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

Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or Huaraz?

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

Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Huaraz? 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 Huaraz?

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.

Huaraz

Huaraz is a large town in the Cordillera Blanca region of Peru's Central Sierra. Huaraz stands tall at 3100m; travellers from Lima might need a day or two to acclimatize to the change in atmosphere. Nearly wiped out by the earthquake of 1970, the town of 100,000 blends a mix of modern and native culture. Huarez is first and foremost a trekking metropolis. During high season the streets buzz with hundreds of backpackers and adventurers freshly returned from arduous hikes or planning their next expedition. The town has many markets, shops, quality restaurants and hopping bars catering to tourist and local needs. Mountain adventures in the off-season can be equally rewarding, but the vibe is calmer and some places go into hibernation once the rains set in.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Peru, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Peru.


Which place is cheaper, Huaraz 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.

The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $57, while the average daily cost in Huaraz is $66. 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 Huaraz in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Puerto Iguazu $41
    Huaraz $21
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Puerto Iguazu $82
    Huaraz $42
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Huaraz

Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Huaraz? 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 Huaraz


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 Huaraz Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Puerto Iguazu $3.07
    Huaraz $11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu

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

  • Brazilian Waterfalls Tour and Bird Park with Transfer: $102
  • Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In Transfer: $79
  • Iguazu Falls 2-Day Tour with Airport Transfer: $348
  • Private Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu: $78
  • Private Transfers Full Day Iguazú Falls: $130
  • Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $100
  • Puerto Iguazu Airport (IGR) Private Transfer to Puerto Iguazu: $27
  • Puerto Iguazu Airport Private Transfer: $22
  • Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $17
  • One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $11
  • Transfer In + Transfer Out IGR Airport Puerto Iguazú Hotels Selva de Iryapu: $145
  • Transfers IGR from the (ARG) to IGU (BRA) with PasseioTur: $80

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Huaraz

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Huaraz are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $2.29

Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Huaraz?

Prices for flights to both Huaraz 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 $6.30
    Huaraz $32

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:

  • Madero Tango Iguazú - Premium Dinner (Foz do Iguaçu/Puerto Iguazú): $30
  • Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner in Iguazu: $36
  • El Quincho Del Tio Querido - Dinner And Show from Foz do Iguaçu: $44
  • Argentine Experience: Immersive Dinner & Wine Pairing in Iguazú: $65
  • Iguazu Falls: The Argentine Experience Interactive Dinner: $65
  • Iguazu: The Argentine Experience Dinner with Wine Pairing: $69
  • Puerto Iguazú: Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner: $98
  • Churrascaria Rafain - Show and Dinner : $117
  • Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $120
  • Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusive: $155
  • Foz do Iguaçu: Argentinean Cooking Class: $157

Typical Food Prices in Huaraz

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Huaraz:


  • Lunch
    $6.31
  • Chips
    $1.58

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Puerto Iguazu $33
    Huaraz $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: $31
  • Argentinian Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour: $32
  • Iguazu Falls Tour on Brazil Side: $37
  • Foz do Iguaçu: Brazil/Argentina Sides Iguazu Falls Day Tour: $40
  • From San Ignacio Ruins and Wanda Mines Tour: $46
  • Iguaza Falls Brazilian Side & Bird Park Tour: $46
  • Half-Day Iguazú Forest Adventure: $48
  • Cataract: The complete experience of both sides in one day.: $48
  • Full-Day Tour to Iguazu Falls : $49
  • Iguazu Falls Brazilian Side Tour: $49
  • Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Tour from Puerto Iguazu: $49

Typical Entertainment Prices in Huaraz

Here are a few typical costs in Huaraz for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Climbing Gear
    $18

Tours and Activities in Huaraz

Here are a few actual costs in Huaraz for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 2-Day Hatun Machay Tour: $439
  • 3-day tour to Parón, Llanganuco and Laguna 69 from Huaraz: $150
  • From Ancash: Tour Huaraz with Puya Raymondi 4D/3N: $197
  • From Ancash: Tour fantastic in Huaraz 2D/1N: $92
  • From Ancash: Tour in Huaraz with Hotel |5D-4N|: $250
  • From Huaraz || Full day tour Laguna 69 in -Cordillera Blanca: $40
  • From Chavín de Huántar Full-Day Tour with Lunch: $55
  • From Chavín de Huantar fullday tour: $56
  • From Cordillera Huayhuash 8-Day Trekking Tour: $1,650
  • From Lake 69 Trek Day Tour - White Mountain Range: $35
  • From Llanganuco Lagoon fullday tour: $65
  • From Nevado Pastoruri Tour fullday tour: $65

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Puerto Iguazu $7.86
    Huaraz $16


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


Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or Huaraz?

Huaraz has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Puerto Iguazu. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and Huaraz, 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.