Which place is cheaper, Quito or Puerto Iguazu?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or Quito?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Quito? 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 Quito?
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.
Quito
Nestled between two mountain ranges lies the world's highest capital city, Quito, Ecuador. For history lovers, Quito is a very desirable destination as it's home to the Quito Historic Center – one of the largest and best-preserved historic centers in the Americas.
Even though Quito is full of people – in fact, it's the second most populous city in the country – very few of its inhabitants speak English. Luckily, however, the citizens of Quito tend to speak a slower and more clear Spanish than surrounding areas. This is the perfect place to practice what you read in your Intro to Spanish book.
Before visiting Quito, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, give yourself a few days to grow accustomed to the elevation. Staying 9,350 feet above sea level takes some getting used to. Second, don't be fooled into thinking that just because you're visiting a town on the equator that you'll need all your summer clothes. Because of the city's elevation, the area keeps a relatively cool climate year round.
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 Adventure Tours to Ecuador, and The Best Eco Tours in Ecuador.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $8.20Quito $52
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $8.20, while the average daily cost in Quito is $52. 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 Quito in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $3.26Quito $22
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $6.52Quito $44
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Quito
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Quito? 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 Quito Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $2.52Quito $6.99
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu
Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Argentine and Brazilian Falls with transfers: $57
- Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In-Out Transfers: $52
- Iguazu Falls Argentina Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Hotels: $13
- Iguazu Falls Saver Package! Both sides excursions & transfers : $79
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $98
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $8.34
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $8.00
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $11
- Transfer In + Transfer Out IGR Airport Puerto Iguazú Hotels Selva de Iryapu: $145
- Transfer from Iguazú Airport to hotels on the Argentine side: $15
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Quito
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Quito:
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Taxi from Bus Terminal to Hotel$10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Quito
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Quito:
- Unique Quito Transfer Mariscal Sucre Airport to Hotel: $29
- Transfers To and From the Airport in Quito Ecuador: $35
- Transfers Friends Airport Quito: $40
- Transfer to Mashpi Reserve one way : $99
- Transfer in private vehicle from Quito City - Quito Airport (UIO): $38
- Transfer in or transfer out to Quito airport: $40
- Transfer in and Transfer out: $75
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Quito City - Quito Airport (UIO): $53
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Quito Airport (UIO) - Quito City: $53
- Transfer Out from Quito to the Airport: $39
- Transfer In / Out Quito: $25
- Transfer In & Out from Quito: $100
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Quito?
Prices for flights to both Quito 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 $3.01Quito $20
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Quito
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Quito.
- Old Town Highlights & Food Tour: $35
- 3 Hours Local Food Tour in Quito: $39
- Guilty Pleasures Walking Food Tours in Quito: $45
- Cooking class In-home space: $75
- Homemade Local Food Tour in Guayaquil: $80
- Cooking Class in Quito with Chef, Market Tour and Transportation: $88
- Jacchigua Show Including Dinner + Transfer: $92
- Ecuadorian Cooking Class and Local Market Tour: $114
- Ecuadorian Cooking Classes Rooftop (English): $120
- Premium Cooking Class Quito Tour: $130
- Quito Private & All Inclusive Cooking Class with Certified Chef: $235
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $2.69Quito $16
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
- Argentine Falls Full-Day Guided Tour One of the 7 Wonders of the World: $31
- 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
- City tour with stops at tourist attractions: $41
- 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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Quito
Here are a few typical costs in Quito for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entrance to Guyasimine Museum for Two$8.00
Tours and Activities in Quito
Here are a few actual costs in Quito for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Flavors, Colors and History of Quito Private Tour: $185
- Otavalo Market Private Sightseeing and Surroundings: $110
- Tour Full-Day Mercado de Otavalo + Cotacachi, Ecuador.: $130
- 2-Day Private Tour from Quito:Baños and Quilotoa Lagoon: $329
- 2-Day Private Tour to Otavalo Market, Cuicocha Lake, Peguche and Condor´s Park: $295
- 2-Day Tour of Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Lagoon with hotel: $222
- 2-day Quilotoa Lagoon and the adventure city of Baños: $265
- 3-Day Andes Adventure Visiting Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and Baños: $239
- 3-Days Andes & Amazon | Tour From Quito: $852
- 8 Hours Mindo Cloud Forest Tour from Quito : $100
- Adventure in Quilotoa Lagoon by Lead: $150
- All Included Antisana Reserve Condors Andean Wildlife Day Tour : $198
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $1.29Quito $17
Typical Alcohol Prices in Quito
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Quito from other travelers:
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Beers for Two$9.00
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Quito, we can see that Quito 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 Quito would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Quito 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 Quito Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or Quito?
Quito has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Puerto Iguazu. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and Quito, 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.