A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Puerto Iguazu vs. Rosario Islands for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or Rosario Islands?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Rosario Islands? 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 Rosario Islands?

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.

Rosario Islands

The Rosario Islands, also referred to as Coral Islands of Rosario, is an archipelago located off the coast of Colombia, approximately 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Cartagena. The Rosario Islands are integrated by 28 islands and all of them form one of the 46 Natural National Parks of Colombia, created to protect one of the most important coral reefs in the Colombian Caribbean Coast. Only three of these islands are property of the Colombian state. Before establishing the national park in 1977, wealthy families used this natural paradise to build their summer houses, but then the government allowed them to keep their properties, only if they paid annual rent and taxes to be there, and complied with certain rules to preserve the ecosystem of the islands. People can visit the national park area of the islands, and tours are available. Isla Rosario has an aquarium and open-sea oceanarium that people can visit. Activities on the Rosario Islands include swimming, snorkeling and fishing, among others. The best time to visit Colombia in general, and especially the Rosario Islands is the dry-season months from December to March. These uninterrupted sunny days are just perfect for a Caribbean coastal experience and to enjoy all the activities it has to offer.

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 Luxury Tours to Colombia, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Colombia.


Which place is cheaper, Rosario Islands or Puerto Iguazu?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $8.41, while the average daily cost in Rosario Islands is $87. 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 Rosario Islands in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Puerto Iguazu $3.34
    Rosario Islands $33
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Puerto Iguazu $6.68
    Rosario Islands $66
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Rosario Islands

Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Rosario Islands? 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.

Hotels in Puerto Iguazu


Hotels in Rosario Islands


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 Rosario Islands Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Puerto Iguazu $2.58
    Rosario Islands $46

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: $60
  • Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In-Out Transfers: $55
  • Iguazu Airport Private Transfer: $51
  • Iguazu Falls Argentina Airport Roundtrip Transfer to Hotels: $14
  • Iguazu Falls Saver Package! Both sides excursions & transfers : $79
  • Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $98
  • Puerto Iguazú Round-Trip Airport Transfer: $14
  • Puerto Iguazu Airport Shuttle Transfer: $6.85
  • 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

Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Rosario Islands?

Prices for flights to both Rosario Islands 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Puerto Iguazu $3.09
    Rosario Islands $28

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
  • Puerto Iguazú: Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner: $58
  • Argentine Experience: Immersive Dinner & Wine Pairing in Iguazú: $60
  • Iguazu Falls: The Argentine Experience Interactive Dinner: $69
  • Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner in Iguazu: $76
  • Churrascaria Rafain - Show and Dinner : $107
  • Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Selva Iriapu Hotels Exclusive: $110
  • Rafain Steakhouse Show - Dinner and Show Included: $115
  • The Argentine Experience: wine & dinner experience: $118
  • 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

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Puerto Iguazu $2.75
    Rosario Islands $14

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
  • Private Zip Line and Rappel Adventure in Puerto Iguazú: $25
  • Puerto Iguazú: Iguazú Biocenter Tour: $25
  • Iguazu Falls Brazilian Side Tour: $31
  • Argentinian Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour: $31
  • Argentine Falls Full-Day Guided Tour One of the 7 Wonders of the World: $31
  • Ciudad del Este Shopping Tour: $32
  • Tour to Iguaçu Brazilian Falls from Argentina: $34
  • Iguazu Falls Full Day Tour Argentine Side With Optional Brazilian Falls: $34
  • Half-Day Iguazú Forest Adventure: $38
  • Jungle Fly: Adventure at the Jungle in Iguazu: $39

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Puerto Iguazu $1.32
    Rosario Islands $5.98


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Rosario Islands, we can see that Rosario Islands 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 Rosario Islands would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rosario Islands 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 Rosario Islands Expensive?.