
Nicaragua Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $59Granada $50
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $59, while the average daily cost in Granada is $50. 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 Granada in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $42Granada $17
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $84Granada $34
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Granada
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Granada? 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 Granada Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $3.22Granada $8.60
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: $14
- Iguazu Falls Argentina Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Hotels: $22
- Puerto Iguazú Round-Trip Airport Transfer: $22
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Private Transfer: $23
- Private Transfer from Iguazú (IGR) Airport to Puerto Iguazú: $45
- Wanda Mines Guided Tour with Transfer / From Iguassu Falls: $56
- Iguazu Falls Saver Package! Both sides excursions & transfers: $79
- 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
- Iguazú Falls Argentine and Brazilian Sides with Airport Transfers: $86
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:
- San Juan del Sur: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
- One-Way Private Transfer From/To Airport or Hotels in Granada: $40
- Leon: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
- From San Jorge: One way shared transfer to Granada: $39
- From One way shared transfer to Rivas: $39
- From One way shared transfer to Leon: $39
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Granada?
Prices for flights to both Granada 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 $6.59Granada $24
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: $36
- 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
- Rafain Steakhouse Dinner & Show: $232
- Foz do Iguaçu: Argentinean Cooking Class: $244
- Puerto Iguazú: Romantic Dinner at Pristine Iguazú Camp: $306
Typical Food Prices in Granada
Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:
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Pizza$2.30
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $35Granada $10
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
- 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
- Iguazu Falls Argentine Side Tour & Ecological Train Ride: $55
- Iguazú Falls National Park Entry Ticket or Flexipass 3 days: $60
- Private Shopping Tour in Puerto Iguazú: $69
- Iguazu Falls, Argentina + Boat Option (Private Tour): $71
- Iguazu Falls Guided Tour Argentina side: $73
Typical Entertainment Prices in Granada
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Granada are as follows:
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Lago de Nicaragua Boat Tour$8.20
Tours and Activities in Granada
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Granada are as follows:
- Bird Watching Tour: $90
- Boat Tour and Granada City Tour: $135
- Canopy & Crater on Mombacho Volcano & Islets Sunset Boat Tour: $180
- Charming Granada Outdoor "Private Tour": $92
- City Tour Granada, Nicaragua.: $40
- Epic Night Tour to Masaya Volcano: $80
- Experience Granadas Best Sights Carriage ride + Local Guide: $65
- From Full-Day Tour to 6 Attractions with Lunch incl: $125
- Full Day Tour Isletas + Pueblos Blancos + Laguna from Granada: $120
- Full Day Tour Masaya Volcano, Art Market and White Villages: $60
- Full-Day Tour: Masaya Volcano, Art Market and White Villages: $60
- Granada Colonial City Tour and Masaya Volcano: $180
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $8.22Granada $7.53
Typical Alcohol Prices in Granada
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Granada:
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Tequila$1.37
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Granada, we can see that Puerto Iguazu is more expensive. And not only is Granada much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Iguazu is in South America and Granada 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 Granada would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Granada 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 Puerto Iguazu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Iguazu than you might in Granada.
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 Granada Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or Granada?
Granada has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Puerto Iguazu. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and Granada, 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.