Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or Piriapolis?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Piriapolis? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
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.
Piriapolis
Piriapolis is a small beach town between Montevideo and Punta del Este in Uruguay. It is a more laid back version of Punta del Este with fewer fancy restaurants and clubs but it has perhaps more charm, with its grand old hotel and beachfront promenade backed by small mountains. The rather old-school coastal resort is vaguely reminiscent of a Mediterranean beach town.
Which city is cheaper, Piriapolis or Puerto Iguazu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $58, while the average daily cost in Piriapolis is $48. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Puerto Iguazu and Piriapolis in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $46 in Puerto Iguazu For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
A hotel room in Piriapolis is about $38 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Food
The average traveler spends about $21 per day in Puerto Iguazu for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
While meal prices in Piriapolis can vary, the average travelers spends about $17 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Piriapolis should cost around $6.80 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Piriapolis is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Puerto Iguazu $21
Piriapolis $17
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:
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El Quincho Del Tio Querido - Dinner And Show:
$27
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Foz do Iguaçu Folkloric Show with Dinner from Puerto Iguazú:
$30
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Foz do Iguacu: 2-Hour Rafain Churrascaria Show with Dinner:
$55
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Skip the Line: Dinner Tango Show in Iguazu Falls Ticket:
$59
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Folkloric Show with Dinner at Rafain Churrascaria:
$63
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Rafain Steakhouse Show - Dinner and Show Included:
$69
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Tio Querido Ranch Dinner and Show:
$69
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Dinner Tango Show in Iguazú Falls:
$85
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Creative Cooking Class and Dinner with Wine in Iguazu:
$87
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Tio Querido Dinner and Folk Show in Puerto Iguazú:
$90
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Skip the Line: Dinner Samba Show Ticket in Rafain (brazilian side):
$99
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Full day Iguazu Falls Argentinian side + Tango Show (no dinner):
$110
Local Transportation
To get around in Puerto Iguazu, the average visitor spends $18 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $23 per day to get around in Piriapolis.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu
Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Iguassu Falls Argentina Airport R/T Transfer to Hotels:
$21
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Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In-Out Transfers:
$65
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Iguazu Airport Private Transfer:
$63
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Iguazu Falls Pass: Transfers in/out + Visit to Iguazu Falls Argentininan Side:
$110
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Iguazu Falls: Day Tour including transfers and guided tour:
$245
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Iguazu: Transfer from Argentina Side:
$95
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Private 1-Way Airport Transfer: Downtown Foz do Iguaçu:
$39
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Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer:
$30
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Private One-Way Airport Transfer:
$98
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Piriapolis?
Prices for flights to both Piriapolis 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.
Entertainment
In Puerto Iguazu, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $19 per person, per day.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $4.25 per person, per day in Piriapolis. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Puerto Iguazu
For Puerto Iguazu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Iguazú Biocenter Tour:
$10
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Guira Oga Wild Animals Shelter Admission Ticket:
$10
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Ciudad del Este Shopping Tour:
$17
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Brazilian Side of Iguassu Falls Half-Day Sightseeing Tour from Puerto Iguazú:
$20
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Visit to San Ignacio Ruins and Wanda Mines Full day Tour:
$21
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Shopping Tour to Ciudad del Este, Paraguay:
$21
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Sightseeing Tour of the Argentinian and Brazilian Sides of Iguassu Falls:
$23
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Iguassu Falls Half Day Tour –Brazilian side:
$24
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Iguassu Falls Full Day Tour – Argentina Side:
$24
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Iguazu Falls Brazilian Side Half Day Trip with Itaipu Dam Tour Option:
$24
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Iguazu Falls Argentinian Side Full Day Tour with optional Boat Ride:
$24
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Guarani Village Tour From Puerto Iguassu:
$25
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Puerto Iguazu spend on average $9.09 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Piriapolis may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $5.86 per day on alcoholic beverages.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Piriapolis, we can see that Puerto Iguazu is more expensive. And not only is Piriapolis much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Piriapolis would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Piriapolis 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 Puerto Iguazu would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Puerto Iguazu than you might in Piriapolis.
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