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

Should you visit Puerto Iguazu or Saint John?

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

Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Saint John? 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 Saint John?

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.

Saint John

With the popularity of the Caribbean rising, many islands have become touristy and expensive – but not St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

At only nine miles long and five miles wide, St. John is the smallest of the Virgin Islands, and, many argue, the prettiest. It's the kind of place that has maintained it's cultural identity, but still welcomes visitors from all over the world. With a population of just 5,000, the residents of St. John know everyone and everything happening on the island.

This island is perfect for people who want an undisturbed island getaway at any price. Between resorts and campgrounds there is a spot for everyone on St. John.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, and The Best Eco Tours in Argentina.


Which place is cheaper, Saint John 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.

  • Puerto Iguazu Prices
    Argentina Prices
    Saint John Prices
    USVI Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Puerto Iguazu $57
    Saint John $233

The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $57, while the average daily cost in Saint John is $233. 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 Saint John in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Puerto Iguazu $41
    Saint John $106
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Puerto Iguazu $82
    Saint John $212
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Saint John

Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Saint John? 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 Saint John


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Puerto Iguazu $3.07
    Saint John $49

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu

Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Brazilian Waterfalls Tour and Bird Park with Transfer: $102
  • Iguazú Falls Brazil & Argentina 3-Day In Transfer: $79
  • Iguazu Falls 2-Day Tour with Airport Transfer: $348
  • Private Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu: $78
  • Private Transfers Full Day Iguazú Falls: $130
  • Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $100
  • 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
  • Transfer In + Transfer Out IGR Airport Puerto Iguazú Hotels Selva de Iryapu: $145
  • Transfers IGR from the (ARG) to IGU (BRA) with PasseioTur: $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Saint John?

Prices for flights to both Saint John 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 $6.30
    Saint John $97

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Puerto Iguazu $33
    Saint John $23

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: $31
  • 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
  • From San Ignacio Ruins and Wanda Mines Tour: $46
  • Iguaza Falls Brazilian Side & Bird Park Tour: $46
  • Half-Day Iguazú Forest Adventure: $48
  • Cataract: The complete experience of both sides in one day.: $48
  • Full-Day Tour to Iguazu Falls : $49
  • Iguazu Falls Brazilian Side Tour: $49
  • Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Tour from Puerto Iguazu: $49

Tours and Activities in Saint John

Here are a few actual costs in Saint John for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • St. John: A Private Island Adventure Tour & Trunk Bay Beach: $627

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Puerto Iguazu $7.86
    Saint John $44


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Saint John, we can see that Saint John is more expensive. And not only is Puerto Iguazu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Puerto Iguazu is in South America and Saint John is in Caribbean Islands, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 Saint John would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint John 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 Saint John Expensive?.