Which place is cheaper, La Serena or Puerto Iguazu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or La Serena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or La Serena? 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 La Serena?
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.
La Serena
La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!
Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.
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 Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $8.20La Serena $87
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $8.20, while the average daily cost in La Serena is $87. 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 La Serena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $3.26La Serena $42
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $6.52La Serena $84
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and La Serena
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or La Serena? 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 La Serena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $2.52La Serena $20
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or La Serena?
Prices for flights to both La Serena 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 $3.01La Serena $27
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $2.69La Serena $24
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
Tours and Activities in La Serena
For La Serena, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Tour to the internationally renowned Pangue Observatory: $139
- Dama Island or Chañaral Navigation Tour Humboldt Penguin Reserve: $140
- Elqui Valley Full Day Tour: magical towns, pisco and mountains: $85
- Elqui Valley Grand-Tour: $189
- Elqui Valley Tour from La Serena: $120
- Elqui Valley and Vicuña Private Tour Including Lunch: $183
- Elqui Valley: Pisco Tour, Wine, Beer: $174
- Full Day History and Flavors Tour in the Elqui Valley: $50
- La Serena & Coquimbo City Tour - Short excursion for cruise ships: $128
- La Serena and Coquimbo City Tour (SIB): $66
- La Serena and Coquimbo Guided City Tour: $76
- La Serena and Coquimbo Private City Tour Including Lunch, Shore Excursion: $194
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $1.29La Serena $22
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and La Serena, we can see that La Serena 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 La Serena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Serena 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 La Serena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or La Serena?
La Serena has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Puerto Iguazu. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and La Serena, 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.