Which place is cheaper, Montanita 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 Montanita?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Montanita? 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 Montanita?
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.
Montanita
Montanita is a small village located on Manglaralto parish along the southern coast of Ecuador. The Pacific Coast of Ecuador is lined with beach towns, either small villages with local fisherman or larger towns more set up for foreign travellers like Montanita. With one of the best beaches in Ecuador, one of the best surf breaks in the region, and a great laid-back atmosphere Montanita is a great little getaway, especially for the hippies of the world. It has also become a popular weekend destination for English teachers and Spanish students coming from Guayaquil and Quito. The beachfront village of Montanita has a laid-back atmosphere and steady stream of cosmopolitan backpackers, with as many South Americans as gringos.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, The Best G Adventures Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Ecuador.
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Puerto Iguazu Prices
Argentina PricesMontanita Prices
Ecuador Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $57Montanita $117
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $57, while the average daily cost in Montanita is $117. 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 Montanita in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $41Montanita $41
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $82Montanita $82
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Montanita
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Montanita? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $3.07Montanita $39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu
Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Iguazu Falls 2-Day Tour with Airport Transfer: $348
- Transfer In + Transfer Out IGR Airport Puerto Iguazú Hotels Selva de Iryapu: $145
- Private Transfers Full Day Iguazú Falls: $130
- Brazilian Waterfalls Tour and Bird Park with Transfer: $102
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $100
- Transfers IGR from the (ARG) to IGU (BRA) with PasseioTur: $80
- Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In Transfer: $79
- Private Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu: $78
- 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
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Montanita?
Prices for flights to both Montanita 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 $6.30Montanita $48
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $33Montanita $31
Tours and Activities in Puerto Iguazu
For Puerto Iguazu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 1 day- Tour on both sides of the waterfalls: $111
- 1-Day Private Tour In the Iguacu Falls of Brazil and Argentina : $106
- 2-Day Private Tour Both Waterfalls ARG/BRA: $182
- 2Day Iguazu Tour HELICOPTER Ride & Airfare from Buenos Aires: $590
- 3-Day Iguazu Falls Exploring Tour From Argentina and Brazil: $299
- Argentina: Full-Day Iguazu Falls and Great Adventure Tour: $142
- Argentine Falls Package with Great Adventure and Brazilian Falls: $250
- Argentine Side Iguassu Falls Private Tour Hotels in Puerto Iguazú: $140
- Argentinean Falls with Gran Aventura Boat Tour: $238
- Argentinian Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour: $32
- Bird Park & Iguassu Brazilian Side From Puerto Iguazú Hotels - Private Tour: $135
- Bird Park & Iguassu Brazilian Side Gran Meliá Hotel Exclusive - Private Tour: $130
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $7.86Montanita $7.86
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Montanita, we can see that Montanita 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 Montanita would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montanita 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 Montanita Expensive?.
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.