Which place is cheaper, Puerto Madryn 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 Puerto Madryn?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Puerto Madryn? 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 Puerto Madryn?
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.
Puerto Madryn
Puerto Madryn is mostly known as the gateway to Peninsula Valdes, welcoming tourists who come for whale watching. The Peninsula Valdes is a nature reserve designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site; 97 km long and 63 km wide, it is connected to the continent by an isthmus of 35 km from which we can see both gulfs, San Jose at north and the Nuevo at south.
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 10-Day Tours in Argentina, and The Best 2-Week Tours in Argentina.
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Puerto Iguazu Prices
Argentina PricesPuerto Madryn Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $71Puerto Madryn $76
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $71, while the average daily cost in Puerto Madryn is $76. 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 Puerto Madryn in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $51Puerto Madryn $51
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $102Puerto Madryn $102
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Puerto Madryn
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Puerto Madryn? 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 Puerto Madryn Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $3.85Puerto Madryn $3.17
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
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $11
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $17
- Iguazu Airport Private Transfer: $22
- Iguazu Falls Argentina Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Hotels: $25
- Puerto Iguazu Airport (IGR) Private Transfer to Puerto Iguazu: $27
- Transfer from Iguazú Airport to hotels on the Argentine side: $30
- Private Transfer to or from Puerto Iguazu Airport IGR: $35
- Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In Transfer: $54
- Private Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu: $75
- Iguazu Falls Saver Package! Both sides excursions & transfers : $79
- Transfers IGR from the (ARG) to IGU (BRA) with PasseioTur: $80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Madryn
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Puerto Madryn:
- View of the whales: transfer to El Doradillo beach: $150
- Trelew Airport Shuttle Transfer To Puerto Madryn : $49
- Puerto Madryn Airport Private Transfer: $215
- Puerto Madryn Airport PMY Private Transfer to Puerto Madryn City: $33
- From Punta Tombo Day Trip with Hotel Transfer: $138
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Puerto Madryn?
Prices for flights to both Puerto Madryn 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 $7.89Puerto Madryn $9.51
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: $33
- Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner in Iguazu: $38
- Argentine Experience: Immersive Dinner & Wine Pairing in Iguazú: $65
- Iguazu Falls: The Argentine Experience Interactive Dinner: $65
- Madero Tango Iguazú - Premium Dinner (Foz do Iguaçu/Puerto Iguazú): $69
- From Foz do Iguaçu: Madero Tango with dinner: $108
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $120
- Foz do Iguaçu: Argentinean Cooking Class: $142
- Dinner Tango Show in Iguazú Falls - no transfers -: $152
- Iguazu Falls: Argentina Side Tour with Dinner & Tango Show: $278
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $42Puerto Madryn $56
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: $27
- Argentinian Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour: $32
- Iguazu Falls Tour on Brazil Side: $37
- Foz do Iguaçu: Brazil/Argentina Sides Iguazu Falls Day Tour: $40
- Ciudad del Este Shopping Tour: $40
- Iguazu Falls: one-day tour on the Argentine side: $40
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Half-Day Sightseeing Tour : $42
- From San Ignacio Ruins and Wanda Mines Tour: $46
- Iguaza Falls Brazilian Side & Bird Park Tour: $46
- IceBar Iguazú: The Frozen Adventure in the Jungle: $47
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Tour from Puerto Iguazu: $49
Tours and Activities in Puerto Madryn
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Puerto Madryn are as follows:
- 4 x 4 experience around Puerto Madryn: $110
- Cruise Shore Exc. Ea San Lorenzo (Penguins) Lunch Included: $130
- Cruise Shore Excursion Ea San Lorenzo Peninsula Valdes - Patagonia - Argentina: $189
- Cruise Shore Excursion Peninsula Valdes - Box Lunch Included: $105
- Cruise Shore Excursion Peninsula Valdes - Pto Madryn - Patagonia - Argentina: $95
- Cruise Shore Excursion Pta Tombo (penguins): $105
- Cruise Shore Excursion Punta Tombo - From Puerto Madryn Patagonia: $120
- Cruise Shore Punta Loma and city overview: $83
- Dolphin Watching Adventure: $105
- El Doradillo Whale Watching Half-Day Tour from Puerto Madryn: $55
- Exclusive Peninsula Valdes Nature & Wildlife for Cruise Guests: $120
- Excursion to Punta Loma and Puerto Madryn for Cruisers: $60
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $9.84Puerto Madryn $15
When comparing the travel costs between Puerto Iguazu and Puerto Madryn, we can see that Puerto Madryn is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in South America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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 Puerto Madryn Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or Puerto Madryn?
Puerto Madryn has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Puerto Iguazu. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and Puerto Madryn, 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.