Which place is cheaper, Lake Titicaca (Puno) or Puerto Iguazu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Lake Titicaca (Puno)? 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
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.
Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Lake Titicaca, which directly translates to "puma stone" in Quechua, is located high in the Andes Mountains straddling Peru and Bolivia, with about 60% of the lake in Peru and 40% in Bolivia. Among the lake are three main islands, the most popular of which are the Uros Islands, also known as the floating islands, where the Uros people live on totora reeds that grow in the lake.
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 Photography Tours in Peru, and The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Peru.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $8.20Lake Titicaca (Puno) $55
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $8.20, while the average daily cost in Lake Titicaca (Puno) is $55. 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $3.26Lake Titicaca (Puno) $26
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $6.52Lake Titicaca (Puno) $52
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Lake Titicaca (Puno)? 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $2.52Lake Titicaca (Puno) $11
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
- Transfer from Iguazú Airport to hotels on the Argentine side: $15
- Iguazu Falls Argentina Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Hotels: $20
- Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In-Out Transfers: $61
- Argentine and Brazilian Falls with transfers: $67
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $98
- Transfer In + Transfer Out IGR Airport Puerto Iguazú Hotels Selva de Iryapu: $145
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno):
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Taxi$0.81
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno):
- Puno Airport Shared Transfer: $20
- Puno Airport Private Transfer: $44
- Private Transfer from Puno to Frontera Kasani: $201
- Private Transfer from Puno to Desaguadero: $192
- Private Transfer from Puerto de Puno to Hotel Puno: $21
- Private Transfer from Hotel Puno to Puerto de Puno: $21
- Private Transfer From Puno to Oruro with English Speaking Driver: $240
- Private Transfer From Puno to Oruro With a Stop in Lake Titicaca: $283
- Private Transfer From Puno to Chivay With a 2 Hour Stop: $294
- Direct Private Transfer From Puno to Cusco, English Local Speaking Driver: $204
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Prices for flights to both Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 $3.01Lake Titicaca (Puno) $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:
- El Quincho Del Tio Querido - Dinner And Show from Foz do Iguaçu: $46
- 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 Show - Dinner and Show Included: $115
- Rafain Steakhouse Dinner & Show: $117
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $120
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse Gran Meliá Hotel Exclusive - Private Tour: $120
- From Foz do Iguaçu: Madero Tango with dinner: $123
- Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusive: $145
- Churrascaria Rafain - Show and Dinner : $150
Typical Food Prices in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:
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Tamales$1.49
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $2.69Lake Titicaca (Puno) $29
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
- 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
- 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
- Full-Day Tour to Iguazu Falls : $49
- Half-Day Iguazú Forest Adventure: $49
Tours and Activities in Lake Titicaca (Puno)
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lake Titicaca (Puno) are as follows:
- Live Experience Titicaca Lake PUNO: $70
- 2-Day Lake Titicaca Tour with Stay in a Local Family Home: $109
- 2-Day Tour Uros Islands with Stay in a Local Family House from Puno: $109
- 2-Day Tour to Uros, Amantani and Taquile From Puno: $85
- 2-Hour Crop Circles Private Tour on Lake Titicaca from Puno: $130
- 2-day Tour: Puno To Chivay And Canyon Of Colca: $195
- 3 Hour Guided Kayaking Tour in Lake Titicaca: $50
- 3-day Classic Puno Tour Package: $226
- 3h Boat Tour to Uros Island from Puno: $38
- Aymara's route 1 day tour in Puno: Inca Uyo, Aramu Muru, Molloco: $90
- Bus Day Tour along the Ruta del Sol from Puno to Cusco: $62
- Bus Ticket from Puno to Cusco with Stop.: $108
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $1.29Lake Titicaca (Puno) $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Lake Titicaca (Puno), we can see that Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lake Titicaca (Puno) 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 Lake Titicaca (Puno) Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or Lake Titicaca (Puno)?
Lake Titicaca (Puno) has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Puerto Iguazu. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and Lake Titicaca (Puno), 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.