Which place is cheaper, Salta 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 Salta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Puerto Iguazu or Salta? 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 Salta?
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.
Salta
Located in the heart of the famous Northwest region of Argentina, at 1200m of elevation and at the foot of the Cerro San Bernardo, Salta is the largest city of the region and perhaps the most beautiful colonial city of Argentina. Founded in 1582 by the Spanish, Salta was an important stop for merchants who followed the usual trade road through Bolivia and Peru. Argentines call this city nestled in the foothills of the Andes and surrounded by mountains, of just over half a million inhabitants, Salta La Linda (Salta the Beautiful) and it's easy to see why. Young and traditional at the same time, Salta and its renowned museums, plaza side cafes and live musica folklorica of its bustling penas, is a sophisticated and lively city day and night.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to Argentina, The Best Eco Tours in Argentina, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Argentina, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Argentina.
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Puerto Iguazu Prices
Argentina PricesSalta Prices
Argentina Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPuerto Iguazu $57Salta $45
The average daily cost (per person) in Puerto Iguazu is $57, while the average daily cost in Salta is $45. 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 Salta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPuerto Iguazu $41Salta $31
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPuerto Iguazu $82Salta $62
Compare Hotels in Puerto Iguazu and Salta
Looking for a hotel in Puerto Iguazu or Salta? 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 Salta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Puerto Iguazu $3.10Salta $3.16
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto Iguazu
Also for Puerto Iguazu, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Wanda Mines Guided Tour with Transfer / From Iguassu Falls: $56
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $8.00
- One-Way or Round Trip Airport Transfer: $14
- Falls Package Both Sides with Transfers: $160
- Puerto Iguazu Airport Private Transfer: $23
- Puerto Iguazú: Jungle Fly Adventure with Transfers: $166
- Puerto Iguazú Round-Trip Airport Transfer: $22
- Puerto Iguazú Combo: Iguazu Falls 2 Day Tours + transfers: $85
- Private Transfer to or from Puerto Iguazu Airport IGR: $40
- Private Transfer from Puerto Iguazu Airport to Foz do Iguaçu: $83
- Private Transfer from Iguazú (IGR) Airport to Puerto Iguazú: $45
- Private Transfer between Airport and Downtown Iguazu: $39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salta
Also for Salta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Salta Airport: $8.99
- Train to the Clouds Experience with Transfers from Salta Hotels: $286
- Saver Combo: Cafayate, Cachi, Salt Fields, Transfers and Walking: $179
- Shared 1-Way or Round Trip SLA Airport Transfer: $10
- Private 1-Way or Round Trip SLA Airport Transfer: $37
- Cafayate Wine Tour with Tastings and Transfers: $180
- Salta City Tour & Round Trip Transfers airport - hotel: $109
- Salta Airport Shuttle Transfer: $17
- Salta Airport One-Way or Round-Trip Transfers: $60
- Private Transfer from Salta Airport to Cafayate: $190
- Private Transfer from Salta Airport: $20
- Humahuaca, 7-color Hill & round trip transfers airport - hotel in Salta: $167
Is it cheaper to fly into Puerto Iguazu or Salta?
Prices for flights to both Salta 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 $6.35Salta $5.45
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: $34
- Madero Tango Show with Optional Dinner in Iguazu: $36
- ASADOR: Argentine Asado Cooking Class: $70
- Argentine Experience: Immersive Dinner & Wine Pairing in Iguazú: $75
- Iguazu Falls: The Argentine Experience Interactive Dinner: $75
- Dinner Show Rafain Steakhouse from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $130
- Dinner Tango Show in Iguazú Falls - no transfers -: $152
- Experience Guamini Mision Dinner and Tango Show Gran Meliá Iguazú Exclusive: $155
- FD Iguazu Falls Argentinian side + Dinner Tango Show -no transfer: $211
- Rafain Steakhouse Dinner & Show: $232
- Foz do Iguaçu: Argentinean Cooking Class: $244
- Iguazu Falls: Argentina Side Tour with Dinner & Tango Show: $278
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Puerto Iguazu $34Salta $27
Tours and Activities in Puerto Iguazu
For Puerto Iguazu, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2Day Iguazu Tour HELICOPTER Ride & Airfare from Buenos Aires: $1,290
- Argentine Falls Package with Great Adventure and Brazilian Falls: $275
- Argentinean Falls with Gran Aventura Boat Tour: $261
- Bird Park & Iguassu Brazilian Side From Puerto Iguazú Hotels - Private Tour: $145
- Bird Park & Iguassu Brazilian Side Gran Meliá Hotel Exclusive - Private Tour: $160
- Brazilian Side of Iguassu Falls and Itaipu Dam Full-Day Sightseeing Tour from Puerto Iguazú: $96
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Half-Day Sightseeing Tour: $48
- Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls Tour from Puerto Iguazu: $49
- Brazilian Side of the Falls - All Tickets Included: $77
- City Tour in Iguassu from Puerto Iguazú Hotels Private Tour: $90
- Explore Iguazu Falls in Brazil: An Unforgettable Experience: $44
- Fly Park Iguazú: Extreme Adventure in the Misiones Jungle: $75
Tours and Activities in Salta
For Salta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 2-Day Tour to Cachi and Los Cardones National Park: $57
- 3 Day Tour from Salta to Cachi, Humahuaca and Salinas Grandes: $89
- Best of Guided City Tour: $46
- Cachi Full Day Tour with Los Cardones National Park: $42
- Cachi and Salinas Grandes: 2-Day Tour – Hills and Incredible Landscapes: $104
- Cachi: Scenic Route and Local Experience from Salta: $29
- Cafayate, Vineyards and Calchaquies Valleys Tour from Salta: $47
- City Tour Salta and San Lorenzo: $33
- City Tour Salta and San Lorenzo: $32
- Colorful mountains and endless salt: Salinas + Purmamarca tour: $33
- Exclusive day-long private tour of Cafayate vineyards: $274
- Experience an authentic Salta peña with local musicians: $49
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPuerto Iguazu $7.92Salta $5.54
Sample the Local Flavors in Salta
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Salta:
- Full-day Cafayate, Lerma Valley, and Wine Tasting from Salta: $29
- Cafayate: Full-day winery tour and wine tasting: $29
- From Full-Day Tour to Cafayate with Wine Tasting: $30
- From Cafayate Day Trip with Wine Tasting: $40
- Half Day Wine Tasting in Salta: $145
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Puerto Iguazu and Salta, we can see that Puerto Iguazu is more expensive. And not only is Salta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Salta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Salta 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 Salta.
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 Salta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Puerto Iguazu or Salta?
Salta has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Puerto Iguazu. When comparing the sizes of Puerto Iguazu and Salta, 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.