Which place is cheaper, Guatemala City or Puerto Iguazu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or Guatemala City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Guatemala City? 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 Guatemala City?
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.
Guatemala City
Referred to by the locals as "Guate," Guatemala City is the largest and most modern city in Guatemala, as well as its capital. While the atmosphere of the place is big, dirty, and dangerous with city fumes and skyscrapers, it is the hub of the country. It is the place where travelers first step foot into Guatemala and, though it is a place of modern chaos, it does have some of the best galleries and museums as well as a selection of bars, cafes, and restaurants.
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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $8.20Guatemala City $44
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $8.20, while the average daily cost in Guatemala City is $44. 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 Guatemala City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $3.26Guatemala City $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $6.52Guatemala City $48
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Guatemala City
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Guatemala City? 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 Guatemala City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $2.52Guatemala City $6.17
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
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $8.34
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $11
- Iguazu Falls Argentina Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Hotels: $13
- Transfer from Iguazú Airport to hotels on the Argentine side: $15
- Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In-Out Transfers: $52
- Argentine and Brazilian Falls with transfers: $57
- Iguazu Falls Saver Package! Both sides excursions & transfers : $79
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $98
- Transfer In + Transfer Out IGR Airport Puerto Iguazú Hotels Selva de Iryapu: $145
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guatemala City
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guatemala City:
- Transfer from Guatemala City hotel to INTL Airport La Aurora: $75
- Transfer from Airport to Antigua: $80
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Guatemala City Airport to Hotels: $43
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Guatemala City Airport to Antigua: $16
- Private Transfer from La Aurora Airport to Puerto Quetzal Port: $73
- Private Transfer from La Aurora Airport to Antigua Guatemala: $120
- Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Panajachel or Atitlan: $254
- Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Antigua: $74
- Private Transfer From Airport to Hotel in Guatemala City: $30
- Private Ground Transfer Guatemala City To Panajachel, LakeAtitlan: $150
- Private Ground Transfer Airport - Antigua Guatemala: $23
- Private Airport Transfer to Antigua Guatemala: $45
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Guatemala City?
Prices for flights to both Guatemala City 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 $3.01Guatemala City $15
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guatemala City
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guatemala City.
- Cooking class/Pepian Workshop: $35
- Taste Antigua Guatemala Walking Food Tour : $75
- Small-Group Cooking Class in Antigua from Guatemala City: $120
- Antigua Market, Cooking Class and Choco Museum from Guatemala City: $178
- Pacaya Volcano Vistas + Enjoy Pizza Cooked Under Volcanic Heat: $180
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $2.69Guatemala City $1.21
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: $24
- Puerto Iguazú: Iguazú Biocenter Tour: $25
- Argentine Falls Full-Day Guided Tour One of the 7 Wonders of the World: $31
- Argentinian Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour: $31
- Ciudad del Este Shopping Tour: $32
- Iguazu Falls Brazilian Side Tour: $34
- Iguazu Falls: one-day tour on the Argentine side: $40
- City tour with stops at tourist attractions: $41
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Half-Day Sightseeing Tour : $41
- Tour to Iguaçu Brazilian Falls from Argentina: $44
- From San Ignacio Ruins and Wanda Mines Tour: $46
Tours and Activities in Guatemala City
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Guatemala City are as follows:
- 2in1 Tour: Avocado Farm + Private Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $130
- 3-hour Bike Tour Guatemala City South: $55
- 4-hour Bike Tour Guatemala City South Center: $65
- Acatenango Volcano Overnight Adventure from Guatemala City : $300
- Antigua City Tour from Guatemala City: $77
- Antigua Guatemala , Full-Day Shared Tour from Guatemala City: $75
- Antigua Guatemala Full Day Tour: $58
- Antigua walking tour from Guatemala City : $90
- Bike Tour to Antigua Villages from Guatemala City : $175
- Chichicastenango - Panajachel collective tour: $150
- Chichicastenango Market Tour: $116
- City Tour - Test Fly by Escuela de Flight S.A: $158
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $1.29Guatemala City $6.84
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Guatemala City, we can see that Guatemala City 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 Guatemala City 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 Guatemala City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Guatemala City 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 Guatemala City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or Guatemala City?
Guatemala City has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Puerto Iguazu. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and Guatemala City, 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.