Which place is cheaper, Jaco 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 Jaco?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Jaco? 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 Jaco?
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.
Jaco
Jaco is a beach destination on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. This resort city is located in the county of Garabito in the Puntarenas province. It has a population of about 10,000 residents and a 2.5 mile long beach that is an excellent surfing destination.
Because Jaco is located on the coast, it's weather is influenced by the water. The climate is humid with a relative humidity of about 80%, but climbing to 90% in the month of June. The temperature is usually between 85 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit at night. There are distinct wet and dry seasons with August through early December being the rainy season and late December through early April being the dry season. Rain is irregular during the rest of the year.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica.
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Puerto Iguazu Prices
Argentina PricesJaco Prices
Costa Rica Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $59Jaco $132
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $59, while the average daily cost in Jaco is $132. 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 Jaco in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $42Jaco $75
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $84Jaco $150
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Jaco
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Jaco? 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 Jaco Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $3.22Jaco -
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu
Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Wanda Mines Guided Tour with Transfer / From Iguassu Falls: $56
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $14
- Falls Package Both Sides with Transfers: $160
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $21
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Private Transfer: $23
- Puerto Iguazú: Jungle Fly Adventure with Transfers: $166
- Puerto Iguazú Round-Trip Airport Transfer: $22
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $85
- Private Transfer to or from Puerto Iguazu Airport IGR: $40
- Private Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu: $83
- Iguazu Falls Saver Package! Both sides excursions & transfers: $79
- Iguazu Falls Argentina Brazil Duty Free Shop with Transfers: $60
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jaco
Also for Jaco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private transfer from Jaco Beach to Hotels in San Jose or the Airport: $219
- Private Transfer from Liberia Airport to Playa Jaco Puntarenas: $72
- Private Transfer SJO Airport to Jaco & Los Sueños – Safe Reliable: $80
- Private Transfer - San Jose Airport & Los Sueños Resort/Marriot: $204
- One-Way Private Transfer from Quepos - Manuel Antonio to Uvita: $249
- One-Way Private Transfer from Jaco to Juan Santa Maria Airport: $175
- Jaco/Monteverde to Liberia Airport (LIR) - Departure Transfer: $202
- Jaco to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) - Departure Private Transfer: $142
- Jaco / Los Sueños Marriott Hotels to SJO Airport Private Transfer: $140
- Direct transfer from jaco beach to airport or vice versa: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Jaco?
Prices for flights to both Jaco 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 $6.59Jaco $40
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
- Argentine Experience: Immersive Dinner & Wine Pairing in Iguazú: $75
- Iguazu Falls: The Argentine Experience Interactive Dinner: $75
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse Gran Meliá Hotel Exclusive - Private Tour: $120
- 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
- Iguazu Falls: Argentina Side Tour with Dinner & Tango Show: $278
Typical Food Prices in Jaco
For Jaco, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Hermosa BeachLlunch$4.38
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Tsunami Sushi Dinner$20
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Taco Bar Dinner$10
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Pizza & Smoothie Lunch$7.01
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Ice Cream$6.57
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Breakfast Taco Bar$3.71
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Fruit Plate$3.29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jaco
For Jaco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Night Jungle Tour with Dinner (Rainmaker Park): $65
- Night Walk Tour and Jungle Dinner in Jaco: $89
- Taste of Costa Rica: Traditional Food Tour in Jaco: $99
- TICO Private Walking Food Tour: $103
- Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall, Hot Springs Combo Tour with Lunch & Dinner: $195
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $35Jaco $67
Tours and Activities in Puerto Iguazu
For Puerto Iguazu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2Day Iguazu Tour HELICOPTER Ride & Airfare from Buenos Aires: $1,290
- 3-Day Iguazu Falls Exploring Tour From Argentina and Brazil: $260
- Argentine Falls Package with Great Adventure and Brazilian Falls: $275
- Argentinean Falls with Gran Aventura Boat Tour: $261
- Bird Park & Iguassu Brazilian Side From Puerto Iguazú Hotels - Private Tour: $145
- Brazilian Side of Iguassu Falls and Itaipu Dam Full-Day Sightseeing Tour from Puerto Iguazú: $96
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Tour from Puerto Iguazu: $49
- Brazilian Side of the Falls - All Tickets Included: $77
- Cataratas Iguazu Argentinas Tour and Great Adventure on boats tour: $80
- City Tour in Iguassu from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $90
- Explore Iguazu Falls in Brazil: An Unforgettable Experience: $44
- Fly Park Iguazú: Extreme Adventure in the Misiones Jungle: $75
Typical Entertainment Prices in Jaco
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Jaco's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Dance Class$11
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Surf Lesson$55
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Bike Rental$11
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Tortuga Island Tour$109
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Massage$49
Tours and Activities in Jaco
For Jaco, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2 HRS Buggy Tour + Waterfalls in Jaco Beach and Los Suenos: $212
- 2 Hour ATV Jungle Adventure Jaco: $85
- 2 Hour ATV Tour and 2 Hour Zipline Experience in Jaco: $129
- 2 hour Double ATV Tour + Waterfalls in Jaco Beach: $99
- 3-Hour ATV Jungle Waterfall Adventure: $105
- 3-Hour Private Guided Experience of 7 Course Contemporary Indian Tasting Menu: $225
- 4 Hours ATV and Waterfall Tour at Quebrada Ganado: $150
- 4 hour ATV Adventure + Beach and Waterfalls near Los Suenos: $125
- 4x4 Happy Jungle Booze Cruise: $129
- 5 Hour Off-Road ATV+ Zipline+ Waterfall Rappelling+ Tractor Jungle Tour: $160
- 5 in 1 Rainforest Adventures in Jacó, Costa Rica – Full Day Pass: $99
- 8 Hour Experience in Corcovado National Park: $200
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $8.22Jaco $35
Typical Alcohol Prices in Jaco
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Jaco:
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Wine$16
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Night at the Bar$30
Sample the Local Flavors in Jaco
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Jaco:
- Bar Crawl in Downtown Jaco: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Jaco, we can see that Jaco 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 Jaco 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 Jaco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Jaco 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 Jaco Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or Jaco?
Puerto Iguazu has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Jaco. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and Jaco, 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.